CA buyers: Buying your BRZ or FR-S out-of-state

[Silverpike]

Originally Posted by mav1178

The process is:

Certificate of Origin >> Title issued >> Registration issued.

If you lost a title you can get a duplicate.

If you lost the certificate of origin and never had the car titled, you will need to get a duplicate from the dealer. Most likely there will be a fee on this.

-alex

Yeah I got it figured out. I need to have a duplicate title sent from Heuberger. Cert. of origin I already have.

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by Silverpike

Yeah I got it figured out. I need to have a duplicate title sent from Heuberger. Cert. of origin I already have.

That is wrong... your car isn't titled, you are not asking for a title.

What you are missing is probably the bill of sale... I know I'm nitpicking words here but it's important for YOU, the buyer, to understand what paperwork is missing and what you will eventually get from the state.

-alex

[Silverpike]

Originally Posted by mav1178

That is wrong... your car isn't titled, you are not asking for a title.

What you are missing is probably the bill of sale... I know I'm nitpicking words here but it's important for YOU, the buyer, to understand what paperwork is missing and what you will eventually get from the state.

-alex

I have already spoken to the Title Agent @ Heuberger. My car definitely is titled; I received it in a Fedex package 2 days after I paid for the car. Or it was, until I lost the paperwork. The dealer is the only entity which can prove I own the car right now. CA knows nothing about the title, because I haven't registered the car yet.

The solution is to have Subaru print another title document and resend it.

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by Silverpike

I have already spoken to the Title Agent @ Heuberger. My car definitely is titled; I received it in a Fedex package 2 days after I paid for the car. Or it was, until I lost the paperwork. The dealer is the only entity which can prove I own the car right now. CA knows nothing about the title, because I haven't registered the car yet.

The solution is to have Subaru print another title document and resend it.

How can you say your car is titled already, if you have the Certificate of Origin????

The Certificate of Origin allows a car to be initially titled. It is a one-time use document that stays with the state where the car is initially titled. You don't get a copy of it...

In any case, you can take this up with the DMV and ask them for clarification. You get a title AFTER you turn in the Certificate of Origin.

And you can prove your ownership, too. The Bill of Sale and other documents are just as good, along with temporary tags for transporting the car. You have 20 days to complete DMV registration anyhow.

-alex

[tonylop33]

Originally Posted by Silverpike

I have already spoken to the Title Agent @ Heuberger. My car definitely is titled; I received it in a Fedex package 2 days after I paid for the car. Or it was, until I lost the paperwork. The dealer is the only entity which can prove I own the car right now. CA knows nothing about the title, because I haven't registered the car yet.

The solution is to have Subaru print another title document and resend it.

You have a PM from me.

[Silverpike]

Thanks guys for helping me clear this up. I am so overworked that I mis-remembered the docs I got. It turns out I have all the data sent in the original pack, and it did not include the title, which explains why I can't find it. :P
EDIT: I have the original Cert. of Origin. I have all the stuff I need now.

[roroskis]

Hey guys, I need advice.

I purchased a BRZ from Heuberger Motors on 10/30, and I took delivery of the car on 11/7. From reading this thread, I thought that I'd have 20 days from the day the car was brought into CA to register the car in California, which gives me until the 26th or so. However, I tried to register today, and they charged me a late penalty fee, which was more than double the normal registration cost. I tried to contest it, but they said that the 20 days applies to the date the car was purchased, not when it was brought into California. I tried mentioning the nonresident vehicle information that's listed on the DMV site, but they said that since it's a new car it's not a nonresident vehicle.

I'm pretty annoyed right now honestly having to deal with this and being out an extra $400, but what's the right answer in this case, and what should I do? Thanks in advance.

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by roroskis

Hey guys, I need advice.

I purchased a BRZ from Heuberger Motors on 10/30, and I took delivery of the car on 11/7. From reading this thread, I thought that I'd have 20 days from the day the car was brought into CA to register the car in California, which gives me until the 26th or so. However, I tried to register today, and they charged me a late penalty fee, which was more than double the normal registration cost. I tried to contest it, but they said that the 20 days applies to the date the car was purchased, not when it was brought into California. I tried mentioning the nonresident vehicle information that's listed on the DMV site, but they said that since it's a new car it's not a nonresident vehicle.

I'm pretty annoyed right now honestly having to deal with this and being out an extra $400, but what's the right answer in this case, and what should I do? Thanks in advance.

It's based on "20 days of entry". You need to print this page out and dispute it with the DMV office supervisor:

http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr9.htm

Fees must be paid within 20 days of entry or residency to avoid penalties. Any vehicle owned by a California resident must be registered within 20 days of entry into California unless a special permit was obtained.

But honestly? I just write my "story" on the statement of facts. I don't recall the specific wording, but I wrote "purchased on approx 4/30, drove it back from Colorado on 6/30 and first entered CA on 7/1" and signed my name on the statement of facts.

-alex

[roroskis]

Originally Posted by mav1178

It's based on "20 days of entry". You need to print this page out and dispute it with the DMV office supervisor:

http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr9.htm



But honestly? I just write my "story" on the statement of facts. I don't recall the specific wording, but I wrote "purchased on approx 4/30, drove it back from Colorado on 6/30 and first entered CA on 7/1" and signed my name on the statement of facts.

-alex

Thanks for the reply Alex. I tried referencing that section of the DMV website, but they said that the site is referring to non-resident vehicles and that my car isn't a non-resident vehicle because it was bought new, so the date of entry doesn't apply. Which makes absolutely no sense to me "/

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by roroskis

Thanks for the reply Alex. I tried referencing that section of the DMV website, but they said that the site is referring to non-resident vehicles and that my car isn't a non-resident vehicle because it was bought new, so the date of entry doesn't apply. Which makes absolutely no sense to me "/

Total bullshit on the DMV's part. So what exactly is your car??? By their reasoning you have to register the car within 20 days of purchase? How? Dealers don't release paperwork until they have "delivered" the car, which in this case usually means the car is on a truck that physically left their facility.

So if you bought it 11/1 and didn't get the car shipped until 11/30, you're paying an extra penalty because you got the car after their 20-day period?

I still suggest you escalate this with the field office supervisor. Or call the state info line and get clarification. This seems to be an isolated case of poor training on the part of whomever that took care of your paperwork at your local DMV.

-alex

[roroskis]

Originally Posted by mav1178

Total bullshit on the DMV's part. So what exactly is your car??? By their reasoning you have to register the car within 20 days of purchase? How? Dealers don't release paperwork until they have "delivered" the car, which in this case usually means the car is on a truck that physically left their facility.

So if you bought it 11/1 and didn't get the car shipped until 11/30, you're paying an extra penalty because you got the car after their 20-day period?

I still suggest you escalate this with the field office supervisor. Or call the state info line and get clarification. This seems to be an isolated case of poor training on the part of whomever that took care of your paperwork at your local DMV.

-alex

Honestly yeah, it is pretty bullshit. I didn't think I could hate the DMV this much -_- I'll try giving both of those a call tomorrow though and see if I can get any bit of clarity from this situation. Thanks for the advice, Alex, I appreciate it.

[Lonewolf]

Originally Posted by roroskis

Honestly yeah, it is pretty bullshit. I didn't think I could hate the DMV this much -_- I'll try giving both of those a call tomorrow though and see if I can get any bit of clarity from this situation. Thanks for the advice, Alex, I appreciate it.

Clint might know about something that can help you as well...shoot him a pm

[tonylop33]

Originally Posted by roroskis

Hey guys, I need advice.

I purchased a BRZ from Heuberger Motors on 10/30, and I took delivery of the car on 11/7. From reading this thread, I thought that I'd have 20 days from the day the car was brought into CA to register the car in California, which gives me until the 26th or so. However, I tried to register today, and they charged me a late penalty fee, which was more than double the normal registration cost. I tried to contest it, but they said that the 20 days applies to the date the car was purchased, not when it was brought into California. I tried mentioning the nonresident vehicle information that's listed on the DMV site, but they said that since it's a new car it's not a nonresident vehicle.

I'm pretty annoyed right now honestly having to deal with this and being out an extra $400, but what's the right answer in this case, and what should I do? Thanks in advance.

As has been posted, you have 20 days from entry. They are wrong and you need to go higher up the chain. I have imported three new cars from out of state and in each case (two different DMV offices) they have gone by the 20 day criteria.

From the DMV site: "A nonresident vehicle was last registered outside the state of California. Anyone who brings a vehicle into California, or purchases a nonresident vehicle while in California, should be aware of the registration requirements. "

Technically the car was issued a Certificate of Ownership to the dealer located in CO. For all intents and purposes, the Certificate of Ownership functions as a title until the first registration. Since it was assigned by Subaru to a Colorado dealer, the defacto point is that it is a non-resident vehicle.

Don't back down. The people you dealt with are wrong.

[roroskis]

Originally Posted by tonylop33

As has been posted, you have 20 days from entry. They are wrong and you need to go higher up the chain. I have imported three new cars from out of state and in each case (two different DMV offices) they have gone by the 20 day criteria.

From the DMV site: "A nonresident vehicle was last registered outside the state of California. Anyone who brings a vehicle into California, or purchases a nonresident vehicle while in California, should be aware of the registration requirements. "

Technically the car was issued a Certificate of Ownership to the dealer located in CO. For all intents and purposes, the Certificate of Ownership functions as a title until the first registration. Since it was assigned by Subaru to a Colorado dealer, the defacto point is that it is a non-resident vehicle.

Don't back down. The people you dealt with are wrong.

Thank you for that Tony, it's really reassuring to hear that explained. I'd really hate to go back to that DMV though, it just seemed so disheartening to have to deal with them. Literally everyone I talked to at that DMV assumed I was wrong in thinking that the penalty was incorrect, and it's really hard to come in with a valid concern with the dismissive and unprofessional attitudes that they had "/

They did give me an Application for Refund though, which is a form I'd fill out and send to the Sacramento DMV with the reason for requesting a refund, since they told me they don't do refunds at the DMV office (which I don't know whether or not it's bs too). Do you think this application would actually get me anywhere, or if not, what should I do?

Thanks again so much for your guys' help. By the way, just so no one has this experience in the future, this is at the DMV office in Hawthorne, CA.