Chatbox Thread

So they charged you for the time that it was unregistered? What do they care if it was sitting in a garage for several years? I've had the Cougar off the road for a long time and obviously stopped registering it since there was no point paying money for something I wasn't going to need/use. When the time comes I'll just get a new registration for whatever it costs to register it for that year. I don't understand how they can charge you for something you aren't using. Seems like Kalifornia does something similar with non-operational vehicles. Just a money grab.
 
KevinVarnes said:
Seems like Kalifornia does something similar with non-operational vehicles
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No, CALIFORNIA does not do that. If we are going to have a car not be in use, we just simply mark the car as "non-op" and we don't pay for registration for that year. We don't have to do anything (or pay for anything) else until we decide that the car is going to be back in use. At that time when you are ready to get the car back on the road, you just do smog and pay the registration for that year.

The horror stories you hear about California registration fees are from owners not notifying the DMV that the car is currently non-op and they get their annual registration fees stacked up on them.
 
That is what I don't understand. Doesn't the registration just lapse? That's what it would do here. I don't need to notify anyone that I'm not using my car. So people who are selling cars in CA and say there are back fees due before it can be registered are just idiots because they didn't inform the state that they aren't using something they own?
 
KevinVarnes said:
That is what I don't understand. Doesn't the registration just lapse? That's what it would do here. I don't need to notify anyone that I'm not using my car. So people who are selling cars in CA and say there are back fees due before it can be registered are just idiots because they didn't inform the state that they aren't using something they own?
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Here in California, it's not hard to place a vehicle in non-op status. When you get your annual registration renewal, there's literally a box that says "Planned non-op". You check that box place the registration slip in the pre-paid return envelope and call it done. OR you can do this process online.

From there on out, you get the annual registration form and it says "if the vehicle will remain non-op, do nothing". There's also a box that says if you want to register the car, you pay the designated amount.

So yeah, those who are selling cars here in California and say there are back fees is because they didn't notify the DMV.
 
CDsDontBurn said:
No, CALIFORNIA does not do that. If we are going to have a car not be in use, we just simply mark the car as "non-op" and we don't pay for registration for that year. We don't have to do anything (or pay for anything) else until we decide that the car is going to be back in use. At that time when you are ready to get the car back on the road, you just do smog and pay the registration for that year.

The horror stories you hear about California registration fees are from owners not notifying the DMV that the car is currently non-op and they get their annual registration fees stacked up on them.
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Do you have to declare it non-op every year it’s non-op or is it just one and done until you go to reregister it?

The horror stories I’ve heard that are specific to CA and this practice is that the car becomes a hot potato to every subsequent owner if when sold, as the back fees transfer over. I’m sure much of the public is unaware of this since most people don’t keep non-op cars around, so say you inherent a 1970s Cadillac or something from grandpa that hadn’t been registered since he stopped driving 20 years ago, if you want to register it you get blindsighted with hundreds if not thousands of dollars in back fees where you’re basically left 3 choices, pay the fees worth more than the value of the car, unscrupulously sell the car to someone else who will get the same rude awakening at the DMV(or sell it to someone out of state), or junk it….. win win for the government, they either get extortion money by way of back fees or they rid the roads of one more “gross polluter”
 
XR7-4.6 said:
Do you have to declare it non-op every year it’s non-op or is it just one and done until you go to reregister it?

The horror stories I’ve heard that are specific to CA and this practice is that the car becomes a hot potato to every subsequent owner if when sold, as the back fees transfer over. I’m sure much of the public is unaware of this since most people don’t keep non-op cars around, so say you inherent a 1970s Cadillac or something from grandpa that hadn’t been registered since he stopped driving 20 years ago, if you want to register it you get blindsighted with hundreds if not thousands of dollars in back fees where you’re basically left 3 choices, pay the fees worth more than the value of the car, unscrupulously sell the car to someone else who will get the same rude awakening at the DMV(or sell it to someone out of state), or junk it….. win win for the government, they either get extortion money by way of back fees or they rid the roads of one more “gross polluter”
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Once it's registered as non-op, you don't need to do anything and registration back-fees are NOT accumulating.

Personally, I haven't heard of such stories like yours, but I have heard registration fees being 5 years late. That's not to say that something like this hasn't happened, but I just personally haven't heard of this. And with registration fees for older cars being anywhere from $120 - $250 (depending on vehicle type; car, SUV, truck, etc.), each year adds up quick.
 
When the current regime took over here, if it's visible from the street, it has to be registered, AND insured. Even with a broken engine. City, not state.
Otherwise, it's a derelict vehicle. But then the state says "you have a registered vehicle with no insurance". :)
 
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KevinVarnes said:
That is what I don't understand. Doesn't the registration just lapse? That's what it would do here. I don't need to notify anyone that I'm not using my car. So people who are selling cars in CA and say there are back fees due before it can be registered are just idiots because they didn't inform the state that they aren't using something they own?
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it's pretty dumb, for sure, but a $75 penalty when I've spent many thousands on the car isn't a big deal. I guess I get more frustrated with property taxes as were about 2% of our home value due annually. But I'm not here to start a taxation discussion. I don't have any barrels of tea, nor do I live near Boston.
 
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CDsDontBurn said:
Once it's registered as non-op, you don't need to do anything and registration back-fees are NOT accumulating.

Personally, I haven't heard of such stories like yours, but I have heard registration fees being 5 years late. That's not to say that something like this hasn't happened, but I just personally haven't heard of this. And with registration fees for older cars being anywhere from $120 - $250 (depending on vehicle type; car, SUV, truck, etc.), each year adds up quick.
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I remember hearing this ages ago from someone at TSTSNBN, I don’t remember the full details but they were trying to sell the Tbird outside of CA because it was effectively unsalable there anymore because of the cumulative fees from never being declared non-op.
 
XR7-4.6 said:
Just saw Leno’s Law got shot down in CA. Sorry CA peeps
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Unfortunately. This would have only been helpful to not have to do smog testing on my 94 SC ( borderline passes ). I did have a few informative discussions with the state smog referee recently.

The reality of the situation is that it would not have been a "free for all" like I hoped. Emissions standards would still apply with the exception of inspection. That said .. those same rules also apply to pre-smog exempted vehicles ( before 1975 ) .. Just because it doesnt need an inspection doesnt mean it is exempt from the rules. Same goes for any 50 state vehicle - its not legal to modify your vehicle by federal standards, its just not enforced in the same manner. That would be determined by the local law enforcement.
 
dDUBb said:
Unfortunately. This would have only been helpful to not have to do smog testing on my 94 SC ( borderline passes ). I did have a few informative discussions with the state smog referee recently.

The reality of the situation is that it would not have been a "free for all" like I hoped. Emissions standards would still apply with the exception of inspection. That said .. those same rules also apply to pre-smog exempted vehicles ( before 1975 ) .. Just because it doesnt need an inspection doesnt mean it is exempt from the rules. Same goes for any 50 state vehicle - its not legal to modify your vehicle by federal standards, its just not enforced in the same manner. That would be determined by the local law enforcement.
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Very true, but speaking for myself with pre-96 cars being exempt from emissions tests here law enforcement has better things to do than find federal violations and given how relatively few cars of this age are rolling anymore the environmental impact is basically nothing.

I mean I don’t find much sympathy for those who swap in a coal rolling Cummins into a foxbody getting a fix it ticket, but a few EFI era cars that borderline pass smog or don’t? They’re still polluting less than the pre-74 cars kept in showroom stock condition on the roads. That’s where I found myself really rooting for (and optimistic of) the law passing for you guys.
 
XR7-4.6 said:
speaking for myself with pre-96 cars being exempt from emissions tests here law enforcement has better things to do than find federal violations
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It wouldn't fall within their jurisdiction anyways .. for smog exampt vehicles, the police more than likely wouldn't bother unless it was being driven recklessly or obnoxiously loud.

XR7-4.6 said:
I mean I don’t find much sympathy for those who swap in a coal rolling Cummins into a foxbody getting a fix it ticket, but a few EFI era cars that borderline pass smog or don’t? They’re still polluting less than the pre-74 cars kept in showroom stock condition on the roads. That’s where I found myself really rooting for (and optimistic of) the law passing for you guys.
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Diesel engines emit far more pollutants than gasoline bottom line; rolling coal is what got the EPAs attention.

Lenos law would have been a step in the right direction towards recognizing the minimal amount of pollution vehicles built after 74 actually produce.
 
Grog6 said:
When the current regime took over here, if it's visible from the street, it has to be registered, AND insured. Even with a broken engine. City, not state.
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I was going to say, I have lived in Tennessee for about half my life and not once have I ever had to keep an inoperative car registered or insured as long as it was parked in the driveway or garage. The only thing I've had to do was certify it wasn't driven in the time the registration was lapsed to avoid having the new tags backdated to the prior expiration date.
 
I'd never heard that either, but when I let the insurance lapse on Lazarus, I got a letter from the state; I called them, and were ok after I told them about the broken engine. I have insurance on the red one. I need a new battery for it. The battery is so bad, I can't get the charger to run the fp.
 
I got my registration renewal for my Honda yesterday (well, sometime last week, but never checked the mail until yesterday evening). I'll scan it tonight and show you guys what CA registration looks like.
 
Screenshot_20250928-193505.pngScreenshot_20250928-193627.png
Wish me luck, gonna try and get one of these this weekend.

Yellow one is stock, blue/silver one is an ex drag truck turned back into a street truck. Still has a half cage, and the non-paint matched clips are from a V6 truck because it had been swapped to fiberglass.
 
I started classes to become smog check certified in California, class is 3 months long. God willing I pass the exam beginning of next year and start a new career soon.

been a delivery driver for about 10 years and it time for a change.

Also also, my partner is pregnant and should be having our daughter soon, mid January. So I’m pretty pumped with that. First time dad and I’m really trying to be a good father figure and raise good kiddos, the world needs more compassion and love and it’s the new generation that’s got to be the change we so desperately need.
 
Chingon1 said:
I started classes to become smog check certified in California, class is 3 months long. God willing I pass the exam beginning of next year and start a new career soon.

been a delivery driver for about 10 years and it time for a change.

Also also, my partner is pregnant and should be having our daughter soon, mid January. So I’m pretty pumped with that. First time dad and I’m really trying to be a good father figure and raise good kiddos, the world needs more compassion and love and it’s the new generation that’s got to be the change we so desperately need.
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That is a lot of stuff to unpack there. First of all, congratulations on your kiddo! It's going to be a wild ride, and for about the first 6 months, lots of sleepless nights. This goes for @theterminator93 too.

Then, as far as your career change goes.... Are you going to be a "guy I know" 😂.
 
Chingon1 said:
I started classes to become smog check certified in California, class is 3 months long. God willing I pass the exam beginning of next year and start a new career soon.

been a delivery driver for about 10 years and it time for a change.

Also also, my partner is pregnant and should be having our daughter soon, mid January. So I’m pretty pumped with that. First time dad and I’m really trying to be a good father figure and raise good kiddos, the world needs more compassion and love and it’s the new generation that’s got to be the change we so desperately need.
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Congrats on both!
 
KevinVarnes said:
That is what I don't understand. Doesn't the registration just lapse? That's what it would do here. I don't need to notify anyone that I'm not using my car. So people who are selling cars in CA and say there are back fees due before it can be registered are just idiots because they didn't inform the state that they aren't using something they own?
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Yeah, or more likely they DID continue to use their car w/o paying registration, the DMV fees racked up, something broke, and how the car "ran when parked"
 
I got pulled over once here, and found out my registration was lapsed over a year. :) When the clerk asked me if I'd been driving it, I confessed yeah, didn't notice until I got informed, lol. I paid 2 years.
 
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