It's been a while!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 399
Likes: 9
From: Sunny So. Cal.
It's been a while!
As I type this, I realize I haven't driven my car since LAST YEAR!! Gotta change that.
But seriously, it's been a while since I bought a car out of state and forgot how much of a pain in the *** the CA DMV can be.
Bought the car out of state, dealer told me I had to wait for them to send me the title papers before I could register it in my state. I called them a week later just to confirm that I couldn't get the process started and they confirmed.
They regular mailed the title paperwork to me 17 days after I purchased the car. It arrived 5 days later on day 22 of ownership. I called the DMV the same day to make an appointment and avoid the 2-3 hour wait in line.
Scheduled my appointment for the first available day they offered which was 12/31/2013, my 31st day of ownership.
The title paperwork sent by the dealer specifically stated you have 30 days from the date the title was issued to register and title the car without penalty, which was 12/17/2013. It also included paper work to prove that the car was 50 state emission certified so that you don't have to smog check a brand new car.
Get to DMV, the lady had no clue how to register an out state car. Was back and forth between her desk and the supervisor with a million questions. She came back and told me to pull the car around for inspection.
The guy came out, inspected the car, loved it and complimented the heck out of it. Confirmed it was emission legal for all 50 states and that it doesn't need a smog check.
I go back inside to finish the paperwork with the inspection report in hand. Again, the lady is clueless. Finally comes back and says "You need a smog certificate". I argued with her, brought the inspector back, he agreed with me. After 35 minutes of running around, she came back and said I had to get it smog checked.
Told me I had to pay my fees now, get the smog certificate and come back. But my appointment was no longer valid, so when I return, I have to wait in line like everyone else, despite making an appointment. And, I tried to check the paperwork before leaving, but she was so rude and rushed, she wouldn't let me, was practically pushing the paperwork off her counter and said if you have any questions, you can resolve them when you come back.
I head down the street to a smog check place a couple miles away. They said, 10 minutes and it will be done. 45 minutes later, the guy comes back and says our machine is broken. We tried restarting it 4 times and rechecking the car, but can't get it to complete the report.
They send me to their other shop 12 miles across town. I go to them, the guys were great, but of course I was frustrated with having to get a BRAND NEW car smog checked to begin with, and then wasting an hour at the other place and driving to this place.
As the car was getting smog checked, I looked over the DMV paper work and realized they charged me over $700 in penalties.
Went back to DMV, tried to go back to the same lady, but she said, "No, you have to get a number and wait for it to be called". An hour and 35 minutes later, I'm called to a different window with a different person. I ask her about all the penalties and what they were for. She said because you were over 30 days registering the car from when you bought it. Given, this is day 31.
I explain to her that it was a brand new car and there was no title paperwork on the car until the 17th, just 14 days ago and that nothing could be done prior to that date. The clock starts when the car has a notarized title.
She goes over all the paper work. Now she looks just as lost as the first clerk I dealt with, but this time, she was lost trying to figure out what the heck the first clerk did. Everything was wrong. After after going over all the paperwork, she said I should not have been charged penalties for being late to register the car since it was only 2 weeks since the title was issued.
BUT....because it was already paid, they can't refund it. You have to fill out a form, provide supporting evidence and documentation why you should get a refund, then mail it to the state capitol in Sacramento and wait 6-8 weeks for a decision on if I'll get my $700 in bogus charges back.
Finally got the paperwork done, got my plates and was out. With an appointment that I made, should have been about a 30 minute process that turned into over 4 1/2 hours thanks to the incompetency of one government worker and ripped me off for an additional $700+ that I'll probably never see again.
Love the car, but hate the DMV. I looked all over for this car with the options I wanted in the color I wanted. Saw nothing that matched it for two months. Had one ordered, but dealer said it would be 6 to 8 months for a Z51. Found my car, which was optioned exactly as the car I ordered and priced right, so couldn't pass it up. Have kept an eye open since then over the last month and still have not seen another car available anywhere that I would have considered. So I got lucky to find the car I did. Overall I'm happy, just hate that CA makes it so difficult to register a brand new car if it wasn't bought in this state. Funny though, order anything else from out of state and you pay no sales tax, but with cars, CA did nothing to help me with getting this car, but they sure as heck make sure to collect their 9% in taxes on it.
OK, I'm done ranting now! It's done, now I can go drive my car for the first time since last year and enjoy my many years of ownership going forward.
Figured I post this, just in case anyone else is buying a car from out of state. Might be helpful in preventing you from running into some of the same issues.
But seriously, it's been a while since I bought a car out of state and forgot how much of a pain in the *** the CA DMV can be.
Bought the car out of state, dealer told me I had to wait for them to send me the title papers before I could register it in my state. I called them a week later just to confirm that I couldn't get the process started and they confirmed.
They regular mailed the title paperwork to me 17 days after I purchased the car. It arrived 5 days later on day 22 of ownership. I called the DMV the same day to make an appointment and avoid the 2-3 hour wait in line.
Scheduled my appointment for the first available day they offered which was 12/31/2013, my 31st day of ownership.
The title paperwork sent by the dealer specifically stated you have 30 days from the date the title was issued to register and title the car without penalty, which was 12/17/2013. It also included paper work to prove that the car was 50 state emission certified so that you don't have to smog check a brand new car.
Get to DMV, the lady had no clue how to register an out state car. Was back and forth between her desk and the supervisor with a million questions. She came back and told me to pull the car around for inspection.
The guy came out, inspected the car, loved it and complimented the heck out of it. Confirmed it was emission legal for all 50 states and that it doesn't need a smog check.
I go back inside to finish the paperwork with the inspection report in hand. Again, the lady is clueless. Finally comes back and says "You need a smog certificate". I argued with her, brought the inspector back, he agreed with me. After 35 minutes of running around, she came back and said I had to get it smog checked.
Told me I had to pay my fees now, get the smog certificate and come back. But my appointment was no longer valid, so when I return, I have to wait in line like everyone else, despite making an appointment. And, I tried to check the paperwork before leaving, but she was so rude and rushed, she wouldn't let me, was practically pushing the paperwork off her counter and said if you have any questions, you can resolve them when you come back.
I head down the street to a smog check place a couple miles away. They said, 10 minutes and it will be done. 45 minutes later, the guy comes back and says our machine is broken. We tried restarting it 4 times and rechecking the car, but can't get it to complete the report.
They send me to their other shop 12 miles across town. I go to them, the guys were great, but of course I was frustrated with having to get a BRAND NEW car smog checked to begin with, and then wasting an hour at the other place and driving to this place.
As the car was getting smog checked, I looked over the DMV paper work and realized they charged me over $700 in penalties.
Went back to DMV, tried to go back to the same lady, but she said, "No, you have to get a number and wait for it to be called". An hour and 35 minutes later, I'm called to a different window with a different person. I ask her about all the penalties and what they were for. She said because you were over 30 days registering the car from when you bought it. Given, this is day 31.
I explain to her that it was a brand new car and there was no title paperwork on the car until the 17th, just 14 days ago and that nothing could be done prior to that date. The clock starts when the car has a notarized title.
She goes over all the paper work. Now she looks just as lost as the first clerk I dealt with, but this time, she was lost trying to figure out what the heck the first clerk did. Everything was wrong. After after going over all the paperwork, she said I should not have been charged penalties for being late to register the car since it was only 2 weeks since the title was issued.
BUT....because it was already paid, they can't refund it. You have to fill out a form, provide supporting evidence and documentation why you should get a refund, then mail it to the state capitol in Sacramento and wait 6-8 weeks for a decision on if I'll get my $700 in bogus charges back.
Finally got the paperwork done, got my plates and was out. With an appointment that I made, should have been about a 30 minute process that turned into over 4 1/2 hours thanks to the incompetency of one government worker and ripped me off for an additional $700+ that I'll probably never see again.
Love the car, but hate the DMV. I looked all over for this car with the options I wanted in the color I wanted. Saw nothing that matched it for two months. Had one ordered, but dealer said it would be 6 to 8 months for a Z51. Found my car, which was optioned exactly as the car I ordered and priced right, so couldn't pass it up. Have kept an eye open since then over the last month and still have not seen another car available anywhere that I would have considered. So I got lucky to find the car I did. Overall I'm happy, just hate that CA makes it so difficult to register a brand new car if it wasn't bought in this state. Funny though, order anything else from out of state and you pay no sales tax, but with cars, CA did nothing to help me with getting this car, but they sure as heck make sure to collect their 9% in taxes on it.
OK, I'm done ranting now! It's done, now I can go drive my car for the first time since last year and enjoy my many years of ownership going forward.
Figured I post this, just in case anyone else is buying a car from out of state. Might be helpful in preventing you from running into some of the same issues.
Last edited by LuvnMyC7; Jan 1, 2014 at 04:00 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,329
Likes: 1
As I type this, I realize I haven't driven my car since LAST YEAR!! Gotta change that.
But seriously, it's been a while since I bought a car out of state and forgot how much of a pain in the *** the CA DMV can be.
Bought the car out of state, dealer told me I had to wait for them to send me the title papers before I could register it in my state. I called them a week later just to confirm that I couldn't get the process started and they confirmed.
They regular mailed the title paperwork to me 17 days after I purchased the car. It arrived 5 days later on day 22 of ownership. I called the DMV the same day to make an appointment and avoid the 2-3 hour wait in line.
Scheduled my appointment for the first available day they offered which was 12/31/2013, my 31st day of ownership.
The title paperwork sent by the dealer specifically stated you have 30 days from the date the title was issued to register and title the car without penalty, which was 12/17/2013. It also included paper work to prove that the car was 50 state emission certified so that you don't have to smog check a brand new car.
Get to DMV, the lady had no clue how to register an out state car. Was back and forth between her desk and the supervisor with a million questions. She came back and told me to pull the car around for inspection.
The guy came out, inspected the car, loved it and complimented the heck out of it. Confirmed it was emission legal for all 50 states and that it doesn't need a smog check.
I go back inside to finish the paperwork with the inspection report in hand. Again, the lady is clueless. Finally comes back and says "You need a smog certificate". I argued with her, brought the inspector back, he agreed with me. After 35 minutes of running around, she came back and said I had to get it smog checked.
Told me I had to pay my fees now, get the smog certificate and come back. But my appointment was no longer valid, so when I return, I have to wait in line like everyone else, despite making an appointment. And, I tried to check the paperwork before leaving, but she was so rude and rushed, she wouldn't let me, was practically pushing the paperwork off her counter and said if you have any questions, you can resolve them when you come back.
I head down the street to a smog check place a couple miles away. They said, 10 minutes and it will be done. 45 minutes later, the guy comes back and says our machine is broken. We tried restarting it 4 times and rechecking the car, but can't get it to complete the report.
They send me to their other shop 12 miles across town. I go to them, the guys were great, but of course I was frustrated with having to get a BRAND NEW car smog checked to begin with, and then wasting an hour at the other place and driving to this place.
As the car was getting smog checked, I looked over the DMV paper work and realized they charged me over $700 in penalties.
Went back to DMV, tried to go back to the same lady, but she said, "No, you have to get a number and wait for it to be called". An hour and 35 minutes later, I'm called to a different window with a different person. I ask her about all the penalties and what they were for. She said because you were over 30 days registering the car from when you bought it. Given, this is day 31.
I explain to her that it was a brand new car and there was no title paperwork on the car until the 17th, just 14 days ago and that nothing could be done prior to that date. The clock starts when the car has a notarized title.
She goes over all the paper work. Now she looks just as lost as the first clerk I dealt with, but this time, she was lost trying to figure out what the heck the first clerk did. Everything was wrong. After after going over all the paperwork, she said I should not have been charged penalties for being late to register the car since it was only 2 weeks since the title was issued.
BUT....because it was already paid, they can't refund it. You have to fill out a form, provide supporting evidence and documentation why you should get a refund, then mail it to the state capitol in Sacramento and wait 6-8 weeks for a decision on if I'll get my $700 in bogus charges back.
Finally got the paperwork done, got my plates and was out. With an appointment that I made, should have been about a 30 minute process that turned into over 4 1/2 hours thanks to the incompetency of one government worker and ripped me off for an additional $700+ that I'll probably never see again.
Love the car, but hate the DMV. I looked all over for this car with the options I wanted in the color I wanted. Saw nothing that matched it for two months. Had one ordered, but dealer said it would be 6 to 8 months for a Z51. Found my car, which was optioned exactly as the car I ordered and priced right, so couldn't pass it up. Have kept an eye open since then over the last month and still have not seen another car available anywhere that I would have considered. So I got lucky to find the car I did. Overall I'm happy, just hate that CA makes it so difficult to register a brand new car if it wasn't bought in this state. Funny though, order anything else from out of state and you pay no sales tax, but with cars, CA did nothing to help me with getting this car, but they sure as heck make sure to collect their 9% in taxes on it.
OK, I'm done ranting now! It's done, now I can go drive my car for the first time since last year and enjoy my many years of ownership going forward.
Figured I post this, just in case anyone else is buying a car from out of state. Might be helpful in preventing you from running into some of the same issues.
But seriously, it's been a while since I bought a car out of state and forgot how much of a pain in the *** the CA DMV can be.
Bought the car out of state, dealer told me I had to wait for them to send me the title papers before I could register it in my state. I called them a week later just to confirm that I couldn't get the process started and they confirmed.
They regular mailed the title paperwork to me 17 days after I purchased the car. It arrived 5 days later on day 22 of ownership. I called the DMV the same day to make an appointment and avoid the 2-3 hour wait in line.
Scheduled my appointment for the first available day they offered which was 12/31/2013, my 31st day of ownership.
The title paperwork sent by the dealer specifically stated you have 30 days from the date the title was issued to register and title the car without penalty, which was 12/17/2013. It also included paper work to prove that the car was 50 state emission certified so that you don't have to smog check a brand new car.
Get to DMV, the lady had no clue how to register an out state car. Was back and forth between her desk and the supervisor with a million questions. She came back and told me to pull the car around for inspection.
The guy came out, inspected the car, loved it and complimented the heck out of it. Confirmed it was emission legal for all 50 states and that it doesn't need a smog check.
I go back inside to finish the paperwork with the inspection report in hand. Again, the lady is clueless. Finally comes back and says "You need a smog certificate". I argued with her, brought the inspector back, he agreed with me. After 35 minutes of running around, she came back and said I had to get it smog checked.
Told me I had to pay my fees now, get the smog certificate and come back. But my appointment was no longer valid, so when I return, I have to wait in line like everyone else, despite making an appointment. And, I tried to check the paperwork before leaving, but she was so rude and rushed, she wouldn't let me, was practically pushing the paperwork off her counter and said if you have any questions, you can resolve them when you come back.
I head down the street to a smog check place a couple miles away. They said, 10 minutes and it will be done. 45 minutes later, the guy comes back and says our machine is broken. We tried restarting it 4 times and rechecking the car, but can't get it to complete the report.
They send me to their other shop 12 miles across town. I go to them, the guys were great, but of course I was frustrated with having to get a BRAND NEW car smog checked to begin with, and then wasting an hour at the other place and driving to this place.
As the car was getting smog checked, I looked over the DMV paper work and realized they charged me over $700 in penalties.
Went back to DMV, tried to go back to the same lady, but she said, "No, you have to get a number and wait for it to be called". An hour and 35 minutes later, I'm called to a different window with a different person. I ask her about all the penalties and what they were for. She said because you were over 30 days registering the car from when you bought it. Given, this is day 31.
I explain to her that it was a brand new car and there was no title paperwork on the car until the 17th, just 14 days ago and that nothing could be done prior to that date. The clock starts when the car has a notarized title.
She goes over all the paper work. Now she looks just as lost as the first clerk I dealt with, but this time, she was lost trying to figure out what the heck the first clerk did. Everything was wrong. After after going over all the paperwork, she said I should not have been charged penalties for being late to register the car since it was only 2 weeks since the title was issued.
BUT....because it was already paid, they can't refund it. You have to fill out a form, provide supporting evidence and documentation why you should get a refund, then mail it to the state capitol in Sacramento and wait 6-8 weeks for a decision on if I'll get my $700 in bogus charges back.
Finally got the paperwork done, got my plates and was out. With an appointment that I made, should have been about a 30 minute process that turned into over 4 1/2 hours thanks to the incompetency of one government worker and ripped me off for an additional $700+ that I'll probably never see again.
Love the car, but hate the DMV. I looked all over for this car with the options I wanted in the color I wanted. Saw nothing that matched it for two months. Had one ordered, but dealer said it would be 6 to 8 months for a Z51. Found my car, which was optioned exactly as the car I ordered and priced right, so couldn't pass it up. Have kept an eye open since then over the last month and still have not seen another car available anywhere that I would have considered. So I got lucky to find the car I did. Overall I'm happy, just hate that CA makes it so difficult to register a brand new car if it wasn't bought in this state. Funny though, order anything else from out of state and you pay no sales tax, but with cars, CA did nothing to help me with getting this car, but they sure as heck make sure to collect their 9% in taxes on it.
OK, I'm done ranting now! It's done, now I can go drive my car for the first time since last year and enjoy my many years of ownership going forward.
Figured I post this, just in case anyone else is buying a car from out of state. Might be helpful in preventing you from running into some of the same issues.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 974
Likes: 0
From: Boca Raton Florida
I bought my car out of state and the dealer took care of all the paperwork and the tags . Flawless . I am guessing you did not buy from a forum dealer . I got mine from Criswell and they did everything . Sorry for your troubles but the dealer should have done all tha sh*t ..... 
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,269
Likes: 25
From: Simi Valley Ca
I will be in a similar boat shortly. I have a C7 in transit from Kerbeck. As I understand it, they will be taking care of the DMV paperwork for me but I was already prepared to get the smog check done before going to the DMV should I need to. None the less, thanks for posting this info. It confirms what I already figured.
That said, the DMV penalty issue you faced is a major nightmare. I would have placed a stop payment on the check at that point if it wasn't too late. Especially if they noted you should not have been charged penalties.
Congrats on your new car. Where in California are you?
That said, the DMV penalty issue you faced is a major nightmare. I would have placed a stop payment on the check at that point if it wasn't too late. Especially if they noted you should not have been charged penalties.
Congrats on your new car. Where in California are you?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 399
Likes: 9
From: Sunny So. Cal.
I will be in a similar boat shortly. I have a C7 in transit from Kerbeck. As I understand it, they will be taking care of the DMV paperwork for me but I was already prepared to get the smog check done before going to the DMV should I need to. None the less, thanks for posting this info. It confirms what I already figured.
That said, the DMV penalty issue you faced is a major nightmare. I would have placed a stop payment on the check at that point if it wasn't too late. Especially if they noted you should not have been charged penalties.
Congrats on your new car. Where in California are you?
That said, the DMV penalty issue you faced is a major nightmare. I would have placed a stop payment on the check at that point if it wasn't too late. Especially if they noted you should not have been charged penalties.
Congrats on your new car. Where in California are you?
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Pro
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 648
Likes: 2
From: Gulf Breeze Fl
I left California and don't miss the DMV. I hated dealing with them. Every time I go the the local DMV here I thank them for not being like Ca. They are nice and the wait if any is short and much less costly. My C5 was $500 just for registration there and here it's $70 for my C7.
I feel your pain.
I feel your pain.
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Reading this story sure makes me glad I don't have to deal with the CA DMV. Thankfully the DMV here is actually pretty easy to deal with.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 118
Likes: 14
From: Bay Area CA
All out of state cars getting registered at the California DMV by private parties require a smog check certificate prior to completion of registration. Car dealers can get the exemption on new out of state cars, so a Courtesy Delivery would have avoided the paperwork fiasco.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 532
Likes: 1
From: PENSACOLA
I live in Florida, purchase in Florida, and register my cars in Texas (active duty military with a "home of record" of Texas since I enlisted there.)
I register my vehicles via email.
Easy day.
Sounds like California has some issues.
I register my vehicles via email.
Easy day.
Sounds like California has some issues.
Last edited by TX Navy Vet; Jan 2, 2014 at 09:54 AM.