What's the deal with CA back registration if you take the car out of state?

I noticed that there are a bunch of vehicles in my price range that tend to have back registration fees due in CA. From reading the ads, if I bought such a vehicle and would try to register it in CA, I have suddenly assumed responsibility for other people's berkeleyups.

Does anybody know what happens if I buy a car that has CA back registration fees and take it out of state? I assume they'll still try to stick their paw in my wallet but it would be nice to confirm that this is the case...

Yes they will unless you can prove the car was registered elsewhere. If the car was off the road for awhile, CA will issue a Planned Non-Operating permit for ten bucks a year. So they get a little ornery if someone doesn't take this easy token step to cheap registration continuity.

Go to the DMV and find out for yourself what it will cost to make it right. Then go back to the seller and get a better deal. If he or she balks, tell them they could've avoided the whole thing by getting a PNO by mail for ten bucks a year. No dice? Walk away. You just inherited someone else's mess.

BTW parking tickets are paid by the PO. You are not responsible, even if there's a whole bunch of 'em issued for the car. They'll get nailed the next time they register or renew.

Hence my comment about having to pay for the PO's berkeleyups...

Thanks for confirming the situation.

Drops out of the system after 10 years though.

I had to go through this with my MG. The owner had neglected to file a certificate of non-operation about 6 years before, and had just decided to stop paying the registration. I had to prove that the car had been stored all that time and that it had been transported out of state on a trailer (not a dolly, its wheels wheels could not have touched precious California asphalt) in order to avoid paying 6 years of registration fees to get my hands on the title. This involved an affadavit by the owner, proof of transport and I don't recall what else. The folks at the DMV weren't sure I could pull it off, but by sending the right forms in along with payment I was able to make it happen.

Later, after my name was in the system as the owner of the car, I received a bill for a parking ticket the car had received between the time I bought it and it was shipped out of state. Of course, this would have screwed the whole thing if California had been in contact with California, as it proved the car had been on the street overnight. Since the infraction took place after the date on the bill of sale (by about 6 hours), it was my responsibility. Sigh. At least it was only $22.

I wasn't looking at anything that old - seems that I'm shopping around the price point where 22" wheels are more important than insurance or registration.

I might have to reconsider that.

Any curious fad like that in Great Britain? Ricer crap?

Just pick up a copy of Max Power, you'll see what the UK has to deal with! Although I have to admire the effort those guys put into making their own body kits.

The biggest fad (apart from what would be called ricers over here) is base-model hatchbacks ('cos the owner can't afford the insurance on anything bigger) kitted out with cheap, floppy but humongous bodykits, drainpipe exhausts and thumpin' stereos.

All powered by a strained 1.1l engine...

Cali has some of the stupidest laws. they want you to pay for the privilege of not driving a car on their roads for a year? i guess they gotta pay for those $500million school buildings somehow..