TO CA TRAVELERS-from COPS-register your car or get a ticket......

[Michellex1013]

To CA travelers--

I just got a letter in the mail saying that if I have to register my car my out of state car or I would be fined, and still be charged to register my car. Someone in my neighborhood must have reported me. They reported my boyfriends car too. He isn't a traveler, but he lives with me. I live in a medium sized town on the coast in a quiet neighborhood. In a vacation home also. When I called to question this they said because I was here over 20 days and had a job I had to register. They said it didn't matter if my company was based in Florida. They said it didn't matter if I was only here for 8 weeks. It doesn't matter if my housing is provided by my company and I'm not on the lease. Nothing I said mattered. I was told they would recheck my car and if it didn't have a license when they rechecked they would issue me a ticket. I asked what if I cancelled my contract and left tomorrow. They said, "it doesn't matter, you have already been here for 20 days and you will have to register even if you leave." Sounds like a load of crap but I really don't want a ticket, and a fine. Regeristing already cost 200. I asked what I had to do to appeal. They said I could go ahead and get a ticket "if I wanted" to and then go to court, but that would take atleast 3 months and I would have to come back to fight it. The cop even asked me if I wanted to report any other car. It is like they are looking for out of state license plates. I heard of this once before on this forum several years ago, but nothing since. My next door neighbor is brand new to the neighborhood, and she didn't get one. She had never heard of it either. I'm hoping people will consider this before they travel here, and that someone might have some advise for me. I can tell you Arnold will get a nasty letter from me tonight. I'm sick of paying stupid tax so he can smoke his cigars and drive around his hummer.

Michelle

[HarryHK]

Ignore the cops. If they issue a ticket, take it to the courthouse along with a copy of your contract. You should be able to get it settled without an actual court date. It is not in the best interests of the State to incur the costs of a formal court appearance for something that will be thrown out on the basis of your evidence. Ignore also the threats that you will have to return in three months. You do not. You can present evidence by mail. In addition, if you are out of state, that is more evidence in your favor, and they cannot touch you out of state unless you return.

California has every right to defend tax and fee collection and as noted, a number of California residents register their cars in Nevada or Oregon to avoid the high costs of car ownership and insurance in California. California is the most aggressive state I know of in this regard, even to posting an 800 number to call on billboards to report out of state cars in your neighborhood.

The rules are clear, but the bottom tier person, the cop, may not understand them. California also has a much misunderstood rule on a presumption of residency if you spend 9 months in California. This is also not relevant for travelers, but you do often have to fight this presumption.

[aberrn]

I got pulled over while in CA as my licence plate light was out.He also informed me that the plastic plate covers are illegal in CA

He was very nice about it,no ticket.He asked if I was moving to CA,I explained I was a travel nurse and would be working periodically in CA.

Fixed the light the next day,removed the cover this month when I got my new tag,as I will be driving back to CA Jan 2nd.

As always being polite and professional sometimes helps.

[Agnus]

I'd probably also let the rental agent know that they were going to lose a lot of business on travelers' rentals if they didn't help you address this - especially if the complaining neighbor has the same landlord as you.

I can tell you up front this NOT something that rental agents. property management companies etc. will address.

The way the property management business works this will have zero effect on them. They have bigger problems than this to worry about.

[caliotter3]

I once brought up the subject of all the tenants at my complex having out of state license plates and keeping me from parking near my building with their multiple cars, along with more serious problems, to my property management people. They were not interested at all. For that matter, they had a security service that drove through the complex. There would have been no problem in dealing with the lawbreakers. They were very easy to identify. The complex where I live now has a tow truck come through on a regular basis to tow illegally parked cars and it is very much down the scale of desirable places to live. I've been approached for not having my up to date registration sticker on my plate. I've seen cars with more than ten years worth of missing registration stickers. I called the authorities when it bothered me. The law still states that upon entering the state, a person will register their car within 20 days. Traveling nurses should have the same exemption from this law that temporarily assigned military people have. If I were a traveling nurse I would bring up this example and ask why I was being singled out. Write a letter to a legislative representative and ask them to introduce legislation to have other categories of temporary residents added to the exemption.

[HarryHK]

The law still states that upon entering the state, a person will register their car within 20 days.

Only a person MOVING to the state. Not business travelers.

[Michellex1013]

To answer one of your questions.... I did go up to the nearest local DMV to find out info on the subject, but they are closed for renovation. This is the same DMV location that the state DMV's 1-800 # people told me to go to. The person on the phone should have known they were closed. If I am ticketed, they better do it in person because I am leaving this current location on the 11th. It should be illigal to mail me a summons because I wouldn't get it, and then if I ever did get pulled over I would be arrested for failure to appear. I may get a CA license because I might do another assignment in a different location. If I go to court I will show that I was told to go to a particular DMV and it was closed. Why would I waste more gas driving to the next closest DMV (I think 50+ miles away). They keep messing up and I am not going to keep going out of my way to make this state happy.