Do I Have To Pay Backed California Registration Fees If I Take It To Another State To Register

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You lot may take recently moved to California from another state. Or, you may already live in California, but you bought a car in another state. In either instance, you'll demand to follow California'south procedure for registering an out-of-country car. There are a few additional steps to registering an out-of-land car that don't apply to cars bought in the land of California.^[1]

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Bank check the auto'southward emissions characterization. You motorcar volition take an emissions label nether the hood. If it's certified in California, it will include a statement that it conforms to California state regulations. If information technology doesn't include that statement, y'all may not be able to register the auto in California.^[2]
- If yous're a California resident and you're looking at buying a car out of state, you lot might want to bank check this earlier you purchase the car. If you lot're unable to annals your machine in California, you may not be able to get your money back.
- Yous don't need to worry nigh California's emissions laws if your car was built before 1976.^[three]
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Evaluate exemptions if your car isn't California certified. If your car doesn't conform to California country regulations, information technology'southward considered a "49-land car." California constabulary provides a few exemptions that volition allow you to annals a 49-land motorcar. You lot will demand to testify the DMV proof that your car falls into one of these exemptions.^[4]
- If yous got the machine as function of a divorce, inheritance, or legal settlement, you'll be able to register the car.
- If your California-registered vehicle was stolen or wrecked out of state, and you bought a 49-state machine to supercede it, you can register it.
- California too grants exemptions for emergency vehicles, or a car you purchased while y'all were stationed on active armed forces duty.
- Cars built before 1976 also are subject to an exemption.^[five]
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Get the last issued out-of-country title or registration. To prove that y'all own the vehicle, you must present the title or registration from the land the car came from. You'll need to get the championship unless the automobile is financed.^[6]
- Visit the California DMV website at www.dmv.ca.gov to find a list of out-of-state DMV offices where yous can asking a copy of the title or registration.
- If the out-of-state title has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, yous typically will need to request a duplicate from the state that issued the title earlier y'all can register your car and become a California championship.
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Complete the odometer disclosure. Your title volition take an odometer disclosure section that must exist completed by the seller and acknowledged by you as the buyer of the car. This disclosure isn't mandatory if the car is more than x years sometime, or is a make new auto.^[7]
- If yous're planning on registering and using the car as a commercial vehicle, you besides typically won't need to consummate the odometer disclosure.
- If you don't have the title (such every bit if your motorcar is financed and the lien holder has the title), yous must fill out a REG 262 form. You can't download this form online because it is printed on security paper. Call the California DMV at 1-800-777-0133 to have a grade mailed to y'all.^[eight]
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Make a re-create of your pecker of sale. If you recently purchased the motorcar from out of state and are registering information technology in California as a new owner, y'all will need to nowadays a copy of the nib of sale to establish the chain of ownership.^[ix]
- If you didn't get a document specifically titled "Bill of Auction," a finance agreement or other buy agreement will suffice.
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Calculate your registration fees. The California DMV has a fee estimator bachelor online that you can utilize to make up one's mind how much you lot'll have to pay to register your out-of-state automobile.^[10]
- Go to https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/portal/feecalculatorweb/alphabetize and click on the "nonresident vehicles" link.
- You will have to provide information most the blazon of vehicle and model year. You'll also enter the date y'all purchased the vehicle and the date you first collection it in California.
- If you lot paid whatsoever use or sales tax in the other state, enter this information too. You'll get a credit for it towards your California taxes.
7
Certify your automobile at a California smog station. Almost cars must have a smog certification before they tin can be registered in California. The only cars that don't crave smog certification are diesel-powered cars of model twelvemonth 1998 or newer.^[xi]
- To observe the smog station nearest you lot, visit https://www.smogcheck.ca.gov and click the "Find a Station" button.
- Smog bank check prices aren't regulated, and then you may want to shop around at several stations to discover the best price.^[12]
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Verify the machine's weight if yous're registering the machine as a commercial vehicle. If your out-of-country car is for personal use, you lot won't demand a weighmaster'due south certificate. Even so, you lot will demand 1 if you lot plan to register the machine equally a commercial vehicle and utilize it for business organization purposes.^[13]
- You can observe public scales by visiting the website of the California Department of Food and Agronomics at https://apps1.cdfa.ca.gov/publicscales/.
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Visit your local California DMV role. When you're ready to annals your out-of-state motorcar in California for the first fourth dimension, you'll have to drive the car to the nearest DMV field office and submit an application along with all the required documents.^[fourteen]
- To find a field office near you, visit the DMV's website at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/dmv/offices.
- To shorten your expect time, you lot tin can make an appointment online or past calling ane-800-777-0133. Field offices are not open on weekends or holidays.
2
Complete the application for championship or registration. The application for title or registration asks for information nigh you and the motorcar y'all want to register in California. You also must provide information virtually the purchase of the car.^[fifteen]
- Y'all tin can download the application from the California DMV'southward website and fill it out ahead of time. You tin can too become a copy of the application at the DMV and fill it out while y'all wait.
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Have your car verified at the DMV. You must accept your out-of-country car to your local DMV to verify the motorcar's vehicle identification number (VIN). This must be washed by an authorized DMV employee, who will also conduct a visual inspection of the car.^[xvi]
- The California DMV recommends that y'all make an appointment so you don't have to wait as long. If yous accept all of your required paperwork, you lot can annals your car at the same fourth dimension yous get the verification.
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Submit your application along with certifications and proof of ownership. When yous've finished filling out your application, you lot'll need to requite it to the DMV clerk along with the title or registration from the other state, your bill of sale, smog certification, and any other required documents.^[17]
- The clerk will verify your documents and give your originals dorsum to y'all.
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Testify your driver's license and proof of insurance. Earlier the DMV will process your registration, you must testify that you lot have car insurance that meets the state minimum requirements.^[18]
- For private rider vehicles, you must have at least $xv,000 coverage for the injury or death of ane person, $30,000 coverage for the injury or expiry of more than one person, and $5,000 coverage for harm to holding.^[19]
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Pay the required fees. One time the clerk has processed your awarding, they'll calculate the amount of fees yous owe to register the machine. If you've already calculated your fees online, y'all'll have an thought of how much this is going to be. Nonetheless, if your calculation differs from the clerk'due south calculation, the clerk'due south calculation is the ane that y'all'll have to pay.^[xx]
- DMV field offices accept cash, personal checks, and credit or debit cards.
- A portion of these fees may be revenue enhancement deductible. Contact a California tax counselor or consultant for more information.
7
Turn over your out-of-state license plates if required. In most cases, you'll have to give the out-of-state license plates to the DMV to go your new California plates. There are exemptions, such every bit if the plates are expired.^[21]
- If the other state requires you to send the plates back to them, it's your responsibility to plow the plates back in – the California DMV won't practice this for yous.
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Put your new plates on your car. Once your registration is consummate, the clerk will consequence your registration certificate and give you new plates to put on your car. If you ordered specialty or custom plates, you'll get a temporary plate to use until y'all go your plates in the post.^[22]

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Article Summary X

To register your out-of-state car in California, commencement by locating your current championship or registration and bill of auction to prove that you ain your car. Next, drive the car to your nearest smog station to brand certain it passes California'due south emission regulations. If you don't know where your nearest smog station is, you tin locate it at smogcheck.ca.gov. Once you've done that, bulldoze to your local DMV office in California. Remember to bring all of your paperwork with y'all, including your commuter's license and proof of insurance. Subsequently that, become an application course for title or registration at the DMV and fill in the details. When you've finished the paperwork, pay the required fees. So, plow over your out-of-state license plates if required, and switch them for your new California plates. For more tips, including how to check if your 49-state car is exempt from California regulations, read on!

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