I am shipping my scion tC to California. But thing is I live in Hawaii. I got the clearance letter to ship and everything is going according to plan except when I get there what do I do about my license plate tags, driver's license and registration. And thing also is that the car is registered under my father's name since I have bad credit. Who can help me out with some advice?

 

since the car is not in your name, you don't have to get california plates, but if you are living and working in california, you will have to get a california driver's license.

 

I will be working there and also living there. So what would I have to do about all that and also what emissions do I have to do and the cost?

 

since your car isn't registered in california, it doesn't have to conform to their laws, it has to conform to hawaii's laws.

are you planning on living their permanently, or while going to school or what? if you are a student, you don't have to get a california driver's license, you can keep your hawaii one.

 

I plan on living there permantly and later going to college. Possibly a year or two from when I get there to get stable. Because when I get there I don't want to get pulled over for having hawaii tags and also having a hawaii drivers license.

 

you aren't going to get pulled over for just having hawaii plates. dude. cops don't just pull over any and all out of state plates.

since you're going to live in cali, then yes, you need to get a cali drivers license, thats fine. as for registering the car in california, the owner, your father, would have to do that, but he would also need to be california resident to do that i imagine, so the car stays registered in hawaii.

 

I suggest contacting the California DMV and asking them. The laws are strange regarding both driver's license & vehicle registration, so better safe than sorry. For instance, people who move here from another state have 15 days to apply for a CA driver's license...if you want to stick to the letter of the law.

 

yah thanx for the info. but I called the DMV there and I just have to fill out a special form and if they want to hand over the tags then thats great but by the slight chance they don't then I can send the form to my father and have him sign then send it back to me via mail. So pretty much I'm covered! But my concern is as well is what are the emissions test and how much do they cost?

 

Emissions testing is done every other year, starting when the car is 4 yrs old. The DMV automatically notifies you when it's required, as they state such when they send you registration renewal notification. You can't register the car without having got the emissions test, and the test station sends it directly to the state DMV electronically at the time the test is done. If you want to pass you'll need to have a stock motor, CAI & such aren't allowed as there aren't any CARB exempt parts and you don't want to fail a visual inspection either. Last time I had one done I seem to recall the cost was around $50, they're very strict and there's really no way to cheat the system like you could in the old days.

 

So... are you going to get a Cali license with "McLovin" on it?



Break yo' self, fool!

 

I thought it was good for 5 yrs until you get your first emissions testing? hmm maybe it differs from state to state.. but yes call the DMV and get the info from them. gota watch out for them cali cops, they pull you over for the weirdest reasons,

 

Unless they changed it in the last few years (?), 4 yrs = 1st test for CA, and every 2 yrs after that.

 

If he becomes a California resident, he has to get the vehicle registered in California and get plates. The only way you don't need to get in-state plates, is if you're considered a 'visitor' or a student.

 

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/newvehicle.htm

i'd love to move to HI and get out of this hell hole LOL

 

your gonna get IOU's when you get your cali. tax refund good luck with that

 

^ Refund? I don't recall EVER getting one, they always want MORE money, so I'd bet the IOU situation doesn't apply to many taxpayers.

 

x2. For sure.