california registration

[DaviDawg]

i've had a 1967 camaro rs for 11 years and the last time i registered the car was back in 98 or 99. i didnt put the car on non-op and i know the registration is gonna have some hefty penaltys. but i've heard that after seven years the penaltys go away. do you know if this is true?

[99S/R]

Dude...open your wallet. The DMV now keeps records back to the early 90's. The only way that you can beat it is if you take the car out of state and register it (NV or OR), or show DMV proof that the car was stored out of state.

Good Luck

Bill

[DaviDawg]

i just found this, it says after five years the car is out of the dmv system, from a person that is a dealer here in california.
http://www.britishcarforum.com/bcforum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=211423 (Last post at the bottom of the page)


open my wallet? dude, thats gonna be over a thousand dollars, im sure. i mean, i appreciate you chiming in and all but can you specify where you got this info about the DMV now keeping records back to the early 90's?

[99S/R]

By going to DMV with a car that had NOT been registered since 92 and voila.. DMV has the record of it.. Darn. I sold it to a friend who lived out of state and he fixed it and put it back non the road (it was a 76 MGB).
Also my wife had a horse trailer that had not been licensed for a couple of years (before permanet trailer plates PTI) so we told DMV the trailer was stored in Oregon and gave my sister-in-laws address in Oregon to prove it. RE-registered with no penalties.
I hate DMV and the fact that you are forced to lie to keep from being screwed.
By the way you can buy the CA vehicle code book from DMV for just a few bucks.

If I were you, I would wander into DMV and say "my car is at so-and-so's place in (use the state of your choice) and I would like to register it... what do I need to do?"

Bill

Bill

[dmark101]

a couple of things:
99S/R is correct. the DMV will have a record of the car and you can be liable for all of the back registration on the vehicle. that said, there have been instances where it has been waived or reduced depending upon the situation. i'm not sure if there is a waiver form or anything like that, but you can check their website to see if there is.
if you do not have the original license plates and/or title, a couple of things can happen:
one, they may simply issue you brand new plates.
two, they may send you out to a CHP inspection station. why do this? i had to register a vehicle that belonged to my father. he did not file the PNO [planned non-operation] paperwork, lost the original plates, AND lost the original title. they verified who he was and that the car matched the DMV records.
i don't know if you're aware, but you should not have to smog the car. since it's a '67, it definitely falls within the pre-1976 guidelines.

just throwing out some info for you, because i've had to deal with this situation before.

when i stopped driving the vehicle full-time, i non-op'd it. it's been about 10 years now, but i keep getting the renewal forms in the mail, so whenever i'm ready, all i have to do is take the form, a check, and proof of insurance to my local AAA and boom: new sticker, current registration and i can drive it again. :)

hell, the car was still in my dad's name and they helped me transfer title after his passing. i love AAA. :D