Got Delinquent Registration from DMV... Help?

Hi Guys,

First post here. I want to post their question up here because you guys seem pretty knowledgeable.

Anyway...

My old landlady notified me that I received my Delinquent Registration from the DMV. I moved out of California in October (in fact, I'm not even in the country anymore). I still have a bank account in the United States (registered in Maryland and Florida). On the DMV website, they said they have the right to garnish wages and freeze accounts. Is that really true and would they do that far to do that to me?

Also, going through their website, there doesn't seem like there's anything for someone like to me do. They have forms for people moving out-of-state into another state (which does not apply to me since I'm out-of-country) and they have a form for people who go out of country but they transported their car by sea or air (which did not happen to me, I drove my car out of the United States).

So if you guys were me, what would you do at this point? If I tell them I am out of the country, will the money that I supposedly owe them still remain?

 

You moved to Washington.....

 

Did you sell the car? If still registered in CA you have to pay or title it in another state

 

Why don't you just contact them and get the answer from the horse's mouth ???

 

I'd call and ask WTF. A lot of things can be solved with a little communication.

 

there I fixed it for you.....

 

they go after my wages every year for cars i sold to people out of state and out of the country if its not registered in ca after you sell it they come after you

 

Well my registration expired already... and no I am not in Washington. I'm not in the United States anymore.

Before i contact them, I want to know what I'm getting into and the only way I can contact them is by phone and my past experience, it's hard to accomplish anything over the phone and the wait times is just terrible.

 

why would they come after you if it's not registered in CA?

 

California has rules that are strange to those of us not from there. The way I had it explained to me is that if you have a car registered there and you must keep the registration current or register it as "in-op" or inoperable, otherwise it will accrue fees that will really ad up and have to be paid before it can be re-registered. I did not know that they would go after your wages!

 

Pay the "man"....they will continue to hound you and the fees don't stop adding up. Call them and handle it...

 

I'm puzzled... I've received delinquent notices before, and I never ran into anything like what you seem to suggest. The notice's that I've received just say something to the effect that I need to correct whatever was wrong (late pay, cancelled insurance, needs smog, etc), and pay a $15 reinstatement fee. Then, I had another one recently, where I had the car out of state, I told this to the DMV, and they simply cancelled my CA registration (without telling me). When it became time for the regular renewal, I contacted the DMV, they took my $$, and re-instated my CA registration. Bottom line... I did not see the 'bad' things you suggest. Seems to me, you have a choice... tell them you are gone, and you want to give up registration... Or, tell them where you are, and pay-up, and keep the CA registration. Or, maybe just ignore it - I can't really recommend this, as I've not 'been-there'.
I'll offer one more idea... this relates to a very close car-nut-friend that moved to the Republic of Texas. He took a 47 Ford with him that has black plates on it. He wanted to keep the plates. He did NOTHING, and the state of CA found him at his new address, and sent him a regular renewal notice. No muss, no fuss, he paid the renewal, ca changed his address to TX, and he is still there with a ca-registered car, and this is about 5-6 years later. Hope this helps in some way... JMO

edit... one more 'offer'... If you don't want to deal with the DMV directly, try one of the 'independents'. Here is one in Hesperia, ca... Karen's Kar Klearing, 760-948-1698. Speak to Karen. She has been very helpful to us old-car-nuts. State your situation, ask for advice. OMO

 

Throw the letter in the trash and fuhgeddaboutit. I've get one or two a month and nobody has ever "come after me" in the past 35 years and 2,000-plus cars exported.
Willi

 

You need to pay them. Sounds like you didn't let them know you were moving out of state. There are forms that need to be filled out letting them know your moved out of state. If not they will add interest and penalty charges. Sucks but thats the way CA is.

 

I don't really know why I have to pay them. I'm not in California and my car is not in California. I never opted to renew my registration. I don't see why I have to pay for something that I'm not even getting.

I can simply ignore them and let them do whatever. I'm not in the country anymore. They can't come after me and repo my car. I just want to settle this and do this right but right now, they really seem like jerks about it.

 

where do you have the car registered now?

 

Dude...this state is BROKE they are going after any revenue they can get, of course they are rude it's the friggin' government you're dealing with!!!

 

What I was getting at is if they won't do a state to out of country transfer.....tell them you moved to another state....like washington.....that isn't a pain in the ass.....here in Washington you just don't pay and that is the end of it.....No notices, no non-op status. nothing. When you want current registration you go and re-register. New tabs. end of story.

 

If I go to Washington, how come I don't have to pay?
Won't I still owe money on California's side?

 

If you don't live in this country why the hell do you care?

 

Because I still have a bank account in the United States even though it's still in Florida.

 

I don't see why you need to know my location.
But I assure you, I am not in the country.

 

be vewy vewy quiet...we are hunting wabbits

 

Where are you, where is the car, and where is your wallet.

 

I'm out of the country.
My cary is out of the country.
Some of my money is in my US bank account.

 

That sounds like a scare letter. I think your choices are pretty well laid out, since you're not in California and neither are your bank accounts they have to do some fairly hefty legal manuvers to get to you that they probably don't have the money to get involved in.

I mean they can't suspend your license or anything, I suppose they could turn the debt over to collections and screw up your credit, but the collections people wouldn't even be able to sue you and they have to do that before they can come after the bank accounts.

Your current country may be of some help only if anyone's aware of more friendly laws between there and here. But there's not many countries you can drive to from California. Canada, Mexico, if you make it through Mexico alive maybe down into Central America.... did they finally build a highway to go all the way through into South America without needing 4x4 or a car ferry? Beats me, but off topic.

Chances are you tell them you've left the state that will be the end of it. Or you could non-op it, or anything anyone else suggested.

 

Yes, the DMV can and will have the State Board of Equalization find your bank account and put a levy on it to pay for fees, taxes, & penalties!

Go ahead and ignore them, but don't be surprised when you get a letter from your bank telling you that they sent off your $$$ to the State of California and that they charged YOU a $50.00 compliance to court order fee to do it!

Best to take care of it... If you don't care about the vehicle anymore, get a Junk Title for it and wipe out the fees...

 

Come clean and be honest, are you in Nigeria and did I just win a sixth share of 650 million dollar Irish Sweepstates.??

 

Well, my opinion, you need to call the DMV, wait times and all... You need to tell them that you left the country, and the car did too. You need to tell them that the car is not tagged in California anymore, and hasn't been since the registration expired. And then they will tell you one of 2 things...either 1) you still owe $$$ or 2) Ok, thank you for the updated information... their words may differ slightly.. If you do not take care of it now, the $$$ will grow, as will their attempts to collect it. If you ever move back into the country, they will make your life a lot harder...bad credit, drained bank accounts, etc... You might have to prove where you are living, even if you don't wanna tell us. I would suggest taking care of it sooner, rather than later though..

 

The State Board of Equalization is not a collection agency and will levy bank accounts. No hefty maneuvers needed, just one letter to your bank is all it will take... I happened to me in 2001. They sent the levy to a Nevada bank and they gave the BOE all the $$$ they requested, and they charged me a fee for doing it!

I wouldn't fool with the BOE if you had any dollars to lose in this country!!!

Filing a PNO/Non-Op will not work after the registration has been expired more than 90 days.