How To Register Arizona Car In California

Download Article

Yous may have recently moved to California from another state. Or, yous may already alive in California, only you bought a car in another land. In either case, you'll need to follow California's process for registering an out-of-state car. There are a few additional steps to registering an out-of-state motorcar that don't apply to cars bought in the country of California.^[1]

1
Cheque the motorcar's emissions characterization. You car will have an emissions label under the hood. If information technology'south certified in California, information technology will include a statement that it conforms to California state regulations. If information technology doesn't include that statement, yous may not be able to register the car in California.^[2]
- If yous're a California resident and you lot're looking at buying a car out of land, you might want to check this before yous buy the car. If y'all're unable to annals your car in California, you may not be able to go your money back.
- You don't need to worry about California's emissions laws if your car was built before 1976.^[three]
2
Evaluate exemptions if your car isn't California certified. If your car doesn't adapt to California state regulations, it's considered a "49-state car." California law provides a few exemptions that will permit you to annals a 49-country machine. You volition demand to show the DMV proof that your motorcar falls into one of these exemptions.^[4]
- If you got the car as part of a divorce, inheritance, or legal settlement, y'all'll exist able to annals the car.
- If your California-registered vehicle was stolen or wrecked out of country, and you bought a 49-state car to replace it, yous can register it.
- California also grants exemptions for emergency vehicles, or a motorcar you lot purchased while you lot were stationed on active military duty.
- Cars built before 1976 also are discipline to an exemption.^[5]
Advertisement
3
Get the final issued out-of-land championship or registration. To prove that you own the vehicle, y'all must present the title or registration from the land the car came from. You'll demand to get the title unless the car is financed.^[6]
- Visit the California DMV website at www.dmv.ca.gov to find a list of out-of-state DMV offices where y'all can asking a copy of the title or registration.
- If the out-of-state title has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, you lot typically volition need to request a duplicate from the land that issued the championship before you can register your car and get a California championship.
4
Complete the odometer disclosure. Your title volition have an odometer disclosure section that must be completed by the seller and best-selling by you as the heir-apparent of the car. This disclosure isn't mandatory if the car is more than x years old, or is a brand new machine.^[7]
- If yous're planning on registering and using the machine every bit a commercial vehicle, you also typically won't need to complete the odometer disclosure.
- If you lot don't have the title (such equally if your car is financed and the lien holder has the title), you must fill out a REG 262 form. You can't download this form online considering it is printed on security paper. Phone call the California DMV at ane-800-777-0133 to have a course mailed to you.^[8]
v
Make a copy of your bill of sale. If you recently purchased the car from out of state and are registering it in California as a new possessor, you will need to present a copy of the nib of sale to establish the concatenation of buying.^[9]
- If you didn't get a certificate specifically titled "Beak of Sale," a finance agreement or other purchase agreement volition suffice.
half-dozen
Calculate your registration fees. The California DMV has a fee calculator available online that y'all can utilize to decide how much you lot'll have to pay to annals your out-of-state car.^[ten]
- Go to https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/portal/feecalculatorweb/index and click on the "nonresident vehicles" link.
- You will have to provide information well-nigh the type of vehicle and model twelvemonth. You'll also enter the date you purchased the vehicle and the date you commencement drove it in California.
- If you paid any use or sales taxation in the other state, enter this information also. You lot'll get a credit for it towards your California taxes.
7
Certify your car at a California smog station. Most cars must have a smog certification before they can be registered in California. The just cars that don't require smog certification are diesel-powered cars of model year 1998 or newer.^[11]
- To find the smog station nearest you, visit https://www.smogcheck.ca.gov and click the "Detect a Station" push.
- Smog check prices aren't regulated, so y'all may want to shop effectually at several stations to detect the best price.^[12]
viii
Verify the car'due south weight if you're registering the car as a commercial vehicle. If your out-of-state car is for personal use, yous won't need a weighmaster's certificate. Notwithstanding, y'all will need one if you plan to annals the car equally a commercial vehicle and utilize it for business purposes.^[thirteen]
- Y'all can find public scales past visiting the website of the California Department of Food and Agriculture at https://apps1.cdfa.ca.gov/publicscales/.
Advertisement

1
Visit your local California DMV function. When you're gear up to register your out-of-state car in California for the first time, you'll have to bulldoze the motorcar to the nearest DMV field office and submit an awarding along with all the required documents.^[fourteen]
- To find a field office almost y'all, visit the DMV'due south website at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/dmv/offices.
- To shorten your wait time, y'all tin make an engagement online or by calling 1-800-777-0133. Field offices are not open on weekends or holidays.
2
Complete the application for title or registration. The application for title or registration asks for information about you lot and the car you desire to register in California. You too must provide information well-nigh the purchase of the car.^[15]
- You can download the application from the California DMV'south website and fill up it out ahead of time. Yous can also get a re-create of the application at the DMV and fill it out while you wait.
3
Accept your motorcar verified at the DMV. You must take your out-of-state machine to your local DMV to verify the auto's vehicle identification number (VIN). This must be done past an authorized DMV employee, who volition as well bear a visual inspection of the car.^[16]
- The California DMV recommends that you make an appointment so you don't have to wait as long. If yous take all of your required paperwork, yous can register your car at the same time yous go the verification.
4
Submit your application along with certifications and proof of ownership. When y'all've finished filling out your awarding, you'll need to give information technology to the DMV clerk along with the title or registration from the other state, your nib of sale, smog certification, and any other required documents.^[17]
- The clerk will verify your documents and give your originals back to you.
5
Show your driver's license and proof of insurance. Earlier the DMV volition process your registration, you must bear witness that you accept car insurance that meets the land minimum requirements.^[18]
- For private passenger vehicles, y'all must have at least $15,000 coverage for the injury or death of one person, $30,000 coverage for the injury or expiry of more than one person, and $v,000 coverage for damage to property.^[19]
6
Pay the required fees. One time the clerk has processed your application, they'll calculate the corporeality of fees y'all owe to register the car. If you've already calculated your fees online, you'll have an idea of how much this is going to be. Withal, if your calculation differs from the clerk's calculation, the clerk'due south adding is the one that you'll have to pay.^[twenty]
- DMV field offices have cash, personal checks, and credit or debit cards.
- A portion of these fees may be tax deductible. Contact a California tax advisor or consultant for more data.
7
Turn over your out-of-land license plates if required. In most cases, you'll have to requite the out-of-state license plates to the DMV to get your new California plates. There are exemptions, such as if the plates are expired.^[21]
- If the other land requires y'all to send the plates dorsum to them, it'south your responsibility to turn the plates dorsum in – the California DMV won't do this for y'all.
eight

Put your new plates on your automobile. Once your registration is complete, the clerk volition event your registration document and requite you new plates to put on your car. If you ordered specialty or custom plates, yous'll get a temporary plate to use until you get your plates in the mail.^[22]

Advertisement

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertising

Video

About This Article

Commodity Summary X

To register your out-of-state car in California, starting time by locating your current championship or registration and pecker of sale to evidence that you own your machine. Next, drive the car to your nearest smog station to make sure it passes California's emission regulations. If you don't know where your nearest smog station is, you can locate information technology at smogcheck.ca.gov. Once you've done that, drive to your local DMV office in California. Recollect to bring all of your paperwork with you lot, including your driver'due south license and proof of insurance. After that, get an application course for title or registration at the DMV and fill up in the details. When you lot've finished the paperwork, pay the required fees. Then, turn over your out-of-land license plates if required, and switch them for your new California plates. For more tips, including how to check if your 49-land auto is exempt from California regulations, read on!

Did this summary help you?

Thank you to all authors for creating a page that has been read 203,026 times.

Did this article help yous?