Is this BS? Car Purchased in CA Has to be Registered in CA?

Retro69 · 02-11-2018, 05:19 PM

I’m in Utah and just got off the phone with a Chevrolet dealer in northern California looking for a new ZL1. The guy tells me that if I’m going to pick up a new car to take back home has to be registered in California. He says it’s California law. Like $800ish !

Is this true?

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Gunkk · 02-11-2018, 06:14 PM

ummm no.

http://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/formspubs/cdtfa448.pdf

Retro69 · 02-11-2018, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunkk

ummm no.

http://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/formspubs/cdtfa448.pdf

Hrm... if I’m reading this form correctly this applies to when the seller is delivering the vehicle to the buyer at an out-of-state location. In my case I would fly into California and pick the car up from the dealer. The salesman said if I were to drive it out of state it had to be registered in CA before I could take delivery.

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Camaro_QC · 02-11-2018, 06:47 PM

I don't know if it's the same, but here in Canada, if I had for example to buy a car from Ontario, the easiest thing to do would be to register it there in order to be able to drive it. Of course I'd have to pay all the fees, but once I would be back in Québec, I'd ask for those fees to be refunded and they pays the Quebec registrations.

Gunkk · 02-11-2018, 07:06 PM

more useful info:

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1...t_facts/ffvr36

TrickracenLS3 · 02-11-2018, 07:55 PM

Rule of thumb, IF the car touches CA roads, you pay for registration, so if you are shipping then you should be ok, but dealer will require a bill of lading, BUT its up to the dealer as well, its the only way to protect the dealer to prove its been registered.

Retro69 · 02-11-2018, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrickracenLS3

Rule of thumb, IF the car touches CA roads, you pay for registration, so if you are shipping then you should be ok, but dealer will require a bill of lading, BUT its up to the dealer as well, its the only way to protect the dealer to prove its been registered.

That seems so typical California. Anywhere is it would be the owner’s responsibility.

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Liralen · 02-12-2018, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro69

I’m in Utah and just got off the phone with a Chevrolet dealer in northern California looking for a new ZL1. The guy tells me that if I’m going to pick up a new car to take back home has to be registered in California. He says it’s California law. Like $800ish !

Is this true?

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Contact BeckyD on the forums and just order one from her. She will take care of you & probably get it in really quickly. She just did for Frisbey after he had issues with a dealership & ordering and Frisbey is really happy with the turnaround so far.

JBones81 · 02-12-2018, 02:12 AM

When I sold my c6, back in 2010, the buyer was from PA and flew out to inspect/buy/drive home. He had to pay registration, iirc. Sorry.

why not just have them ship it to you?

Rock-It Man · 02-12-2018, 06:35 AM

I was at a Mecum auction in Indiana. The rule was, you had to pay the Indiana sales tax unless the car was being shipped.

So it's not just CA.

fastball · 02-12-2018, 07:01 AM

Technically you should only be paying your sales tax and registration fees to the county you are registering the car in. It doesn't matter where or from whom you buy it from.

Both times I've purchased new cars from nowhere near my home, outside of my home county, and both dealers registered and filed the paperwork with my home county, and I paid tax to my home county where the cars are registered in. The first time I did so thinking I could actually pay LESS tax, as the county I bought it in had a 5% sales tax when we had 7.5% tax, but they said that is not the case.

What you need to do is get the paperwork from the dealer before you take possession of the car. Take it to your local BMV registrar and pay sales tax/registration there. Get a temporary license plate, and then go back to the dealer with registration and temp tag in hand.

Now, a GOOD dealer will file that paperwork for you, because they can do it by mail and it doesn't matter if you buy the car in Maine and register it in Utah. They may charge a "filing fee" or some BS but it really doesn't cost them anything other than postage to do it.

It should not matter if the car is being shipped or driving on the roads...... you're driving it back to where it would be shipped to anyway. No way should you pay tax to a state your car isn't registered in.

Something ain't right with that dealer, or with Mecum.

warren3537 · 02-12-2018, 07:26 AM

That's why I did not move back to California when I retired from the Marine Corps because of the BS they pull, I bought my last 2 vehicles in Texas and I live in Louisiana, the Dodge dealership that I got my RAM 2500 from took care of the paperwork for Louisiana as well as the Chevy dealership in Houston where I got my 17 Camaro, yes I drove off the lot with temp Texas paper tags but I did not have to register my vehicles in Texas, so it would look like that CA is trying to get their fair share of what you are paying for the car.

Retro69 · 02-12-2018, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBones81

When I sold my c6, back in 2010, the buyer was from PA and flew out to inspect/buy/drive home. He had to pay registration, iirc. Sorry.

why not just have them ship it to you?

That’s an option for sure. I was just hoping to complete the deal in person so I could see the car and get on with the break in.

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Retro69 · 02-12-2018, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rock-It Man

I was at a Mecum auction in Indiana. The rule was, you had to pay the Indiana sales tax unless the car was being shipped.

So it's not just CA.

You’re right on taxes. Its the registration that is in question. Doing some more googling it sounds like there is some kind of temporary registration specifically for taking the car to another state... like $32.00 or something. A far cry from what this boneheaded salesman was saying that a full registration is mandatory.

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02-11-2018, 05:19 PM	#1
Retro69 Drives: 2018 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Morgan, UT Posts: 1,359	Is this BS? Car Purchased in CA Has to be Registered in CA? I’m in Utah and just got off the phone with a Chevrolet dealer in northern California looking for a new ZL1. The guy tells me that if I’m going to pick up a new car to take back home has to be registered in California. He says it’s California law. Like $800ish ! Is this true? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________

02-11-2018, 07:55 PM	#6
TrickracenLS3 Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Red Hot Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: San Fernando Valley, CA Posts: 476	Rule of thumb, IF the car touches CA roads, you pay for registration, so if you are shipping then you should be ok, but dealer will require a bill of lading, BUT its up to the dealer as well, its the only way to protect the dealer to prove its been registered. __________________ 1989 Iroc-Z Z28 1LE/HP (Sold) 2010 2SS Rally Yellow: Corsa/Vararam (Sold) Current: 2016 Camaro 2SS Red Hot Current: 2016 Tahoe LT Current: 2018 Mini Countryman S

02-12-2018, 02:12 AM	#9
JBones81 Drives: 22 ZL1, 18 RS3, 22 M3P Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Walnut Creek, CA Posts: 946 View My Garage	When I sold my c6, back in 2010, the buyer was from PA and flew out to inspect/buy/drive home. He had to pay registration, iirc. Sorry. why not just have them ship it to you? __________________ 2022 ZL1 - M6, Wrapped, Tinted, Rotofab intake, MBRP AxleBack, Lots of BMR rear suspension components 2024 Audi RS3 2022 Tesla Model 3 Performance 2018 Audi RS3 - Many mods & e85 Instagram - @JBsCars

02-11-2018, 06:14 PM	#2
Gunkk Thank you Al Oppenheiser! Drives: Red Hot A10 ZL1 Convertible Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 5,156 View My Garage	ummm no. http://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/formspubs/cdtfa448.pdf

02-11-2018, 06:47 PM	#4
Camaro_QC Drives: 08 Tiburon GS, 2018 Camaro 2.0T Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Québec Posts: 1,669	I don't know if it's the same, but here in Canada, if I had for example to buy a car from Ontario, the easiest thing to do would be to register it there in order to be able to drive it. Of course I'd have to pay all the fees, but once I would be back in Québec, I'd ask for those fees to be refunded and they pays the Quebec registrations.

02-11-2018, 07:06 PM	#5
Gunkk Thank you Al Oppenheiser! Drives: Red Hot A10 ZL1 Convertible Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 5,156 View My Garage	more useful info: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1...t_facts/ffvr36

02-12-2018, 06:35 AM	#10
Rock-It Man 376 cubic inches of fun Drives: 2023 Camaro ZL1 A10 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: MA Posts: 4,043 View My Garage	I was at a Mecum auction in Indiana. The rule was, you had to pay the Indiana sales tax unless the car was being shipped. So it's not just CA.

02-12-2018, 07:01 AM	#11
fastball Banned Drives: 2017 Camaro 2SS 6MT Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 4,361	Technically you should only be paying your sales tax and registration fees to the county you are registering the car in. It doesn't matter where or from whom you buy it from. Both times I've purchased new cars from nowhere near my home, outside of my home county, and both dealers registered and filed the paperwork with my home county, and I paid tax to my home county where the cars are registered in. The first time I did so thinking I could actually pay LESS tax, as the county I bought it in had a 5% sales tax when we had 7.5% tax, but they said that is not the case. What you need to do is get the paperwork from the dealer before you take possession of the car. Take it to your local BMV registrar and pay sales tax/registration there. Get a temporary license plate, and then go back to the dealer with registration and temp tag in hand. Now, a GOOD dealer will file that paperwork for you, because they can do it by mail and it doesn't matter if you buy the car in Maine and register it in Utah. They may charge a "filing fee" or some BS but it really doesn't cost them anything other than postage to do it. It should not matter if the car is being shipped or driving on the roads...... you're driving it back to where it would be shipped to anyway. No way should you pay tax to a state your car isn't registered in. Something ain't right with that dealer, or with Mecum.

02-12-2018, 07:26 AM	#12
warren3537 Drives: 2019 Red Hot ZL1 1LE: 2012 RAM 2500 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: DeRidder, LA Posts: 711	That's why I did not move back to California when I retired from the Marine Corps because of the BS they pull, I bought my last 2 vehicles in Texas and I live in Louisiana, the Dodge dealership that I got my RAM 2500 from took care of the paperwork for Louisiana as well as the Chevy dealership in Houston where I got my 17 Camaro, yes I drove off the lot with temp Texas paper tags but I did not have to register my vehicles in Texas, so it would look like that CA is trying to get their fair share of what you are paying for the car.

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