Process To Register an Out-of-State Vehicle in California?

You have just moved to California, or maybe you have bought a new vehicle outside the state, now you need to register your out-of-state vehicle in the state. Without registration, you can’t use the out-of-state vehicle in California. The process of registering your vehicle in California is long and tricky sometimes. It would help if you had to prepare all the documentation and undergo a few inspections. Here, we describe the step-by-step process of registering an out-of-state vehicle in California.

Preparing all the documentation

The process of registering your out-of-state vehicle in California requires a little documentation like title, bill of sale, etc. You also need to fill out a form of application.

Get the car emission label

Every vehicle has its emission label on the bottom side. This emission label indicates that the vehicle is aligned with the regulations of California certification. It encompasses a statement to declare the same. However, if your vehicle has no emission label or the label doesn’t contain the statement, then you can’t get it registered. So before investing your money in an out-of-state vehicle, make sure that it has an emission label. However, for the car models manufactured before 1976, the emission label is not required for registration.

Exemptions in California certifications

In California, registering an out-of-state vehicle can be challenging. However, there are a few exemptions under the “49-state car” law. If your vehicle doesn’t complete the requirements of California certificates, then “49-state car” can help you. First, however, you need to fulfill either one of the given conditions along with proof:

⮚ The ownership of the vehicle ended up with you in a divorce or inheritance.

⮚ The vehicle came as a legal settlement.

⮚ Your vehicle got damaged or stolen outside the state, so you purchased another vehicle. (the vehicle should be from 49 mentioned states)

⮚ It was an emergency vehicle.

⮚ The manufacturing of cars dates back to 1976 or earlier.

Out-of-state title and odometer disclosure

For carrying out the registration process, you need to present proof of ownership. That’s why you need to show your out-of-state title or registration of the vehicle from the other state. Although, if your car is financed, you are saved from this trouble. To get the out-of-state title, you need to put a request in that state’s DMV office. You can get the list of the DMV offices from their official website. If you lost or misplaced the title in any scenario, you can apply for a copy.

The title comes with a part where you must fill your vehicle’s odometer disclosure. The disclosure is given by the seller and reassured by the buyer. But if your vehicle is past ten years old, you don’t need to provide the disclosure. Similarly, no odometer disclosure is required for brand new cars and commercial purpose vehicles. If your car is financed and you don’t own the title, you can fill out the REG 262 form. This form is only available offline because it requires getting printed on a security paper. You can contact the DMV office to get the form mailed.

Get your bill of sale

If you are applying as a new owner for your vehicle’s registration process (also in the case of new buyers out of the state), a bill of sale is required. The California rules ask for a bill of sale or similar document to prove your ownership. You can also use a finance or buyers agreement for this purpose.

Fee Calculator

Estimation of charges and smog station verification

The charges or fees of registration vary depending upon the type of vehicle. That’s why the DMV of California provides a fee calculator on their website. It asks for general information about the vehicle like a model, type, date of purchase, date of driving in the state, etc. You can get the calculator on the DMV website inside the category of ‘nonresident vehicles.’ Also, if you have given any sales tax in any other state, you need to mention it. It might provide credits in California taxes.

Smog certification is crucial to managing the pollution status of the vehicle also. So it would help if you took it regularly for your vehicle. However, the registration process for out-of-state vehicles requires a mandatory smog certification. You will need to visit a smog station to get the certificate. However, the vehicles running on diesel fuel don’t require smog certification or cars manufactured before 1998. To get the location of your nearest smog station, visit their site, where you can find the list under the ‘find a station’ category. The authorities do not look after the smog test prices, so the prices vary. Make sure to compare every possible option before choosing one.

Car weight verification

For commercial vehicles or business uses, you need a weighmaster certificate. It is not required for residential or individual uses.

DMV registration process 

The final step is to get the registration done at the DMV office.

Go to the nearest DMV office

To apply for the registration, you need to visit your nearest DMV office. You can find the list of all field offices on the DMV site itself. You can also book the appointment through the online method. Then, apply with proper documentation.

Fill the application

Fill in the application form and title along with other related pieces of information to your vehicle. You can get the form online at the DMV’s website too.

Verification and insurance

Now an employee of the DMV will do a visual inspection of your vehicle. They will also verify the vehicle identification number(VIN). It would help if you also had minimum insurance value for the vehicle. For private passenger vehicles, the minimum amount is $15,000. At last, you will get the number plate of California.

Conclusion 

Above mentioned steps can register the out-of-state vehicle in California. However, the DMV field office is the main center of all the registration processes. So search for the nearest DMV office to begin your registration.