Do You Have To Have California Insurance To Register A Car In California

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You may have recently moved to California from some other land. Or, y'all may already live in California, but you bought a motorcar in some other state. In either case, y'all'll need to follow California's process for registering an out-of-state car. There are a few additional steps to registering an out-of-state machine that don't employ to cars bought in the country of California.^[1]

i
Check the car's emissions label. You car will have an emissions label nether the hood. If information technology's certified in California, it will include a statement that it conforms to California state regulations. If information technology doesn't include that statement, yous may not exist able to annals the car in California.^[2]
- If you're a California resident and you're looking at buying a car out of land, you might desire to cheque this before you buy the car. If you're unable to register your machine in California, you may not be able to get your money back.
- You don't need to worry most California's emissions laws if your motorcar was congenital before 1976.^[iii]
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Evaluate exemptions if your car isn't California certified. If your car doesn't conform to California state regulations, it's considered a "49-state car." California law provides a few exemptions that will allow yous to register a 49-state auto. You volition demand to show the DMV proof that your car falls into one of these exemptions.^[4]
- If you got the car as part of a divorce, inheritance, or legal settlement, you'll be able to annals the machine.
- If your California-registered vehicle was stolen or wrecked out of state, and you bought a 49-state car to replace information technology, you can register it.
- California too grants exemptions for emergency vehicles, or a car you purchased while you were stationed on active military duty.
- Cars congenital earlier 1976 also are subject to an exemption.^[five]
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three
Get the terminal issued out-of-country championship or registration. To testify that y'all own the vehicle, you must nowadays the title or registration from the state the auto came from. You'll need to become the championship unless the motorcar is financed.^[6]
- Visit the California DMV website at www.dmv.ca.gov to observe a listing of out-of-state DMV offices where y'all can asking a copy of the championship or registration.
- If the out-of-state title has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, you typically will demand to request a duplicate from the country that issued the title before you lot can register your car and go a California title.
four
Complete the odometer disclosure. Your title volition have an odometer disclosure department that must be completed by the seller and acknowledged by you as the heir-apparent of the car. This disclosure isn't mandatory if the car is more than ten years one-time, or is a make new car.^[7]
- If you lot're planning on registering and using the car as a commercial vehicle, you likewise typically won't need to complete the odometer disclosure.
- If you don't have the championship (such as if your car is financed and the lien holder has the title), y'all must fill out a REG 262 form. You can't download this form online considering it is printed on security paper. Call the California DMV at 1-800-777-0133 to have a grade mailed to y'all.^[8]
5
Make a copy of your bill of sale. If you recently purchased the machine from out of state and are registering it in California as a new owner, you will need to present a re-create of the bill of sale to establish the chain of ownership.^[ix]
- If y'all didn't become a document specifically titled "Neb of Sale," a finance agreement or other buy understanding volition suffice.
6
Calculate your registration fees. The California DMV has a fee calculator bachelor online that you lot tin use to determine how much y'all'll have to pay to register your out-of-state car.^[10]
- Go to https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/portal/feecalculatorweb/index and click on the "nonresident vehicles" link.
- You will have to provide information about the type of vehicle and model year. You'll as well enter the engagement yous purchased the vehicle and the date you first drove it in California.
- If you paid any employ or sales revenue enhancement in the other state, enter this data too. You'll become a credit for it towards your California taxes.
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Certify your car at a California smog station. Most cars must have a smog certification before they can be registered in California. The merely cars that don't require smog certification are diesel fuel-powered cars of model year 1998 or newer.^[xi]
- To find the smog station nearest you, visit https://www.smogcheck.ca.gov and click the "Notice a Station" button.
- Smog bank check prices aren't regulated, so you may want to store around at several stations to find the best price.^[12]
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Verify the auto's weight if you're registering the car every bit a commercial vehicle. If your out-of-state machine is for personal use, yous won't demand a weighmaster's certificate. However, you will need one if you lot plan to register the car as a commercial vehicle and apply it for business purposes.^[13]
- You tin can observe public scales by visiting the website of the California Section of Food and Agronomics at https://apps1.cdfa.ca.gov/publicscales/.
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i
Visit your local California DMV office. When you lot're ready to register your out-of-state car in California for the get-go time, y'all'll have to bulldoze the machine to the nearest DMV field office and submit an awarding along with all the required documents.^[fourteen]
- To discover a field office near you, visit the DMV's website at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/dmv/offices.
- To shorten your expect time, y'all tin make an engagement online or by calling 1-800-777-0133. Field offices are non open up on weekends or holidays.
2
Complete the application for championship or registration. The awarding for title or registration asks for information about you and the auto you want to register in California. Y'all also must provide data about the purchase of the auto.^[15]
- You tin can download the application from the California DMV's website and fill it out ahead of time. You can also get a copy of the application at the DMV and make full it out while yous wait.
3
Have your motorcar verified at the DMV. You must take your out-of-land car to your local DMV to verify the motorcar'due south vehicle identification number (VIN). This must exist done by an authorized DMV employee, who will also carry a visual inspection of the auto.^[16]
- The California DMV recommends that you make an appointment so you don't accept to wait as long. If you have all of your required paperwork, you can register your car at the same time you get the verification.
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Submit your application along with certifications and proof of buying. When y'all've finished filling out your application, you'll need to requite it to the DMV clerk along with the title or registration from the other country, your beak of sale, smog certification, and whatever other required documents.^[17]
- The clerk will verify your documents and give your originals back to you.
5
Show your driver'southward license and proof of insurance. Before the DMV will process your registration, y'all must prove that you have auto insurance that meets the country minimum requirements.^[eighteen]
- For private passenger vehicles, you lot must have at least $15,000 coverage for the injury or death of i person, $30,000 coverage for the injury or death of more than one person, and $5,000 coverage for damage to property.^[xix]
six
Pay the required fees. Once the clerk has processed your application, they'll calculate the amount of fees you owe to annals the machine. If you've already calculated your fees online, you'll have an idea of how much this is going to be. Nonetheless, if your calculation differs from the clerk'south calculation, the clerk's calculation is the ane that you'll accept to pay.^[20]
- DMV field offices accept greenbacks, personal checks, and credit or debit cards.
- A portion of these fees may be tax deductible. Contact a California tax advisor or consultant for more data.
7
Turn over your out-of-country license plates if required. In nearly cases, you'll have to requite the out-of-country license plates to the DMV to become your new California plates. There are exemptions, such as if the plates are expired.^[21]
- If the other state requires you lot to ship the plates dorsum to them, it's your responsibility to turn the plates back in – the California DMV won't do this for you.
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Put your new plates on your car. Once your registration is complete, the clerk will upshot your registration certificate and give you new plates to put on your car. If you ordered specialty or custom plates, you'll go a temporary plate to employ until you get your plates in the mail service.^[22]

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Article Summary X

To register your out-of-country car in California, kickoff by locating your electric current title or registration and neb of sale to show that y'all own your car. Next, drive the car to your nearest smog station to make sure information technology passes California's emission regulations. If you don't know where your nearest smog station is, you can locate it at smogcheck.ca.gov. Once you've washed that, drive to your local DMV function in California. Call up to bring all of your paperwork with you, including your commuter'southward license and proof of insurance. After that, go an application form for title or registration at the DMV and fill in the details. When you've finished the paperwork, pay the required fees. Then, turn over your out-of-state license plates if required, and switch them for your new California plates. For more tips, including how to check if your 49-state car is exempt from California regulations, read on!

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