Vehicle Registration in AZ - live in CA

[Essex502]

I have a question for those who might have done it...I am told by the Arizona motor vehicle department that I can register my truck at our vacation house address in Havasu and use a California mailing address. Have any of you actual done this? Where your primary residence is in California and the vehicle is registered at another address (your home away from home) in another state? What is the ramification if you bring the vehicle into California and you are stopped by local authorities for some reason? Usually, you need to have your vehicle registered in California if your residence, as established by your driver's license, is in California. Or so I am told. My truck would 99% be used in Arizona but on occasion, it might come into California temporarily.
Any opinions, thoughts, advice, legal expertise or....
TIA

[al cole'holic]

I went so far as to contact the Arizona Fish & Game Dept. about this last year. You can actually register a boat in AZ and still live here for a little bit more $. Not sure the exact amounts anymore but you can contact them directly. You no longer have to have a residence in AZ anymore to do it...but do not register the trailer there if you plan to use the boat in CA...

[91nordic29]

i would think that if you have an address here in AZ, you could register your vehicle here. you can drive it in calif also. here is the az motor vehicle dept wesite.
az dept motor vehicles (http://www.dot.state.az.us/MVD/mvd.htm)

[al cole'holic]

....here is a link for the boat registration info:
http://www.gf.state.az.us/outdoor_recreation/watercraft_registration.html

[al cole'holic]

I see they have changed their fees since last I checked. The nonresident "license tax" fee is $20 plus $5.50/ foot for over 18' boats...damn.

[TrojanDan]

I just "retired" my 94 Chev C1500 to my House in Havasu a few weeks ago. It will be used purely for towing duties to and from the launch ramp. Registering your vehicle out of state and having the paper work sent to your primary residence is no big deal. I believe it is perfectly ok.
The reason I didn't register my truck in AZ is because my car insurance (Mercury) states that all vehicles must be registered under the same address in order to receive the multi-car discount. Unless you plan on another insurance policy in AZ, I say keep it simple and leave it registered in CA.

[Danhercules]

I did it. I bought a 77 ford to pull my 5th wheel to Glamis. It was a built 460. No way would pass smog. I bought it in CA and then registered it in Havasu at my Bros river house address. The one thing was I needed AZ insurance. Not a CA. I drove it almost everyday in CA. I got pulled over for no front plate, I told the cop that AZ dose not require a front plate, she wanted to know why I had a CA DL and AZ plates, I told her its my tow vehicle for my boat in Havasu and I had it here for repaires. ( It was winter time). She thought nothing of it. Let me go. That's what happend to me. I would not sweat it. I would do it again.!!

[Danhercules]

One more thing, I had my billing address in CA. AZ sent all the paperwork to CA with not problem. I cost $35 to register it for 2 years!! THATS CHEEP! jawdrop

[TrojanDan]

So what you are saying is that you bought a truck and registered it in AZ to bypass smog checks, but use it primarily in CA? eek! I'm no tree hugger but damn, I grin and bear having to smog my truck every two years.

[Havasu Cig]

If you have a California Drivers License the state of California regonizes you as a California resident, and therefor motor vehicles you operate in California must be registered in California.
If you are stopped in California with a California DL and your vehicle is registered in Arizona they can tow it. This also applies to boat trailers.
We have a car registered to our house in Havasu, but it does not come into California. Arizona will let you register a vehicle in their state without an Arizona DL, but like I stated above if you bring it into California you are taking you chances.
Registering boats falls under coast guard law not the Vehicle Code, that is why you see boats registered in Arizona, and the trailer registered in California.

[Danhercules]

My truck would pass the sniffers, but never the visual. holly carb, headers, EB intake. Lots of stuff. I did not want to change it all. As for the being towed, I would not doubt it. But I would not think it would be inforced, unless you piss off the cop. I am just saying, I did it and I got pulled over and nothin happend. Maybee I was lucky.

[Ziggy]

Havasu Cig hit it on the mark. Ca. DL and Az plates gets you walkin' real quick. Dan got lucky and probably sweet talked the Lady cop. Being a car dealer I have dealt with it on many occassions. Only people who have recently moved that kept their car licenced out of state but obtained a CDL get some leway to change registration on their vehicles....but that is after they've been caught usually, although a penalty can be levied if not done in the alloted time after a move.
Its all about $ for Ca. :p

[Boatcop]

Most responses are correct. If you have a CA DL, vote, work, etc. in CA you are a California Resident. California requires that Residents register their Motor Vehicles in Ca if they drive them there.
They take the law VERY SERIOUSLY. Fines are in the neighborhood of $1,000, and as stated will also tow your vehicle. It's also considered a Criminal Offense, so jail, although unlikely, is possible.
Especially now that California and most of it's cities are in serious red ink, they look down on losing revenue from vehicle registrations, and love to make it up in fine money.
Boats are another thing. They are registered in the "State of Principle Use", so if you use it 51% of the time on the Colorado River or other lakes in AZ, you can register it here. (Please do. Boat Registration pays my salary.)
Vehicles, including trailers, owned by California residents are required to be registered there, unless they will NEVER be brought into Ca.
CHP stops all kinds of people on the normal routes to the River, when an Arizona Registered trailer is towed by a Ca. registered truck.
Local PDs also stop and check out Az registered vehicles in Ca. neighborhoods. I've been stopped several times in Hemet when visiting my In-Laws.
Will Arizona register a vehicle owned by a Californian? Certainly. But once it goes across the border, it's fair game for CHP.

[mtndewdrops]

Okay Boatcop, I helped pay your salary! :D I just registered my boat in AZ since it is my primary use state. I have the trailer reg in CA to prevent hassles. The non-resident fee is $68.50 and the renewal is $20. The best part was that the boat was bought from a private party in AZ which saved me $2500 in CA Sales Tax eek! ...Sorry Ca I have paid a lifetime of tax already. yuk

[Essex502]

Thanks for all of the replies...
My intent is to buy the next truck in AZ and register it at the house we have there. The only thing I am worried about is the occasional jaunt to Laughlin or Mead from LHC where I need to cross into CA briefly.
Boatcop (and others) - you made me rethink the situation.

[Boatcop]

the occasional jaunt to Laughlin or Mead from LHC where I need to cross into CA briefly.
Bypass California completely. Just exit I-40 at Topock and head north to Bullhead on the Az side. Just cross at Laughlin, and go up 163 to NV 95, north through Searchlight.
No need to even see California that way.
[ April 23, 2003, 12:41 PM: Message edited by: Boatcop ]

[Essex502]

Boatcop - is that the last exit before returning to CA on I40? Something about Golden Shores or some such sign? Then the other issue would be when we buy the next boat IF the manufacturer is in CA. Maybe it's to big of a hassle.

[Boatcop]

That's the one. It'll say "Exit 1" - "Route 66" - "Golden Shores".
Just make sure you go left when you get into Golden Shores. If you stay straight, you'll end up in Oatman. Nice little town with some mean-ass burros, but not the place to be towing a boat.
If you buy a boat in CA, just pay for the gas, and offer a 18 pack to any of the vultures on here. I'm sure many of 'em will offer to bring it to Havasu for you.

[mtndewdrops]

5 Stars for ESSEX502...just for owning an Essex :D , even though it is a year newer than mine wink .
Do you have a BravoIII in that thing?

[Essex502]

mtndewdrops:
5 Stars for ESSEX502...just for owning an Essex :D , even though it is a year newer than mine wink .
Do you have a BravoIII in that thing? Thanks, dude! Nope, Bravo I behind the 502 pushing a 23P Mirage Plus. Still looking for the right prop! (aren't we all?)

[raff]

My wife processes registrations for the DMV here in California and this is what she has to say, Most of the information you got was right, if you get caught, you will pay fines, but not likely. If you get pulled over, and they ask you about it, just tell them you have a house in each state, and you are using this vehicle for a short trip, that the vehicle is primarily used in that state. You are allowed to have 2 different residences here in the good old United States, no law against that. You are also allowed to have vehicles registered to either one, but others were right, you must register in the state that you consider your primary residence, but this is usually only if YOU GET CAUGHT trying to avoid paying CA reg fees. This entails a lot of investigation on the part of the police department investigating.
Just being pulled over with AZ plates, and a CA DL, will doubtfully get you car impounded, unless you really piss off the officer.
Again, just don't get caught, and if they hassle you, they usually just require you to register in CA, not jail.
Mark
[ April 24, 2003, 08:22 PM: Message edited by: raff ]

[Havasu Cig]

I am telling you bro, If you get pulled over by the CHP you will more than likely get a ticket and possibly get your vehicle / trailer towed if you have a California DL and out of state registration.
Read section 4000(a)of the California Vehicle Code and it will tell you what the law is.
Section (g) was recently added and states that if you have a California DL you are considered a resident of the state, and therefore must have your vehicles registered in california in order to operate them here.
The reason this section was added is because people were trying to avoid California laws by registering their vehicles out of state while but still maintaining a California DL. they are really cracking down on this stuff now. I am simply trying to save someone some $$$ and the hasle of having you vehicle / trailer towed.

[mtndewdrops]

Essex502:
mtndewdrops:
5 Stars for ESSEX502...just for owning an Essex :D , even though it is a year newer than mine wink .
Do you have a BravoIII in that thing? Thanks, dude! Nope, Bravo I behind the 502 pushing a 23P Mirage Plus. Still looking for the right prop! (aren't we all?) I have a pair of 3Blade SS 26's on my BravoIII and run mid 60's...still has a good holeshot too. :D
Where do you go mostly?
www.***boat.com/image_center/showphoto.php?photo=16390
Still havent mastered this damn thing
[ April 25, 2003, 06:59 PM: Message edited by: mtndewdrops ]

[Essex502]

I have a pair of 3Blade SS 26's on my BravoIII and run mid 60's...still has a good holeshot too. :D
Where do you go mostly?
We have a second home in Havasu so we mostly boat there. Occasional trips to Lake Mohave and Mead also happen, but several times a month we are in Havasu. Hence, the desire to register the truck there. Boat registered there already.

[Cole Sanger]

How about getting an AZ license? Your insurance would be a lot cheaper, trailer reg would be perminant, and all your tags would be in AZ so you could say your live in AZ and are just visiting. You don't even have to take a test to get an AZ DL if you are comming from CA. If you are living near the river, you don't even have to smog test anything. Your house insurance might go up in CA because you don't have a multi-car discount, but with all the money you would save, that would be worth it.

[Boatcop]

That would work if you had a job in Arizona. If you work, vote, have kids enrolled in school, etc. in Ca then you are a legal resident of that state.
The only way you could get away with claiming that is if you don't have kids in school and commute to CA to go to work. It'd be a real stretch to convince somone that you communte 200 miles to work each day.

[Cole Sanger]

I think that if you own a house in both states, you could get your drivers license from where ever you want. As far a school for the kids, the school isn't going to call the cops if they see your drivers license is from a different state, they are just going to make sure you have an address in their district. Far as work goes, they aren't going to care where your drivers license is either, unless you drive for a living or have a direct job related driving situation...example a company car. Unless a cop sees you everyday for 30 days (I think that is the limit you have to change your drivers license once you move), then no one is going to know. When you get pulled over in a different state, you would just have to tell the cop you live in a the state in which your drivers license is issued. How often does everyone get pulled over? Once a year, twice? I am not saying lie to the police, I am just saying things can be delt with in a few different ways. I am really trying to think of a situation where I would have to show that I lived in the state I live in...if that makes sense. Not the grocery store, bank, mortgage company, work, college, bar. Here is a thought. If you lived and regisiter everything you own in CA for example and got into an accident in AZ, would your insurance company pay any more or less for your car to be fixed? Answer:NO. They wouldn't even care if you had it fixed in AZ. Would the cop give you a sitation if you were in AZ because you have CA registration or license? No. So it goes both ways. Just switch the situation. Register in AZ and say you live there. No one is going to look into it. Don't ask, don't tell...That is how the military looks at it, why can't we? There are a whole lot more important things the police are worried about besides where you really live. And just in case anyone is wondering, I have a real life experience for you. I recently...last month...was pulled over. My trailer registration was expired for two years and it was registered in CA when I live in AZ and my suburban was registered in AZ. To make a long story short, I got two tickets. It cost me $129 for the perminant registration on the trailer in AZ and the court dismissed the ticket because I fixed it. So in my personal experience, it didn't cost any more than normally registering. In other words, no one cared where I lived, so long as I was registered somewhere. sleeping

[Essex502]

Boatcop:
That would work if you had a job in Arizona. If you work, vote, have kids enrolled in school, etc. in Ca then you are a legal resident of that state.
The only way you could get away with claiming that is if you don't have kids in school and commute to CA to go to work. It'd be a real stretch to convince somone that you communte 200 miles to work each day. Trouble is...work in South Bay. Commute would be nearly 300 miles. No kids. Don't vote (often, at least). Just work here for the time being. As soon as I can convince the wife...it's outta here!

[Mr.Havasu]

For 2 years we did the Live in Havasu Work in Los Angeles thing!. In order to register our trucks etc. in Arizona we had to give up our Ca. Lic. and get AZ lic. We owned a home in Havasu but only rented a small condo in Orange Co. When pulled over our plates matched our Lic. and we would say we were just visiting. Worked for us.
Again in order to reg. a vehicle in AZ the M.V.D. required a AZ. lic. and AZ Ins.(No way around it)

[Essex502]

Actually, Warlock, AZ already said it would be no problem registering the vehicle as an out-of-state owner with a CA license. Just have to supply them with an out-of-state mailing address. Very similar to the boat registration except costs, length, etc.