TheSamba.com :: View topic - Avoiding California Back Registration on Classic Cars

Wed Dec 31, 2008 5:49 pm

I've read a few comments on here about people getting around the registration back fees if they are a "car collector",here in California. Can anybody clue me in here or in a PM? I bought a 1973 car today that hasn't been registered since June of 2003.I thought cars fell off the Ca. dmv's computer after 7 years but the person who I purchased the car from said it was already "off the books". I don't want to go in blind and get raped on back fees. I've got the title for the car and for once it came in the actual sellers name! :lol:

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Wed Dec 31, 2008 6:30 pm

pm ///mink on here. he has a post on what to do about it.

Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:12 am

You bought the car first and now you are concerned about paying the back registration? Don't you feel you should pay your fair share like everyone else?

Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:27 am

69 Jim wrote: You bought the car first and now you are concerned about paying the back registration? Don't you feel you should pay your fair share like everyone else?

Not at all. Simply looking for information about a process that,if it exists and I likely qualify for,I'd like to take advantage of. That's all.I think my "collection" is substantial enough...

Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:28 pm

basically, you are a collector of classic cars (even if it's only one classic car) and classic car collectors are exempt from late fees in CA. PM me for details

Thu Jan 01, 2009 8:10 pm

Car is not out of system if last reg. is 2003....1973 super costs me 54 a year,so figure close to three bill to register....shoulda factored that in with the price but its truly a small donation to motor in the promised land....75 chev pickup costs 220 a year,and Im sure there are some real horror stories involving new trucks and cars...so suck it up and be a trooper....pay your fees

Thu Jan 01, 2009 8:13 pm

johnnypan wrote: Car is not out of system if last reg. is 2003....1973 super costs me 54 a year,so figure close to three bill to register....shoulda factored that in with the price but its truly a small donation to motor in the promised land....75 chev pickup costs 220 a year,and Im sure there are some real horror stories involving new trucks and cars...so suck it up and be a trooper....pay your fees

Quite frankly, that's ridiculous. My full-size truck in NJ is about $72/year, and my bugs are $21/year each. One more reason to live somewhere OTHER than Kalifornyuh. :roll:

Thu Jan 01, 2009 8:17 pm

My 65 costs me 36 a year in fees when it is registered. I have it on non-op right now cause I'm not there. But, my 68 here in North Carolina costs me 28 bucks a year.

Thu Jan 01, 2009 8:41 pm

I pay $10-$16 a year to register each of my VW's. $16 is for the 88 Fox that is my sacrificial car to the salt.
I have 3 of them "in storage" so I don't have to mess with getting the plates each year.

Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:17 pm

Find a small DMV office, not one of the biggies, so a supervisor can help you with the "collector" thing.

Mine was registered non-op for about five years but it was already off the books when I brought it back to life, contrary to the alleged 7-year rule. But the Santa Paula office took care of me, and I was even able to keep my original blue/yellow plates. It helped that I had the original pink slip and my last non-op paperwork.

Fri Jan 02, 2009 8:35 am

Cheapo wrote: johnnypan wrote: Car is not out of system if last reg. is 2003....1973 super costs me 54 a year,so figure close to three bill to register....shoulda factored that in with the price but its truly a small donation to motor in the promised land....75 chev pickup costs 220 a year,and Im sure there are some real horror stories involving new trucks and cars...so suck it up and be a trooper....pay your fees

Quite frankly, that's ridiculous. My full-size truck in NJ is about $72/year, and my bugs are $21/year each. One more reason to live somewhere OTHER than Kalifornyuh. :roll:

...and the state is broke :roll:

Fri Jan 02, 2009 10:33 am

Yeah but DOOD,you live in Jersey! I grew up on Long Island and left as soon as I could....For a lousy twenty bucks the weather here is perfect... rust free cars,prettier women and colder beer,I mean what do you guys have?Elisabeth?Newark?filthydelphia?look baby,pay a little more and live a whole lot more...you can always fly back and visit the family and yes the pizza aint as good but that is it,everything else is better.

Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:31 pm

i am 4 years out on my bus, forgot to reg it non-op. i got it running again, now looking to get the reg current. It used to be $48/yr for my 60 bus. My 02 f-350 is running me around $400/yr, but i don't have to smog it either. :)

i think i will have to eat the fees but if there is a way to get around it, i would rather put the money saved from fees to better use in getting parts for the bus.

Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:52 pm

You might be able to register it in another state and then bring it back.

Just a thought.

Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:57 pm

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY BACK FEES ON COLLECTOR CARS IN CA!

Sorry to shout, but sometimes it seems like people won't listen. All you have to do when you go to register the car is to simply say that you're a collector and request to have the back fees waived. You will probably have to fill out a Statement of Facts (REG 256) saying the above. Do NOT take no for an answer, it's the law. Sometimes you have to go up the food chain to a manager, but it is worth it. I have done this several times myself and it's saved me hundreds of dollars.

Mon Jan 05, 2009 3:01 pm

///Mink wrote: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY BACK FEES ON COLLECTOR CARS IN CA!

Sorry to shout, but sometimes it seems like people won't listen. All you have to do when you go to register the car is to simply say that you're a collector and request to have the back fees waived. You will probably have to fill out a Statement of facts (REG 256) saying the above. Do NOT take no for an answer, it's the law. Sometimes you have to go up the food chain to a manager, but it is worth it. I have done this several times myself and it's saved me hundreds of dollars.

Can I do that with the current registration fees on my 6 cars. That would be awesome. Kinda like the first time you heard Whole Lotta Love or had your first beer.

Mon Jan 05, 2009 3:04 pm

crofty wrote:
Can I do that with the current registration fees on my 6 cars. That would be awesome. Kinda like the first time you heard Whole Lotta Love or had your first beer.

You haven't heard of the Crofty amendment? It states that hereunto forthwith anyone with the user ID Crofty doesn't have to pay vehicle registration at all! You can trust me, just throw those pesky renewal notices in the trash! :D

Mon Jan 05, 2009 3:11 pm

///Mink wrote: crofty wrote:
Can I do that with the current registration fees on my 6 cars. That would be awesome. Kinda like the first time you heard Whole Lotta Love or had your first beer.

You haven't heard of the Crofty amendment? It states that hereunto forthwith anyone with the user ID Crofty doesn't have to pay vehicle registration at all! You can trust me, just throw those pesky renewal notices in the trash! :D

Awesome! I knew my public bastard-ry would pay off at some point!

Mon Jan 05, 2009 3:21 pm

Classic plates in Idaho cost $33 to get into the program and it covers 3 years. Every three years they send you a renewal form just to make sure you still have the car. Return the form with $3.00 for another three years.

Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:42 pm

Just wait 'til Ahhnold raises the car registrations from a few tens to a few hundred dollars per year!

Gee, wasn't raising the car tax what got the previous Gov shooed out, and Ahhnold in? Yup, but the state is broke by tens of BILLIONS and all such taxes and fees will be raised soon.

Get it up to date soon or it may cost you a whole lot more to do so.