Car registration and moving states

[Free4Life11]

I live in Florida and my car registration expires in May. I am moving to a new state one week after the expiration date. Can I just wait to register my car in the new state? I hate to pay $50 bucks for one week. Do I need to do anything with my Florida registration?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Look up the state and find out how to go about doing it. If you have an address there already it is most certainly doable.

 

[FireDancer]

When I moved from OH to FL I waited for my plates to expire and then got FL plates. I did the exact same thing when moving the other direction.

If I were you I would either register in May in my new state (provided you have an address or can do that) or register it in FL in May and keep the FL plates until next May when you register in your new state. I would not register it in FL in May and then again a month or two later in another state. They take enough money from us, why double up.

 

[Ohiodislover]

Which state is cheaper? Find out and register there.

We lucked out when we moved to Md from Oh. Had just renewed in Ohio, and just kept them till the next year. Ohio was half the price.

 

[lil mermaid]

When I moved from OH to FL I waited for my plates to expire and then got FL plates. I did the exact same thing when moving the other direction.

If I were you I would either register in May in my new state (provided you have an address or can do that) or register it in FL in May and keep the FL plates until next May when you register in your new state. I would not register it in FL in May and then again a month or two later in another state. They take enough money from us, why double up.[/QUOTE/

Because most states have a specific period of time in which you are supposed to register your vehicle as a new resident. If you are "caught" there is going to be some kind of penalty. The OP should figure out what that penalty is and decide if it is worth paying the $50 bucks or not.

But, hey don't listen to me, as I am the one who took 2 years to get a TX driver's license after moving from CA.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

The problem with moving and not rereistering your car in the new state, some states have fines for that. Look up the state requirements.

You have 30 days from the date of becoming a Missouri resident to title your vehicle.

 

[Kathi OD]

Because most states have a specific period of time in which you are supposed to register your vehicle as a new resident. If you are "caught" there is going to be some kind of penalty. The OP should figure out what that penalty is and decide if it is worth paying the $50 bucks or not.

Very true!

But, hey don't listen to me, as I am the one who took 2 years to get a TX driver's license after moving from CA.

I probably shouldn't say this, but we moved over 4 years ago and I still haven't changed the registration on my car. I promise I'll do it next year.

 

[barkley]

The problem with moving and not rereistering your car in the new state, some states have fines for that. Look up the state requirements.

the other issue is it can invalidate your auto insurance so you can find that in the case of an accident your insurance company won't cover you.

you have to find out what the laws are in the state in which you currently reside and the state to which you will move.

when we moved we only had so many days (less than a month) in which to register the vehical BUT it could only be registered with valid registration in force from another state and with insurance. no insurance company in this state would insure without valid registration, and neither would the state we came from so we had to make sure we had continuous registration to cover the transition.

i guess if the state a person was moving to would let them register in anticipation of a move it would work out-but only if it could be done on-line or the state was close enough to drive to if like ours you have to physicaly present the vehical for inspection upon initial registration (that's if florida will allow an out of state registered vehical for that one month).

 

[The Mystery Machine]

the other issue is it can invalidate your auto insurance so you can find that in the case of an accident your insurance company won't cover you.

Good point.

KathiOD, you may be able to get away with that in NJ, but no way that will fly here in MO. You would be pulled over. Our police love to run plates, not too mention the road blocks they put here for alcohol.

 

[Kathi OD]

Good point.

KathiOD, you may be able to get away with that in NJ, but no way that will fly here in MO. You would be pulled over. Our police love to run plates, not too mention the road blocks they put here for alcohol.

I'm confused. How would the police know, by running your plates, that you've moved? My plates are valid.

 

[bicker]

Sometimes, local police departments will notice a car with out-of-state plates parked night-after-night, and cite it for failure to register in the alloted time. The car-owner can readily beat the ticket in traffic court, if they have a legitimate exemption from the law.

 

[Ohiodislover]

When we moved, we reported our change of address to Geico. They knew we had moved, but did not start insuring us at the higher Md rates until the renewal. They actually were the ones who told us we could do this and save some $$. I think our insurance renewal was in Oct, and we moved in August, so maybe just because it was a short time.

We had no issues keeping the Ohio registration. If there is such a law about switching the registration, I was/am completely unaware, and no one said anything at the DMV when we did renew. in fact, DH was pulled over here in Md about 6 months after we moved for speeding- no ticket, just a warning, but no mention about our plates. I know he gave the officer his current address, since his driver's license was also from Ohio. Maybe we just got lucky?

 

[bumbershoot]

Any way to get it registered, and then once you move and have it registered in the new state, contact FL to get it canceled and get a partial refund? I was looking through the FL registration info, but couldn't find it on casual skimming...perhaps you could call and find out? I saw mention of sending in the plates (they had a mailing address), so perhaps that could be part of the proof that you're out of the state?

($50 for car registration...sigh....)

 

[momrek06]

I probably shouldn't say this, but we moved over 4 years ago and I still haven't changed the registration on my car. I promise I'll do it next year.

So are you saying you have plates on your car and ins from a completely different state than you are currently living in? Why? Is your drivers license still with the other state or the state you are currently living in?


In CA., it is very strict. You have 10 days to get your drivers license and 20 days to register your car OR be subject to fines. We did get our cars registered right away when we moved here in July '08, it was my license I waited a bit because in CA even if you have an active drivers license from another state in the country, you still have to take a WRITTEN drivers exam. Ugh. So I studied and then took the test and PASSED. Yeah. But my insurance company in CA did call and they needed DH & I to have active CA drivers licenses to insure us.


From the CA DMV website: First you'll have to obtain a California driver's license and register your vehicle―even before all your boxes are unpacked. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) gives you 10 days to get a new driver license and 20 to register your vehicle, or you'll have to pay penalties.

 

[Kathi OD]

So are you saying you have plates on your car and ins from a completely different state than you are currently living in? Why? Is your drivers license still with the other state or the state you are currently living in?

That's what I'm saying, and it has current inspection.

We didn't change it, primarily because the car is not paid off yet, and NJ's MVC is notorious for losing things or not accurately recording things. Because it isn't paid off, the bank would have to send the title to Trenton and well...who knows if it will ever be seen again. Once we have paid it off, either DH or myself can take the title to the local office ourselves and get it all done there.

Another part of it is mind set. We moved all of 15 minutes from our old house. It really doesn't seem like we're in another state, except when I pay my state income tax.

 

[barkley]

That's what I'm saying, and it has current inspection.

We didn't change it, primarily because the car is not paid off yet, and NJ's MVC is notorious for losing things or not accurately recording things. Because it isn't paid off, the bank would have to send the title to Trenton and well...who knows if it will ever be seen again. Once we have paid it off, either DH or myself can take the title to the local office ourselves and get it all done there.

Another part of it is mind set. We moved all of 15 minutes from our old house. It really doesn't seem like we're in another state, except when I pay my state income tax.

we would'nt be able to do that here. we can't insure an out of state vehical.

so in nj when a car gets paid off the bank or finance company sends the title to the dmv? interesting; i'm not sure how it works here, but when we lived in california the bank would send the title to the now paid in full owner who had to take it the dmv to request the new clean copy.

 

[Imzadi]

Your car will techinically be unregisterd for a week. It doesn't matter the reason. You cannot just drive around with an unregistered car for a week. Well, you could, but it's illegal. If a cop stops you, you may get a hefty ticket that costs more than the $50 it would be to register it.

 

[barkley]

Your car will techinically be unregisterd for a week. It doesn't matter the reason. You cannot just drive around with an unregistered car for a week. Well, you could, but it's illegal. If a cop stops you, you may get a hefty ticket that costs more than the $50 it would be to register it.

in some states the car will be immediatly impounded which means in addition to any civil penalty a person is looking at towing and impound fees which can add up pretty quickly. then-if it's a state where insurance is required since you can't legaly insure an unregistered car you are looking at yet another fine.

 

[FireDancer]

Because most states have a specific period of time in which you are supposed to register your vehicle as a new resident. If you are "caught" there is going to be some kind of penalty. The OP should figure out what that penalty is and decide if it is worth paying the $50 bucks or not.

But, hey don't listen to me, as I am the one who took 2 years to get a TX driver's license after moving from CA.

Well, technically that is correct but what I did was call my insurance guy and told him I moved and got insurance with the new address. He didn't care what plates were on the car or what state my license was in. He took the information for the records but didn't care. All that mattered was the address the vehicle would be parked at and not the address it was registered at.

When I got pulled over and was asked why I had a FL license and plates I just told him I lived in FL part of the year and OH part of the year. He wasn't about to check on my residency status. I did in fact live in FL part of the year and OH part of the year that year. Jan - Jun in FL and Jun - Dec in OH.

Your car will techinically be unregisterd for a week. It doesn't matter the reason. You cannot just drive around with an unregistered car for a week. Well, you could, but it's illegal. If a cop stops you, you may get a hefty ticket that costs more than the $50 it would be to register it.

It isn't an unregistered car, it is a registered car with expired plates. I have never heard of anyone having a car impounded when they have allowed a license plate to lapse for one month. It is either a fix it ticket or fine.

 

[Imzadi]

It isn't an unregistered car, it is a registered car with expired plates. I have never heard of anyone having a car impounded when they have allowed a license plate to lapse for one month. It is either a fix it ticket or fine.

In NYS, it is called an expired registration. About 15 years ago, I got a fine, regardless of the fact that I was getting the car re-registered at the time I was stopped, or that I produced proof in court, on the court date, that the car was indeed re-registered by the time I got to court. The judge said that at the time the car was pulled over, I did not have a valid registration. (Regardless of whatever term we are mincing words on.) Hence the hefty fine.

If the OP is going to end up paying one way or the other, the $50 registration fee may be the cheaper way to go.

Barkey was the one who said the car may be impounded.