New to Cali, vehicle registration question

[mtiberio 0]

Planning on bringing my Van, trailer and one or two motorcycles when I move to Alpine later this year. How soon after I get there can I expect the cops to begin to "suggest" that I get California registrations and tags on my vehicles?

I can imagine the law is something like "within 30 days you must bla bla bla". What I'm wondering is, if I'm driving around town, are the local cops and sheriffs at all interested in my out of state tags if they have been seeing them for weeks? months?

Thanks,

Mike

 

 

 

[350thumper 336]

That depends if your active military or not.

[mtiberio 0]

Not

[ADV Bum 205]

 

I believe the law for a commercial vehicle is 10 days if used to make money in CA. Might be the same for all vehicles. I would imagine how the subject came up is going to dictate how much of an issue it will be.  If you are seen riding around on several occasions maybe not a big deal, but if you are riding like a squid and racing around the streets then get stopped it may be an issue at that moment. If you plan on being here a while just register the vehicle so you do not have an issue.

[Oracle 195]

It's 10 days for both registering your vehicle and obtaining a California driver's license.

Out of state plates stick out and are commonly run by law enforcement to check valid registration, make and model, and address of record.

[Spyder 2]

California wants the revenue...... 

I have friends who are retired out of state and have to keep track of how many days they can be in California. It is not unusual for the powers that be to go after those people for the DMV  fees and taxes using phones, cell tower pings  and CC #s. No joke. They want the money.

[tntmo 887]

I've lived here for 25 years, haven't got a CA license and had plenty of out of state plated vehicles.  So many military in the town I'm surprised to hear that anyone would get hassled?  I guess it happens.....

[Dress4Less 162]

57 minutes ago, tntmo said:

I guess it  shi+ happens.....

 

[skeelo221 0]

I lived in state for a little over 12 months before changing my stuff over.  No issues. YMMV

I did hear that if you change your insurance over, they will notify the DMV then you will get a nasty letter (with a fine?) stating you need to register your vehicle.  So as long as all your stuff stays insured and registered out of state at the same address you should be fine.  For me the reason I changed over was so that I could get local insurance. I didn't want to risk my insurance declining a claim if I had one since it seems like it would be pretty for them to prove that I was lying about my garaging address.  

So I made an appointment at the DMV, and got my local insurance a few days before the appointment.  On the DMV forms I lied and said I entered the state the same day I got my local insurance to avoid all the fines.  Shame on me.

 

[darylhunter 1]

I was here for a year before changing over my vehicle.

When I did, the lady at the DMV asked me in a wink wink nod nod kind of way if I didn't really just get here in the last 10 days.  I think trying to save me the penalty and back fees.  But like a dummy I said nope, it was a year ago.  She said OK in a it's your funeral kind of way and handed me the fee calculation.

After seeing that, I rather wished I wasn't as honest . . . It was several hundred extra dollars for a 10+ year old Bronco II.