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CA back-registration fees

djblade311

djblade311

NAXJA Member # 1474
NAXJA Member
Location
Mission Viejo
Hi all,

Im interested in buying a daily driver that a friend of mine has REALLY cheap and in great condition. The problem is that is hasnt been registered for the last 3-4 years and his initial call to DMV they quotes $500 or so on back registration. I'm assuming its for regular registration versus NON-operation registration fees.

are the back-registration fees unavoidable as a buyer? I would be willing to pay them if I can get them classified as non-operation fees. This car would practically be free to me but trying to figure out how the damn DMV and CA laws are.
 
I sold a car that was in the same situation. Tried explaining to them that I was stationed overseas but wouldnt accept that excuse. In my situation the buyer paid the fees which were about 500 on top of the 500 that he paid for the car (that was our agreement)
 
You may be able to avoid the fees if you do a lien sale instead of transferring the reg. Don't quote me on that, but I think that's the way it works. Goatman may have some info from the dealership he used to work at.
 
Josh, I dont know as far as that far back but I bought a truck for my daughtor that was 6 mos out and i had to pay the back reg and all late fees.

We also just had to lein a car that was left on the prop and the lein was 35 bucks. According to the DMV we are not responsoble for the fees up to the lein date but from that point on and the value of the "storage"

Hope this helps

Leep
 
non op has to be done before it goes into storage. you pay once and it takes it off the books, you dont need to pay every year and it doesnt accrue fees. its only 16$ a year i dont know why more people dont just do it. my MJ cost me 270$ to register and it was only off the books for 2 years.

buyer is responsible for the back reg, unfortunately.
 
Wow, I remember when the non-op fee was like five big ones. Aging sucks.

Yea, I don't know about the lien sale bit, but my guess is that either you or he will be stuck with them. The DMV doesn't like not being paid. :D
 
Loose_Nuts_Enterprises said:
You may be able to avoid the fees if you do a lien sale instead of transferring the reg. Don't quote me on that, but I think that's the way it works. Goatman may have some info from the dealership he used to work at.
Click to expand...

I wish it were true.. didn't work for me. I had a vehicle that I was trying to lein sale and the DMV said that they didnt care who the title holder was, the fees were still due. In my case it was over $1200 on a truck that was worth maybe $500. I just pushed the truck into the street and it was towed a few weeks later.

Maybe take it out of state? If you have the title from your friend another state isnt going to care about back fees. Then bring it back to CA?
 
yea ive thought of the out of state transfer but it seems to be a PITA and want to do this legally. I may just pay the back reg fees and work it into the price of the car.

The other issue to resolve is that the car's computer flags havent reset so it fails smog even though its not throwing any codes.
 
You can go to the dmv website and find out the fees that way too.The xj I just bought has some back fees and thats how I found out or if you have AAA they will tell you too.
 
I always just call DMV and make sure to have the license plate and/or VIN on hand. They will tell you over the phone.

Tell them you are thinking of buying it, and want to know if there are any fees or issues with the vehicle that would prevent you from putting it in your name.
 
djblade311 said:
The other issue to resolve is that the car's computer flags havent reset so it fails smog even though its not throwing any codes.
Click to expand...

I needed to reset my flags in the XJ last summer, so I took the rear driveshaft off and "drove" it 100 miles in the garage. I had the computer hooked up so I saw right when the flags went green. It took about 75 "miles". :repair:
 
I have a CA DMV related question.

If a Jeep which would otherwise be street legal is Green Stickered in CA, and you want to convert it back to normal registration for highway use, is that possible to do, and is there a big fee?

I looked around the DMV website but didn't find an answer to that specific question.

Thanks,
Mike
 
I would just go to the DMV and register it as a highway vehicle. Don't mention anything about it being greenstickered unless they ask. I've found that the less you tell the DMV the better off you are!
 
saki669 said:
I would just go to the DMV and register it as a highway vehicle. Don't mention anything about it being greenstickered unless they ask. I've found that the less you tell the DMV the better off you are!
Click to expand...
Yep.

They may make you get a brake and light inspection, but they may not even notice too. ;)
 
This is a vehicle I am considering purchasing... so I want to know before I buy.

I will call the DMV today and find out.
 
go to a "DMV service" place and ask them. these are small mom and pop offices that do all your DMV services for a fee so you do not have to stand in line at the DMV. sometimes very worth it. i normally use AAA but have used these service offices for "special" circumstances. i can walk into the one in town here, not stand in any line (maybe one person ahead of me sometimes) and ask them questions. they are normally very knowledgeable and helpfull. no charge for asking questions. just a thought for you.
 
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