Questions about changing my driver's license to AZ. (crimes, buy) - Arizona - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Rick Lee · 01-31-2008, 06:48 PM

Pretty sure I knew you in high school. Weren't you the kid who told the substitute teacher that she forgot to give us homework?

wit-nit · 01-31-2008, 07:10 PM

Yep, and you're the kid who had to stand in the corner and write on the blackboard a 100 times " I didn't mean to violate the rules teech", then went home and got spanked by both your parents for being a instigator and troublemaker, then later in life ended up with their picture on the wall at the local PD, and fled to another state to try and fool them too. Yep we got your number.

kelcan05 · 01-31-2008, 07:22 PM

I guess what they say about people in Arizona not being friendly is true. There is a way to explain things nicely or tactfully.

Ponderosa · 01-31-2008, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Exactly! I have three cars and a bike and all have vastly varying expiration dates. I want my money's worth and not to pay twice. Anyway, my insurance doesn't care where my car is registered. They care where it's garaged and driven. Since they're also my homeowner's insurer, there's no way for me to hide the fact that I'm moving.

The insurance thing I mentioned is because if you get stopped and your insurance card has an AZ address and your car is registered in another state you will be ticketed for not registering your car in AZ. The only way to fool the law in an accident or violation is to have everything agree. Then you can pretend to live out of state.

Anyway, if someone would like to report a scofflaw, here's the website:

Motor Vehicle Division

Rick Lee · 01-31-2008, 08:18 PM

Do they ask for proof of insurance in traffic stops in AZ? I know it's required in most states and I always carry it. But I've never been asked to show it. The only accident I was at fault in, was in a rental car (on my honeymoon

and I didn't have my personal insur. id with me. I knew the necessary info from memory, wrote it down and everyone left satisfied. I got a ticket in NV once in a rental car and the cop just used the rental receipt as regist. Anyway, all I have to do is tell my insur. where I've moved. They don't necessarily send a new card with the new address on it unless I ask for it. Last house I bought, I only changed my license over to the new address because I happened to buy another car right after the move and while registering it at DMV, the lady just asked if I wanted a new license. Otherwise, I could have gone another three or so years until it expired. I dunno. Maybe I've just been real lucky.

Ponderosa · 01-31-2008, 08:33 PM

I don't know that an AZ insurance card even has an address on it. I do know that you will be asked for proof of insurance if you are stopped and you get a citation if you can't produce it. I would think our cops around here are smart enough to figure out that someone with an AZ card and out of state plates is a tax cheat and issue a ticket. Maybe you are the type of person who would have no conflicts about obtaining and producing a VA document that conceals your status. I'm not. If I were moving to your state, I would obey your laws.

Rick Lee · 01-31-2008, 08:36 PM

Yeah right! Until today (law was just repealed) VA had a $3000 speeding ticket, but it only applied to VA residents, not out of staters. Tell me you'd change your license to VA if you moved here when that law was in effect. Oh, and that was for going 20 or so over the limit, which every single car does on the hwy. when conditions allow. Pure revenue.

aj661 · 02-01-2008, 02:14 AM

Some interesting reading from MVD
http://www.azdot.gov/mvd/faqs/script...p?section=mi#3

If you get stopped for a traffic violation in Arizona, the officer will ask you for your drivers license, registration and proof of insurance (ARS 28-4134). AZ has had a serious problem over the years with uninsured motorists. As a result we have some of the toughest laws in the nation. If don't have proof with you, you may be cited for it. The ticket will go away if you can prove to the court that you had valid insurance at the time of the stop (ARS 28-4135D) If you don't have it, bend over

. The fine is $500 plus surcharges for a first offense and the suspension of your drivers license and registration for three months (ARS 28-4135E1). A second offense within 3 years is $750.00 plus surcharges and suspensions for six months (ARS 28-4135E2). A third offense-have you noticed a pattern here?- see E3. If the officer finds that you have no insurance, that's when the fun begins. Not having insurance will result in your license and/or registration being suspended. Insurance companies doing business in AZ are required by law to notify MVD if your policy is cancelled for any reason. You won't go to jail for an MI (mandatory insurance) suspension-but your vehicle will for thirty days (ARS 28-3511B1 and 28-3511E).

BTW, fines for registration violations were going for $175.00 up to $550.00 depending on the statute, a year and a half ago. No doubt they've gone up since then.

You could go to jail if you are found to be driving on a suspended, revoked or cancelled license, but odds are you'll only be cited (criminal traffic ARS 28-3473A) but again, your car may go to jail.

A word of advice to everyone, it's not only the law to keep MVD informed of your current address, but also a very wise thing to do. Arizona sends out random letters requiring that proof of insurance be mailed to them within a specified period of time, I believe it's two weeks. The notices are sent to the address of record and are not forwarded by the post office. Failing to respond for any reason will result in the suspension of all registrations in your name.

Arizona doesn't have any $3000.00 tickets for speeding, but the fines are steep nonetheless and excessive speed-also know as criminal speed, is a misdemeanor. 86+ mph on any freeway will do it. Start getting up towards 100 or more and you'll likely be charged with reckless driving or reckless endangerment. Then you AND your car can go to jail. You'll get to camp out in a tent with lots of guys wearing pink boxers, your car goes to a cramped impound lot in an ugly part of town.

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatD...28&DocType=ARS

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatD...28&DocType=ARS

Rick Lee · 02-01-2008, 03:15 AM

I'm all for draconian measures to make sure drivers are insured. I used to live in NJ, which, at the time, was the highest car insurance state in the country. It was so ridiculous that drivers were finding it cheaper to get caught with no insurance and pay the fine, sometimes even the uninsured motorist fund, than to pay for a legit policy. So those stiff fines can sometimes discourage people from getting insurance. VA also has the DMV and insurance connection. Unfortunately, the slightest error on either end can make you end up with a suspended registration, which is particularly bad if you don't know about it and happen to get stopped. Happened to an ex of mine. She got suspended for no apparent reason, called the insurance co. and they said they had made a mistake. They fixed it, but you can end up with your car towed if pulled over and your regist. is suspended, even if you didn't know about it.

aj661 · 02-01-2008, 08:29 AM

You're right it can happen in error if for instance you changed insurance and the new company fails to notify MVD they've picked you up, or a data entry error on MVD's end. But the odds are small, at least in my experience.

In Arizona you will know about it IF they have your correct address on file. As with the request for proof on insurance, MVD mails the Notice of Suspension to the address of record.