Buying a Non-Op'd car from California

Just like you may gleen from the title, I'm concidering getting a Non-Operational Registered vehicle from California and bringing it up to Washington State.

I've seached all over here and on the web, and have found lots of stuff (with lots of conflicting info) about dealing with non-ops within CA, but nothing really definative about my situation.

The car in question, runs, drives, is smog-exempt, and has a valid title, but has been non-op'ed and without plates for quite some time, or so says the seller.

I'm waffling between going down there, buying the car, getting it to my in-law's place and either driving it back, or putting it on a truck and shipping it. I'd rather not register it in CA, only to turn around and re-register it in WA within a few days, but I'd also like to drive the thing, if at all possable while I'm in SoCal. This may be my last hurrah for a while, since the wife gonna be popping out our kid soon...

How is all this supposed to work?

 

You can transfer a non-op'd vehicle and get just a title without registering it, as long as the non-op is clean and valid- you will get a title in the mail, and a non-op- once it is clear in your name, you should be good to go. Might be able to talk them into a "moving permit" for a quick jaunt, if you can put insurance on it

 

If you have all the information you need to register it in Washington, either for regular or temporary tags, why can't you register it and bring the tags with you when you get the car? That way, you don't have to go through all the hoopla that I hear Cali requires (smog, back taxes, front taxes, side taxes, etc.) When you get it back home, then you can do whatever you need to make it "Washington compliant."

 

I'd make sure that the vin number is visible and matches the title before doing anything. There have been some horror stories about Wash state and vin numbers. I have no personal knowledge but buyer beware. Check with your state and don't take the word of an anonymous internet poster like me.

 

You can't drive it in California without paying registration and title in California.

There's a loophole but it won't apply to you unless you lie to the DMV. If you get caught it can get expensive, including paying to get your car out of impound + penalties & fines.

You don't need to smog anything over 30 years old, and you don't pay any back registration and penalties if the vehicle was on Non-op the entire time since the last Calif registration expired.

They won't check the numbers here, normally, but they'll normally check an out-of-state car in any state when you try to title it there, so make sure everything is Kosher.

 

If he non oped it he has to pay a yearly fee, he should have paper work to prove that. If it meets your expectations and you buy it I suppose you could store it at a friends house and re-register it in Wash. then you could legally drive it home. Do not drive it unless it is registered or you will get ticketed and impounded. You might check with Wash. DMV about registering a non op out of state car. Or you could tell the seller to go to Ca. DMV and pay the registration then you could drive it home.

 

Technically don't you have 10 days (or something like that)from purchase to register in your name? ... Technically the currant owner of the car could make registration current and get plates then sign the title over then drive car away?

 

There is no yearly fee for a non-op. No money comes due until you register it again or drive it. I have 2 on non-op right now. It's free.

You do have a grace period, but the seller must notify the DMV of your name etc immediately to limit his liability in case you hit someone with a car the DMV thinks he still has. So they do, and the DMV therefore knows you've bought an unregistered car plus you owe sales taxes now, and that data as well as the insurance carrier (or "none"!) shows up an the PD computers if you get stopped--regardless of the grace period on the actual registration and title transfer that could be a big PITA.

 

This is the best option. If you're both serious taking a car off non-op is fairly cheap and easy.

 

Why does everyone think it is hard to do registration in Ca.? You can do it several ways but the cheapest if you want it in your name is to just transfer the title to your name and leave it non op'd, You will pay the sales tax and a 15.00 transfer fee. If you want the current owner to register it he will need to show proof of insurance (no getting around this) and pay the current fees, BUT if it is not close to the renewal date he might have to pay another years fees. If you want to register it you will pay the fees,transfer,tax and WILL NOT have to show proof of insurance as on a transfer their is a 15 day grace period to obtain insurance and your insurance will automatically cover the new purchase. Non op's used to be due every year but now just a one time fee is charged, unless it receives a ticket then it is voided and you get to pay all kinds of back fees and penalties.

 

Yep- if you leave out all the "I think" and "I heard" drama, it's just that easy

 

A non op fee is a way to avoid paenalties if you are not driving the vehicle, and is a one time fee. Fee, tax whatever, yes it is. It keeps the registration info current without imposing any late fees, and cannot be operated on a public road. To take it off, you need to pay for the remainder of the current years registration, and transfer fee/smog fee if necessary. It is pretty painless to deal with, aside from waiting in line at the DMV. I just took my O/T car off non op. I insured it the day before, went to the DMV(actually, AAA office, nicer people there) paid my current registration, filld out a staement of facts form, and was done in about 10-15 minuts, for 79 bucks. If you are worried about operating it in California, there are Trip permits that can be purchased to drive it on the highway. Last one I bought was 10 bucks, but that was 10 years ago. It is not a big deal to deal with the California DMV.

 

Hmmm, I just bought a trip permit and towed my GMC out of the state when I ran into that issue. Oregon only cared I had a clean title.
Since it sat in the garage, I even waited on switching the Ca title for 3 years before getting L&R'd in Oregon.
I think it was $14.

 

Years ago, if you wanted your car to be Non-Op'd, you DID have to pay a yearly fee. And you had to remember yourself to do it. DMV did not send out any reminders. And if you forgot, you were SOL and had to pay penalties. I'm glad they changed it to a one-time fee and you now get a yearly renewal asking if you want to take it out of Non-Op'd status. Hopefully, they gave the guy who came up with the new way of handling Non-Op's Employee of the Month!
BTW, why are there no plates? As long as you have a valid title, you are good to go. It should not matter that the car is Non-Op'd.

 

I'm thinking if you wanted to drive it home you could go to the California DMV and get a 1 day permit. a friend did that with his non-op car when he moved it to his new shop 100 miles away. not sure how the fact that you are a new buyer might mess that up.

 

If it is "without plates" I assume that is because the seller lost them. You can't have a registered vehicle in CA without license plates and non-op status is only for registered vehicles. So, he's either lying about the non-op status or he lost the plates.

Like others have said, I'd have him go take it off non-op before the sale... good luck.

 

I don't believe you can take the car off non-op without plates. I'm assuming the owner had personalized or yom plates ?

 

I would verify the vin on the vehicle matches the non-op certificate vin and names also.
What little I know about the dmv of CA is that the way I understand on the moving of a vehicle is that, is that the vehicle has to be currently registered or a temporary moving permit has to be had before the vehicles wheels can be touching any public road. You cannot park a non-opted vehicle on the street as per in front of your home. I know this from experience, in CA.

 

Yes, Randy and Speedyb, that is exactly what I was eluding to when I asked about the "no plates". Something does not add up here. There should be a plate number on the last registration card. Retaining the YOM or personalized plates would be the only answer.

 

Why would you have to register it in California? You're not a resident...

I bought my '47 there last year, the car wasn't currently licensed (but did have Cal plates), and just drove it home. I had all the paperwork for the sale, what's the issue?

Worst case, pick up a 'trip permit' here (Wa), fill in the needed info when you get there and drive it home. There is a time limit on the permits, you may need more than one if you're planning on driving it while there.

Do try to get a notarized bill of sale, the local DMV agent here tried to give me a runaround on the value, that will squelch that argument...

 

There is a grace period to show you have it, but you can't actually drive the car until it's legally insured or you post a bond.

My insurance does cover me on any car I drive, be it new, old, borrowed or whatever, for 3 business days. that's just enough to make it back to Washington . . . if nothing breaks.

 

Like Crazy Steve said... I didn't even have plates for mine.
Cal DMV wanted to see the bill of sale and the title signed off.
I didn't deal with op non op registration, title, plates or taxes.
I towed it up I5.
I think OSP stopped me once cause the Oregon trip permit goes up front and the Ca in the back window or something like that.

 

Watch out bringing car IN to California. I just bought a car that was registered in Washington for the last 40 years using the motor # as the VIN. California now wants a "secondary" id number. Fortunately I found the same number on the frame, but would have been in a world of hurt if it didn't match. This new rule just popped up recently, so be VERY careful bringing cars in from out of state. Hard to believe the DMV could get worse, but they are.

 

Why is it non-op?

V C Section 4604 Nonoperated Vehicles

V C Section 5051 Definitions

V C Section 5004 Vehicles of Historic Value

V C Section 5004.5 Pre 1943 Motorcycles

Under California law, most vehicles that we deal with here, are exempt.

 

What are you talking about? We have none of that.

I think I am going to start a registration service, for folks fed this kind of misinformation.

 

Not exactly- you can definitely have a non-op with no real plates- I currently have several that way. If you transfer a vehicle, requesting title only and non-op, and it has no plates at the time, they will issue the title with a fictitious plate number (don't ask them why, just take your title and be happy- they just do it that way) and non-op status, then when you want to actually register and drive it, you pay the rest of the fees, proof of insurance etc, and they will then issue real plates. IIRC, the last one-day moving permit I bought was $16- you can purchase one when you have to go get a smog test for instance

 

That's "I Hear"- "I Think" will be along in a minute. Wouldn't be the HAMB without them

 

Ok here goes again, you can get a title only and not have plates, and it will be non op'd at the same time. I have at least 12 cars that way now and all you need to bring them current is show proof of insurance, pay the current fees and plates are issued at that time. So yes you can have a car non op'd without plates.

 

Wrong, check with your insurance company and DMV.

 

Thanks, but right on the back of the Non-op it says:

"Before operating, parking, or towing this vehicle on the streets...<snip>...renew the registration..."

It also says:

"Evidence of liability insurance...<snip>....is required to renew."

So you gotta renew to drive and you gotta insure to renew.

If you already have insurance in California, the DMV already knows what coverage you have. It's reported automatically over the internet. If you're from Washington and bought insurance there, you may not be in California's state records system. Then the DMV can require written proof.

But I don't really know how insurance reporting works across state lines, and I'm no lawyer; but while most states all follow the common "compact" traffic laws, each state has its own insurance "system", laws and requirements. I've lived in enough states to know that much.

The reality of the situation in California is that approx 1/3 the drivers in California are running around without insurance. If you don't have gap coverage in this state you're asking to pay through the nose if you get hit and it's not your fault.

I would absolutely make sure you're are insured, even if you're driving on expired tags. Ignoring one could cost you several hundred for fines and maybe towing/impound. Ignoring the other could be your financial ruin.