GAH! Registration Renewal (vent)

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jijifer
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GAH! Registration Renewal (vent)

Post by jijifer »

Is California the only state that doesn't have registrations expire at the end of the month? I've had cars in MI & IL and I don't recall getting dinged for being late based on the day of the month I registered.

Turns out my scooter was registered on 10/20/08 such that I'm 3 days late to the tune of $20 in penalties and a whopping $110 total! SHEESH! Good thing I can use my scoot year round other wise this wouldn't be worth it.
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DennisD
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Post by DennisD »

In Florida expiration occurs at midnight on your birthdate.
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Skootz Kabootz
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Post by Skootz Kabootz »

I don't remember the date, but I sure remember the cost. What a screw job! Thanks Arnold...
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TVB

Re: GAH! Registration Renewal (vent)

Post by TVB »

jijifer wrote:Is California the only state that doesn't have registrations expire at the end of the month? I've had cars in MI & IL and I don't recall getting dinged for being late based on the day of the month I registered.
You got lucky in Michigan. As I was returning home from looking at scooters late this past March, a bored police officer saw the "MAR 2009" sticker on my car, and pulled me over on the chance that my birthday was earlier in the month. It was, but - thinking that I had until the end of the month - I hadn't gotten around to renewing my registration. He explained that I did not. I was 10 days late.

Furthermore, my driver license was also just-expired (and I admit I knew that expired right on my birthday). Expired plates, expired license, driving an imported car in Michigan, peace-sign sticker in my window, to say nothing of my political activities and "lifestyle" being the kind of thing they frown upon in West Michigan... I'm just lucky I didn't get to spend the night, courtesy of the city of Holland. :? Instead he "let me off", knowing that I'd still have to pay penalties at the Secretary of State's office for being late on both documents.
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DennisD
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Re: GAH! Registration Renewal (vent)

Post by DennisD »

TVB wrote:
jijifer wrote:Is California the only state that doesn't have registrations expire at the end of the month? I've had cars in MI & IL and I don't recall getting dinged for being late based on the day of the month I registered.
You got lucky in Michigan. As I was returning home from looking at scooters late this past March, a bored police officer saw the "MAR 2009" sticker on my car, and pulled me over on the chance that my birthday was earlier in the month. It was, but - thinking that I had until the end of the month - I hadn't gotten around to renewing my registration. He explained that I did not. I was 10 days late.

Furthermore, my driver license was also just-expired (and I admit I knew that expired right on my birthday). Expired plates, expired license, driving an imported car in Michigan, peace-sign sticker in my window, to say nothing of my political activities and "lifestyle" being the kind of thing they frown upon in West Michigan... I'm just lucky I didn't get to spend the night, courtesy of the city of Holland. :? Instead he "let me off", knowing that I'd still have to pay penalties at the Secretary of State's office for being late on both documents.
Am I reading this wrong? It sounds to me as if you are complaining when the cop could have really stuck it to you. I'd say you got off easy with just a warning (unwritten?) from the cop. Hope you thanked him.
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Post by jijifer »

Maybe it was my Bday in Michigan and IL. The best part was that when I switched my insurance provider in June, they never sent an up date to the DMV. I got a letter in July saying my registration would be suspended but I still didn't have the policy in hand - just a letter saying I was covered - I figured when I got the docs, they would. Turns out they didn't so on 9/14 my registration was suspended. The notice says it's from the DMV, to pay the DMV and to mail payment to the DMV. So I, ignorantly, thought I could take care of it at the DMV by showing up with my valid insurance card. NOPE. Apparently it can only be mailed, faxed or email to Sacramento. AWESOME

So today, 1 hour wait (no too bad) I couldn't even seal this deal. I just got the privilege to pay and received an "incomplete" registration, pending the 3-7bus day turn around of the DMV division that handles this up in Sacro.

At least it's Friday and Wayne and I with our friend Derrick have a 150mile ride planned through the mountains and desert this weekend. should be good :)
TVB

Re: GAH! Registration Renewal (vent)

Post by TVB »

DennisD wrote:Am I reading this wrong? It sounds to me as if you are complaining when the cop could have really stuck it to you. I'd say you got off easy with just a warning (unwritten?) from the cop. Hope you thanked him.
I'm not complaining about the cop letting me off with a warning. In fact I did thank him for that. But I am complaining about the fact that he pulled me over with no more probable cause than "It's March, so maybe this guy with a March birthday has already had it." That's a fishing expedition. And I'm complaining a little that a tag that says simply "March 2009" actually expires on an unspecified date long before that month is over.
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KRUSTYburger
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Post by KRUSTYburger »

At least you didn't have to pay 300 bucks for a title transfer! I admit $100 of it was taxes, but HOLY CRAP! :shock:

Oh well, it was worth it. 8)
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brape
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Re: GAH! Registration Renewal (vent)

Post by brape »

TVB wrote: As I was returning home from looking at scooters late this past March, a bored police officer saw the "MAR 2009" sticker on my car, and pulled me over on the chance that my birthday was earlier in the month.
Heh in CT I drove around for a year with an expired sticker on my plate because I forgot to put the new one on. No one stopped me, and my registration was up to date. Of course now ct has switched the sticker to your wind shield so everyone's car has tags on their plates for 2007 or 2008. I don't actually know the CT rules I just send the stuff in once I get the renewals in the mail.
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DennisD
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Post by DennisD »

I got pulled once for having too many stickers on my tag. I would just stick the new one over the old one and of course they never were straight and were different colors. Cop didn't like it. He also ticketed me for a expired inspection. Have a nice day, sir!

KB,

I feel your pain. $356 tax, tag, title, registration on my new Stella. I saved $10 by not getting the title immediately. Worth it to wait for snail mail. Also saved a "convenience" charge by using a debit instead of credit card. Miserable bureaucrats! :x :cry:
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Post by KABarash »

I don't get it, you pay a penalty to the state if you renue late?? EVEN if you don't get stopped by a cop for having an expired tag? And what's with this middle of the month thing? I though Pa. was f'ed up at least they give you till the end of the month, and no fines just for paying late... Oh yeah and the fees?? I pay only $9 for the scoot, what's up with you guys??
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Post by Vic »

I was driving home after dropping my kids off on Mother's day evening. Got pulled over for expired tags. I had mailed in the registration and forgotten about it.

My license was also suspended. (WHAT???)

Apparently, when I got pulled over for going 5 MPH over the speed limit in a construction zone the previous November, and the cop handed me an envelope with my ticket and told me to call the number on the ticket to find out how much to write the check for... I actually needed to go IN to court and when I mailed the fine with the signed ticket, that was not sufficient.

They suspended my license.

So 6 months later when the BMV mailed my registration to me, it was actually suspended also and I could not mail it in. So, they did not mail the new stickers to me when I mailed the registration in to them.

They towed my car to the opposite end of the county ($$$).

My mother took the following day off of work and we went to Franklin county to deal with the speeding ticket (the guy saw that I had mailed my ticket and fine in, but I needed to come in to court-nobody mentioned that at the time) then we had to go get a form from the Franklin BMV, because I live in Delaware and the tickets for license and registration from the day before were there I then had to go to court in Delaware to get that straightened out. Then, to the Delaware BMV to find out I had to go to a different BMV in Columbus (Franklin county) to get a paper from them. Then, back to Delaware courts to get the release for my impounded car, to the BMV in Delaware again for the new registration, and then to the ass-end of the county to get the impounded car.

Both my mother and I ended up taking 2 days of vacation to deal with all of this. I don't remember the exact amount but it was well over $500.

I kept the receipts and good thing because later that summer the sheriff actually showed up at my doorstep to arrest me for these tickets and tow my car away (again), but the receipts (and a humiliating 35 minutes in my front yard-with every neighbor in a 3 mile radius gawking-as he called on his radio all over the place to verify all of this) saved my bacon.

Our registration expires on the day of our birthday, and the sticker specifies the owner's birthday.

I don't mail in registrations any more and I make damn sure I get my registrations all taken care of in March!

I feel your pain, believe me!

-v
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Post by rickko »

KABarash wrote:I don't get it, you pay a penalty to the state if you renue late?? ...
It gets worse than that.

Say you stick your vehicle in a garage for a few years. Never register it, never put it on the street. When you go to register it again, or go to sell it CA requires you to pay the "unpaid" fees for the years it was off the road! That is unless you pay the PNO (Planned Non Operation) fee every year while its in storage. That fee can range from $20, to $60 if you're late paying it!

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easy
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Post by easy »

why or how can Cal b so broke.
TVB

Post by TVB »

Vic wrote:I was driving home after dropping my kids off on Mother's day evening. Got pulled over for expired tags. I had mailed in the registration and forgotten about it.
My license was also suspended. (WHAT???)
....
My former boyfriend went through a similar snafu a dozen years ago. I never fully understood the history behind it, because Andy wasn't very coherent when he tried to explain after spending the night in lockup after being pulled over while driving on a suspended licence. No doubt his own usually-adorable airheadedness contributed to the situation, but this was entirely about bureaucracy and fees; he wasn't a threat to public safety who needed to be treated like a stray dog. He ended up concluding that owning a car was more trouble than it was worth, and switched to using his bicycle. Which didn't have a helpful effect on our attempt at living together, as a single-car household that winter. :(
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Post by DennisD »

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! :(

I just checked the State DMV and found out that in Florida the registration doesn't end on midnight of your birth date as I said earlier. It is, like some other states, the end of the month. But not your birth month. Registrations expire the last day of the month before your birth month and the state is kind enough to allow you to have a grace period to your birth date. Of course that means unequal treatment since there are different dates of birth for everyone. Wonder why no one has complained about that yet? Where's the ACLU when you need em? :twisted:
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Post by ScooterDave »

Make me glad to live in Ohio where the expiration is on your birthday. I have everything I own registered in my company name and then they go by my EIN and then it is the last day of that designated month.
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Post by Ms_Kady »

Skootz Kabootz wrote:I don't remember the date, but I sure remember the cost. What a screw job! Thanks Arnold...
No kidding! Our vehicle registrations were INSANE this year. It made the $100 scooter registration seem like chump change. :cry:
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Post by KABarash »

rickko wrote:
KABarash wrote:I don't get it, you pay a penalty to the state if you renue late?? ...
It gets worse than that.

Say you stick your vehicle in a garage for a few years. Never register it, never put it on the street. When you go to register it again, or go to sell it CA requires you to pay the "unpaid" fees for the years it was off the road! That is unless you pay the PNO (Planned Non Operation) fee every year while its in storage. That fee can range from $20, to $60 if you're late paying it!

..rickko..
Sorry.... that's just F'ed up!!
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Post by Vic »

KABarash wrote: Say you stick your vehicle in a garage for a few years. Never register it, never put it on the street. When you go to register it again, or go to sell it CA requires you to pay the "unpaid" fees for the years it was off the road! That is unless you pay the PNO (Planned Non Operation) fee every year while its in storage.
Wow, so you have to pay a fee for driving a car on the road, but if you don't drive that car on the road you still have to pay a fee?!?!

No wonder my grandparents maintained their primary residence in Ohio when they wintered in San Diego!

So, somebody 'splain why it is that CA is so broke?

-v
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DennisD
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Post by DennisD »

Vic wrote:
KABarash wrote: Say you stick your vehicle in a garage for a few years. Never register it, never put it on the street. When you go to register it again, or go to sell it CA requires you to pay the "unpaid" fees for the years it was off the road! That is unless you pay the PNO (Planned Non Operation) fee every year while its in storage.
Wow, so you have to pay a fee for driving a car on the road, but if you don't drive that car on the road you still have to pay a fee?!?!

No wonder my grandparents maintained their primary residence in Ohio when they wintered in San Diego!

So, somebody 'splain why it is that CA is so broke?

-v
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Post by ericalm »

There are a multitude of reasons CA is broke but it's a fairly political topic likely to engender partisan or ideological bickering. I'd like to avoid that and having to lock the thread.

I will say this: Our current situation is the result of decades of poor fiscal policy, much of which was created by CA voters themselves via the referendum process. No one party or administration is to blame. The electorate is as responsible for this mess as anyone else. In so many ways, California needs to grow up.
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rickko
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Post by rickko »

ericalm wrote:There are a multitude of reasons CA is broke ...
The primary way a state can go broke is to spend more than its tax revenues.

The state legislature and the people via referendum are the only bodies that can create laws that affect state revenues. All one has to do is look at the the lopsided make up of those entities over the past 20 years and it quickly becomes obvious why CA is broke (i.e. there is no balanced representation in CA's Senate or Assembly.)

The process begins with uninformed voters who fall for special interest group election ads. They elect legislators who write stupid laws that primarily benefit powerful special interest groups that constantly meet with them and contribute heavily to their campaigns.

Sad to say, it's the American way in CA! :(

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Post by evilscooterkitty »

California.... HA! Minnesota is the land of 10,000 taxes.

OK, how about a GOOD experience. We have a GREAT Department of Motor Vehicles in a Twin Cities suburb called White Bear Lake. I drive 20 miles out of my way to go to them. My most recent event involved a motorcycle, not a scooter, but I have had similar experiences, especially with my vintage scooters.

I needed to transfer title on a 1973 Yamaha TX500 mototrcycle. I did have a title, but no licence plate. There was also some confussion as to the engine number. The fine people at the White Bear DMV got all the paperwork handled for the title and when it got to the plate I was told that I would have to pay all the "missed" registrations since the last time the bike had been current (1990s). I knew this and was expecting it. Then the young lady mentioned that the bike EASILY qualifies for a "classic" (or collector) plate. All I had to do was give her the plate number of another vehicle, registered in my name, that could be considered my primary transportation. I got the special plate, title transfer done, and wrote a cheque for............

$67.50

I should have been several hundred to bring the regular plate current.

A friendly, helpful DMV is worth a LOT, well worth the longer drive to use them.

Oh yeah, here in the land of 10,000 taxes, a person can expect about 10% to be added on to the purchase price of a new scooter to cover the sales tax, transit enhancement tax, assorted fees and so forth.
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Post by dsmith65 »

In Tennessee it expires at the end of the month. Tags are good for a year from the time you register it. My wife took care of it today for me, 10 minute process, $17 for the tag. I've lived in several states, and so far our local dmv is the friendliest I've ever been to.
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Post by DennisD »

dsmith65 wrote:In Tennessee it expires at the end of the month. Tags are good for a year from the time you register it. My wife took care of it today for me, 10 minute process, $17 for the tag. I've lived in several states, and so far our local dmv is the friendliest I've ever been to.
In all my visits I have found people in Tenn. to be very friendly. Home to a lot of half backs.
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