[Lanouecp]

Originally Posted by kropscamaro16

you dont have to smog for 7 years so you will be fine but the cops do not like super modified/loud cars in cali lol im full bolt ons and tune and havent been messed with but some guys in our groups have

Awesome, I'm considering putting the stock exhaust on while i'm there. My car is really loud with the Stage 3 CAM, LT Headers, Mid-pipe and Borla Atak. I already adding Highflow cats.

I'm going to the Dublin area, so not sure how they are up there.

[kropscamaro16]

i think i saw you post on facebook also and thats up in norcal so i am not sure but ive had a few friends with fbo and cammed get reffed in cali not fun shit...

[wilbur_xmas]

Some gated community areas in Dublin think they are really fancy and I would expect some "Karen" activity if your car is obnoxiously loud and you decide to live there.

Other than that just leave everything Texas and you should be fine. When I moved here from Oregon I left my registration for 2 years and never had an issue. At the time I think I switched over my license and insurance, but if Oregon wasn't going to pro-rate my registration then I wasn't gonna let Oregon and California double dip on me.

I would recommend switching insurance location, in case something happens, but I'm sure Cali rates are higher than Texas so up to you. It may also be wise to run a front plate. I was never pulled over for out of state plates, but I have been pulled over for "no front plate" for what was clearly a DUI check but they needed an excuse to hassle me at midnight on Memorial day weekend.

You mentioned concern about being able to sell the car and that would be tricky since it will have to pass smog for sale in California, which includes a visual inspection for aftermarket emissions parts. There are enough cars out here clearly in violation of the laws so there are ways around it ($$), but the path of least resistance is going to be to return the car to an emission compliant state.

[Paintslinger16]

I am a DOD civilian on a Army base. My understanding is you are exempt that it’s just your duty station.
We have plates from all over here something like tint Which is illegal in NY would be ok if it’s legal in the state the car is registered in.

[Petrol Head]

Don’t be surprised when California declares a complete ban on all cars and you’ll have to walk everywhere. Then they’ll ban shoes as destructive to the pavement. Good luck walking barefoot all day.

[GroundhogSS]

I thought active military were exempt from having to do local registration at their duty station. My son did six years in Michigan in the Coast Guard and kept his Texas registration the whole time. His inspection and registration were expired when he got back to Texas but that just took getting a new inspection and plate.

[Staves]

Originally Posted by Petrol Head

Don’t be surprised when California declares a complete ban on all cars and you’ll have to walk everywhere. Then they’ll ban shoes as destructive to the pavement. Good luck walking barefoot all day.

I'll take riding a bicycle for the rest of my life here vs driving a McLaren in Cleveland.

[Petrol Head]

Originally Posted by Staves

I'll take riding a bicycle for the rest of my life here vs driving a McLaren in Cleveland.

No problem. You’re more than welcome to acquiesce your rights to the hammer and sickle party. We still consider ourselves Americans here. And Ohio will happily vote to approve Kommiefornia’s succession from the union

[RyanR623]

Originally Posted by Petrol Head

No problem. You’re more than welcome to acquiesce your rights to the hammer and sickle party. We still consider ourselves Americans here. And Ohio will happily vote to approve Kommiefornia’s succession from the union

And if they don't ban cars altogether, don't worry they'll continue to raise taxes until he HAS to ride a bicycle.

[smeagol]

I am military and was stationed in virginia, you will and can get tickets from not following their laws. Even if your on a road trip and passing through a state, they can nail you. Most wont but they can. Being that it is cali, good luck lol.


Now i did not have to get inspection stickers or inspections, that you are exempt from unless you get it registered in cali. Keep your texas plates but you will still be a "Guest" so you will have to follow local and state laws.

[Bosun68]

I transferred from my home state of Texas to San Diego back in 2011 where I never had an issue with my '10 SS with headers/LT/Magnaflows. With my Texas plates I could skate around all the CA laws but I did run into an issue when my base sticker expired. Back then I HAD to have one to get onto 32nd Street and MCRD...so I go stand in line and when I got to the front the person said I MUST have a smog test even with Texas plates. Nope...drove over to the CG Base and got my USCG sticker on the car in 10 minutes. Always a way around their BS laws.

Good luck out there!

[matt fe2o3]

Originally Posted by arpad_m

This will only work the first time, as there's probably a short time limit before registration becomes mandatory. At least this is how it's done here in Nanny Jersey.

Pretty sure the active US military members can still keep their home state of residence (and car titles, etc.,) regardless of where they are stationed to in the US.

This is what I found:
----
Non-Resident Military Vehicle Registration
Members of the Armed Forces/NATO and their families who are stationed in California are not required to get a California vehicle registration. To legally drive in the state, military service members must:

Have valid CA auto insurance.
Have valid license plates issued from your state/country of residence, or the state/country of your last permanent duty station (you may be required to show orders or other documentation).
Have current registration in either your own or your spouse's name.
All out-of-state vehicle registrations must be renewed properly in the state/country where it was issued in order to be legal in California.

If you purchase a vehicle in California or choose to register your out-of-state vehicle with the CA DMV, you will qualify for a non-resident vehicle license fee exemption. Please see the information below for California military residents.
----

This is they way it was when I was in the service - many decades ago.

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by matt fe2o3

Pretty sure the active US military members can still keep their home state of residence (and car titles, etc.,) regardless of where they are stationed to in the US.

This is what I found:
----
Non-Resident Military Vehicle Registration
Members of the Armed Forces/NATO and their families who are stationed in California are not required to get a California vehicle registration. To legally drive in the state, military service members must:

Have valid CA auto insurance.
Have valid license plates issued from your state/country of residence, or the state/country of your last permanent duty station (you may be required to show orders or other documentation).
Have current registration in either your own or your spouse's name.
All out-of-state vehicle registrations must be renewed properly in the state/country where it was issued in order to be legal in California.

If you purchase a vehicle in California or choose to register your out-of-state vehicle with the CA DMV, you will qualify for a non-resident vehicle license fee exemption. Please see the information below for California military residents.
----

This is they way it was when I was in the service - many decades ago.

Thanks for the info, Rusty. The NJ MVC website is the definition of confusing, and the only info I found at https://www.nj.gov/mvc/drivertopics/veterans.htm didn't address this. OP is in a good position then

[Petrol Head]

Originally Posted by RyanR623

And if they don't ban cars altogether, don't worry they'll continue to raise taxes until he HAS to ride a bicycle.

Tru dat