Any laws governing Cali temporary residents with out of state tag...

[alan678]

I am on my way to San Diego County...currently i have a Florida Tag on my car and damn sure plan on keeping that bad boy :twisted:...

Question is are there any laws governing modified vehicles registered outside the state of California?

I have a 3 inch turbo-back with high flow cat / 272-264 cams and am trying to find out if anyone registered outside of California have had any problems with ANY of their mods from law enforcement :police:...

[desertMarine]

Anybody know the answer? I am in the military and will be putting Montana plates on my car since I am a Montana state resident. I have heard some rumors, but would like to know if you could still get pulled over for emissions when your car is registered out of state.

[4G63 FEVER]

Anybody know the answer?* I am in the military and will be putting Montana plates on my car since I am a Montana state resident.* I have heard some rumors, but would like to know if you could still get pulled over for emissions when your car is registered out of state.


Pretty sure they can pull you over for what ever they want. AFAIK you allowed to keep the plates for your home state as long as you are here temporary in the military.

[Skiracer]

If you have window tint on the front windows, have them removed so it does not give the police an "excuse" to pull you over.

[ultraflip]

as far as military is concern: if the military member is stationed in ca, he/she may use driver license from h ome state of record and will not be required to get a california drivers license. on registrations, there are no extension policies. registration from home of record or last duty station is valid. california does not require safety sticker/certificates, military personnel do not have to carry proof of insurance in the vehicle or on their person while operating a military vehicle.

[ultraflip]

If you're bringing in a car from out-of state, you should be aware of California's high vehicle emission standards. Generally, all gasoline-powered vehicles (new or used) being registered for the first time in California must pass the California Smog Check. California law prohibits importing and/or registering a new vehicle (less than 7,500 miles at the time of purchase) unless it meets or is exempt from California Emission standards. If you acquire a 49 state vehicle (vehicle manufactured for all states except California) from another state or country and do not qualify for one of the exemption, you cannot register your vehicle and must immediately remove it from this state.
Expect a vehicle to fail the Smog Check if it is not equipped with the originally required smog control devices. Also, if you heard that California doesn't impose a personal property tax on autos, don't worry. Upon registration you'll be charged a vehicle license fee which is based upon your car's value.


In addition, California has special requirements for vehicles:

imported from a foreign country by an individual (Gray Market);
imported from Canada;
specially configured; or
with engine modifications.
It may be very costly and in some cases impossible to modify these vehicles to meet California emission requirements. For example, gray market vehicles less than two years old are not legal for registration or use in California.

[ultraflip]

heh... i use to work for the dmv

[desertMarine]

Well I think I am good then. I bought my evo in California so I have all of the emmissions, well I have.....:twisted: emmissions, funny californians and their emmissions. I think I might be good then when I change my plates to Montana plates. Or maybe I will just donate money to the local PD and get one of those stickers to put in my back window. Nothing like supporting your local police department and bragging about it with a sticker to get a break or two. I miss Montana sometimes. I remember when we didn't have a speed limit on the freeways for a couple of years in the mid 90s.

[gofaster87]

If you get pulled over tell them youre just visiting a friend or on a cross country trip. If the cops sees a few to many times you will be required to change your tags. I did that when I moved back from Arizona but eventually I changed them.

[Hkysk8r07]

i got CT plates on my fucus and have been pulled over like 3 times in CA within 10 months. umm one time the guy asked about my exhaust i just said some shop put it in and then he asked if i had mods under the hood and i said no. it's not against the law to lie to a cop :)

then he was looking thru the CVC for awhile and let me go. still haven't gotten any tickets.

[taben]

For the most part California police will still pull over out of state tags just cause. If it goes to court and you are in the military the judge will 9 out of 10 times dismiss it but require you to pay a $10 dismissal fee. The cops will argue that you are driving in the state of California so therefore must abide by California law. I drive an Arizona car and still get pulled over for B.S. but just take it to court to have it thrown out. Arizona does not have the CARB or the restrictions that California has. The best thing to do at that point is to contest the charge and make the cop show up to court and watch the charge be dismissed. Thats what i do but I know it probably just makes it worse on us down the road.

[desertMarine]

Sounds good, I am not a resident of California and the military stations me in CA. I will get away with what I can, when I can. When I hit the required emissions check at 5 years (I think) the military PMO will make me get a smog check to renew my base sticker. Hopefully, I have orders out of Cali by then. I like SOCAL because there is so much to do. You never get bored. On the other hand, I don't know how you guys afford to live in SOCAL with a 3 bedroom 2 bath house costing 450k and the gas costing so much. How do the normal people in SOCAL afford to live?

[FQVR4]

I'm curious what the cali law states for out of the country status? For example I plan on bringing my 1992 Skyline GT-R here in cali which was legally imported from japan to British Columbia- I have resendence there thru my aunt/uncles place for less than a year and have a vaild DLC there too, I don't plan to change the reg over to cali. O0

Conrad

[speedracer2169]

r32 gtr can no longer be regisetred in the US only r33s. It's like this you need to do some reasearch first. It's like driving into virginia with a radar detector.It's illegal to have one and if you get caught it is you own fault for not getting information on local laws. So if you're in cali and driving a car that might not pass smog you may get nailed upon the discretion of the police officer and other than CHP San Diego PD does go through anextensice training program for modified cars and will impound for eventhe smallest thing like having your headlights below the 22in clearance, cams or anything that isn't Carb. If you have a silencer use it and obey all laws. Cops love to prey on out of area drivers because the chances of you fighting are slim. My 2 cents

[FQVR4]

Yeah I know about the changing laws on the skyline gt-r but my car was brought in legally into canada which has a 15 year rule where any car 15 years or older can be legally registered in canada, why do you think you see and her so many JDM imports running around canada? I'm basically going to drive it here like I'm on vacation or working here temporarily, Nice to have family in canada.

[speedracer2169]

i hear you but everything goes back to my post. If it doesn't meet california regulation a police officer MAY have your car impounded or cite you. That's why places like signal, motorex (rip), rbmotoring, Axis, hks, greddy etc... use manufacturer plates for their show cars when they are being driven on the streets

[FQVR4]

Its a matter of if the police officer wants to hassle me, I guess he can trace all the paper trail but I don't see a problem since when does he know I'm not visiting family for the summer? Its not Like I plan to drive the car everyday.

[speedracer2169]

Its a matter of if the police officer wants to hassle me, I guess he can trace all the paper trail but I don't see a problem since when does he know I'm not visiting family for the summer? Its not Like I plan to drive the car everyday.

You're in a skyline not a civic. You know how many heads that car turns. Youwould be gambling with your car. You may get the cop that either lets you go or takes your car
http://www.socalevo.net/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=24014.0;id=2989;im age



The guy with the skyline was let go, the cops said if he drove the car out of the block it would be impounded. So he had it trailered out of there.

His name is aki, and when the cop pulled him over, he showed his japanese license and paperwork, the cop did not know what to do :grin: He asked for california license, and he had one. So he said he cannot drive the GTR out of the block and had to have it towed.

[FQVR4]

I guess your missing my point which is that I don't intend to change plates on the car, I'm just someone that is legally driving my car which so happens to be registered out of the USA, I see nothing wrong with that, I'm basically visiting the USA just so happens that I'm driving the legally imported gt-r here in cali, I know cops can be an A@#hole but if you do your homework you will have no probs but I don't expect not to get pulled over you just have to come prepared and tie up all those loose ends, I guess its different there in socal since I'm up here in Norcal, "Officer I'm here on vacation, I go to school or work up there in British Columbia". Back in '92 I was driving my RHD datsun bluebird into canada and they didn't even look at me twice, I just told them that I'm just visiting.

[speedracer2169]

I see your point but is it worth going through all the hassle. But hey more power to you if you wanna drive it around here. I would just leave it at home and rent something than to risk losing the car. Norcal doesn't have the so called street racing problem like down here

[FQVR4]

I guess thats why I like living up here since the scene is not too FNF, locally here you get the normal mustang v. camaro with the occasional street bike v. Diesel truck bouts, not much imports here, I like to fly under the radar as much as possible, all my car has is wheels and is lowered, no bling bling carbon hood, big fat exhaust pipe, car purrs like a kitten until you plant your foot on the go pedal, no bling under the hood either all blacked out, it screams stock since everything is blacked out intentionally.

[Chris in SD]

I've moved cross-country 3 times now and the one thing I don't get about the original poster is this: Why keep your FL tags/license? There is no advantage to doing so and if the cop DOES investigate and finds out you live in CA now, you get dinged with penalties for not registering your car in time, changing your license, etc. Military is exempt - besides no cops will hassle you if you have military ID unless you are being REALLY stupid.

I learned my lesson when I moved to VA last time - I held onto my CA license/plates forever only to get nailed and let off (luckily). I pleaded ignorance and the trooper told me how to get things changed over. When I moved back to CA (with my Evo), I got it smogged, went to DMV, took the test, handed in my VA license and smog cert, got new plates and drivers' license. EASY....

It is definitely NOT worth getting hassled.

[speedracer2169]

Oh ontop of that you have to get your license within 3 months if you recently moved to california unless you in military or the police will impound your car and cite your for no cali license. Happened to a friend he had cali plates on his car but arizona license and the cop arrested him and impounded his bimmer.

[Chris in SD]

Oh ontop of that you have to get your license within 3 months if you recently moved to california unless you in military or the police will impound your car and cite your for no cali license. Happened to a friend he had cali plates on his car but arizona license and the cop arrested him and impounded his bimmer.


That's what I'm talking about. Here in VA you only get 30 days. :-o

If (when) I get back to CA, the first thing I am going to do is knock out my DMV stuff. I hate having to wonder when I'm going to get busted... Besides VA sucks - who wants to rep VA? ;)

[speedracer2169]

Oh ontop of that you have to get your license within 3 months if you recently moved to california unless you in military or the police will impound your car and cite your for no cali license. Happened to a friend he had cali plates on his car but arizona license and the cop arrested him and impounded his bimmer.


That's what I'm talking about. Here in VA you only get 30 days. :-o

If (when) I get back to CA, the first thing I am going to do is knock out my DMV stuff. I hate having to wonder when I'm going to get busted... Besides VA sucks - who wants to rep VA? ;)

+1

[alan678]

Oh ontop of that you have to get your license within 3 months if you recently moved to california unless you in military or the police will impound your car and cite your for no cali license. Happened to a friend he had cali plates on his car but arizona license and the cop arrested him and impounded his bimmer.


Well since my wife is here in Cali on military orders i dont have to get my car registered in Cali EVER...lol...Once we are done here we are either going back to florida or do a tour in Japan...so there is no sense on transferring the car everytime i go to a different state...

[speedracer2169]

Oh ontop of that you have to get your license within 3 months if you recently moved to california unless you in military or the police will impound your car and cite your for no cali license. Happened to a friend he had cali plates on his car but arizona license and the cop arrested him and impounded his bimmer.


Well since my wife is here in Cali on military orders i dont have to get my car registered in Cali EVER...lol...Once we are done here we are either going back to florida or do a tour in Japan...so there is no sense on transferring the car everytime i go to a different state...

then all you have to worry about is not getting nailed by a cop and seeing a ref

[Jameson]

How would it work if you were a resident of CA but you have a car that is registered with a company you work for that is out of state?

[Chris in SD]

How would it work if you were a resident of CA but you have a car that is registered with a company you work for that is out of state?


If the car is owned by the company, you're clear. If you own it, but they pay for it, you have to register it in CA.