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Is there a maximum fee the CA DMV can collect from late fees?

I'll forward some of the info in this thread to a friend that's had a bike on the sidelines for almost a decade and never non-opped it. The DMV fees would be a drawback to registering it again. Might be a better option to just turn it into a track bike.

If the fees stop accruing year after year to a limit, might be worth it. But if the fees just keep shooting up after all these years, maybe not worth it.
Yeah that's one of my options is to use it only for racing or private property rides.

The clerk did tell me that the max limit they can collect on is 3 years. That was news to me maybe it's a new law.
 
Get a new VIN. Tell them you built the bike from parts yourself.
 
I moved to Utah from California this year. I registered all my vehicles and motorcycle here in Utah. The California DMV has sent me my first notice that they have started assessing penalty fees for the vehicle that would have needed to be registered the month after we moved.

Just thought it was interesting.
 
Yep the nasty letters of non payment you get,
after you have the new state, paid & registered,
and your mail has moved to new address, with the same threat.
They know where you are, they don't care, It IS their money, , ,
 
The California DMV has sent me my first notice that they have started assessing penalty fees for the vehicle that would have needed to be registered the month after we moved.

And they will continue to aggressively harass you with financial threats and even collections until you prove you no longer have anything to do with them.... Nice state we live in right?
 
I moved to Utah from California this year. I registered all my vehicles and motorcycle here in Utah. The California DMV has sent me my first notice that they have started assessing penalty fees for the vehicle that would have needed to be registered the month after we moved.

Just thought it was interesting.
Was this notice through a CoA or forwarding? How did they get your address? Do this: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/drive...l-interest-driver-guides/moving-out-of-state/
 
So I'm going to try the South Dakota registration wish me luck. I'll let everyone know how it goes. There is a huge thread about SD registration on Supermoto Junkies.

I may still have an issue with not having the title, if that happens I will get the previous owner to make a DMV statement that he bought the bike, never registered it, and lost the title, sold it to me, and attempted to contact the registered owner twice with no success. Sigh....
 
There's a bunch of how-to's on the old intarwebz on registering and titling in SD. That shouldn't be too difficult. But just FYI, the back fees in CA won't magically disappear. The whole, "drops out of the system after 7 years" doesn't really exist any more. After CA upgraded it's computer system 20 years ago, back fees info is stored forever.
 
It's ok I'll just keep it a SD bike forever =P Or I can do what WFO suggest and say I built the bike from scratch and try to get a new VIN.
 
There's a bunch of how-to's on the old intarwebz on registering and titling in SD. That shouldn't be too difficult. But just FYI, the back fees in CA won't magically disappear. The whole, "drops out of the system after 7 years" doesn't really exist any more. After CA upgraded it's computer system 20 years ago, back fees info is stored forever.
So if a person A took a vehicle with backfees to South Dakota and registered it there for 3 years then decided to sell it to person B who happens to want to register it in California, how would Person B know those backfees even exist (without a CA plate) if the backfees fall off after 3 years person B would have definitive proof that vehicle has paid registration for 3 year out of state

It's ok I'll just keep it a SD bike forever =P Or I can do what WFO suggest and say I built the bike from scratch and try to get a new VIN.

I would recommend against that as you don’t want to find out what the penalty is for removing a VIN from a non- scrapped vehicle I imagine…

Edit: I just saw you dont have the title , other states are unlikely to touch it…

Good luck I would never put money into something I didn’t officially own, an owner can come out of the woodwork instantly and claim their vehicle saying it was stolen to the cops. Good luck sorting that mess
 
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Gnarly Carl Andersen did the new VIN thing on a KTM 300 2 stroke some years ago and got a California license plate.
 
Here's an update on this. So I tried the South Dakota registration. I sent the application in the mail to the Pennington County Treasurer like 4 weeks ago. I sent it priority and according to the tracking they received it a week later. I put that they should leave a voice mail and email with payment instructions for payment. So today which is 3 weeks after they received it, I get a call and email from them. Unfortunately they won't register it with only a bill of sale I need to have a title also. I replied to the email and told them that I didn't have the title because it was lost by the previous owner and they replied that me or the previous owner will have to get a CA title or else they can't register it. :(

So I'm kind back to square one. So I did some googling and I found a way I can get a waiver for the penalties so it could soften some of that monies California is gonna rape me for. There is a vehicle code/law that says if I was unaware of accrued fees when purchasing the vehicle I can get the penalties waived. I'm going to try and just get the Penalties waived, the bike doesn't have a license plate or tag so I might no be able to do the fees and penalties because it's registered but not really registered. If If I can just get rid of the late fees that'd be great. So I'm going to attempt to get the CA title. I'm having the previous owner fill out a statement of facts that says they bought the bike, lost the title, sold the bike to me, and attempted to track down the original owner for the title info and was unsuccessful twice. Then hopefully they will transfer the registration and title to me and the goal is to non-op it and apply for a OHV sticker. Not sure if I want to go on with the SD registration anymore.

Here is the vehicle code from the DMV website:

3.080 Waiver of Fees and/or Penalties (VC §9562)​

The conditions under which DMV is authorized to waive unpaid registration fees and/or penalties due are very specific.

Transfer Applications

  • Penalties may be waived upon payment of the registration fees due when a transferee (including a dealer) applies for transfer and it is determined that the registration penalties accrued prior to the transferee’s date of purchase and the transferee was not aware that the registration fees for the current or prior registration years were unpaid and due (VC §9562(a)).
  • Fees and penalties may be waived for any registration year when a transferee (including a dealer) applies for transfer and it is determined that the registration fees became due prior to the transferee’s date of purchase and the transferee was not aware that the fees were unpaid and due ifthe license plate assigned to the vehicle displays a valid year sticker issued by DMV that matches the year for which the transferee is requesting a waiver of fees and penalties (VC §9562(c)).
    • The license plate assigned to the vehicle must display a valid year sticker issued by DMV that matches the year for which the transferee is requesting a waiver of fees and penalties (VC §9562(c)).
    • A Statement of Facts (REG 256) form stating that the transferee was not aware the fees were unpaid and due and indicating the sticker number on the license plate must be submitted with the application.
 
Do you have any friends who own a smallish CA dealership, Merlin?
 
in a similar situation the dmv clerk told me
"you should have looked up the fees before you bought it"

so i hope you are successful, but don't hold your breath

Merlin can you post a link to where you found the SD instructions? i've looked before and just got all crossed up and gave up. Do you end up with a SD title or just plates and registration?
 
in a similar situation the dmv clerk told me
"you should have looked up the fees before you bought it"

so i hope you are successful, but don't hold your breath

Merlin can you post a link to where you found the SD instructions? i've looked before and just got all crossed up and gave up. Do you end up with a SD title or just plates and registration?

Here ya go supermoto junkies has a HUGE thread on it

Basically you fill out 2 forms, submit 2 forms of ID, bill of sale, title, a letter on how to contact you to make payment. I didn't get that far but they should give you a title, registration, and a plate. All you have to do is put street legal lighting pretty much and you can plate any motorcycle. If the registration is cheaper I might still do the SD registration after I take care of this BS.
 
Yea they will not waive your fee’s trust me
I've had them waive late fees for me. It was a bike that was transferred twice without being titled. So they made me pay the transfer fee 3 times and current reg costs. They waived like $200 in late fees. It's possible. The trick is, be nice and be honest. I always walk up to the DMV counter and say in a friendly tone, "Hi, how's your day going so far?" Usually puts them in a more friendly mood.
 
The registration on my truck is $1100 every year, lol
That's California robbing you ..I moved to Oregon and my full sized 3/4 ton truck is....126$....and that is for 2 Years!..
 

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My brother sent me a photo of his two cars in garage. Both freshly adorning new Arizona license plates. Registration?

~$600 for both vehicles. For FIVE YEARS!

Been thinking we could run one of ours through his house but...insurance...would have to lie about where it is?
 
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