Car insurance and registration in multiple states ? (lease, lawyer)

[98blacknchrome]

Hello,

I just moved about a month ago from western NY to northern NJ. I still have a NY license and license plates. I want to switch the car I have here in NJ and my license to NJ, but I have a classic car, a pickup, a motorcycle, and a boat all still stored/registered in NY that I use weekends and will probably never see NJ.

Is there anyway to have multiple states registrations?

If I register everything here in NJ but leave it all in NY, wouldn't that be the same thing as leaving my NY plates and license with the car I drive everyday to work?




Thanks

[RobRiguez]

It is my understanding that your license MUST follow your home mailing address. Also, that all vehicles be changed to match your license regardless of where the vehicles are stored.

[nybbler]

Your driver's license has to follow your residency. But if you never bring the other vehicles into NJ, NJ has no say on where they are registered; as long as NYS is willing to accept your registration, they're legal in NY (but not NJ)

[GoYanks34]

You would have to have a NY address you could use but could cause potential problems if you're caught, especially with the car/motorcycle. A lot of people do it and get away with it but if your in an accident and the insurance company finds out you're living in NJ and not NY that's fraud and will invalidate your policies.

As others said above you have to register your vehicles in the state where you are a resident and licensed. You have 6 months to do this after you move.

FYI: When I moved back to NJ from Iowa (was in college - not there by choice, LOL) Allstate found out right away from my forwarding address so if you're having your mail forwarded your insurance company will know.

[exhdo1]

Like others have said, your drivers license must be in the state where you principally reside as well as the car you'll be driving. If you will also be maintaining a legal address in New York, I don't see any reason why the other vehicles can't stay registered there. New Jersey law deals with vehicles that are "PRINCIPALLY GARAGED" in the state of NJ. Just as an example. NJ 39:6B-2 which deals with vehicle insurance is very clear. The opening of the statute says this. Any owner or registrant of a motor vehicle registered or principally garaged in this State who operates or causes to be operated a motor vehicle upon any public road or highway in this State without motor vehicle liability insurance coverage required by this act, and any operator who operates or causes a motor vehicle to be operated without liability insurancd .....etc...... Just to be safe, run it by your insurance company too.

[exhdo1]

Originally Posted by nybbler

Your driver's license has to follow your residency. But if you never bring the other vehicles into NJ, NJ has no say on where they are registered; as long as NYS is willing to accept your registration, they're legal in NY (but not NJ)

If he is maintaining a legal addresss in the state of New York as well, there is no reason why those vehicles can't be operated in New Jersey or any other state as long as they are registered in accordance with NY law. They can't be garaged here.

[joe moving]

I would have said register where you park it the majority of the time. But I'm not sure how that applies to something like a storage facility versus a 2nd home where you operate a car from and leave there.

[ca2ny]

Originally Posted by joe moving

I would have said register where you park it the majority of the time. But I'm not sure how that applies to something like a storage facility versus a 2nd home where you operate a car from and leave there.

Just thinking out loud....

Many companies are legally incorporated in Delaware, even though they operate all over the country, and have headquarters/offices in different places. I wonder why some lawyer hasn't figured out a way for people to do something similar.

- Register your car in one "preferred" state.
- Garage / drive it in any state.
- Sure, base the insurance cost on where it is principally garaged. But why should the license plate have to change, just because people move from state to state?

[rscalzo]

Also, that all vehicles be changed to match your license regardless of where
the vehicles are stored.

Not true. Insurance companies will insured based on the reg address and will not cross insure. The address is not fraudulent in any way so there should be no issue. Lease vehicles are owned by an out of state corp in many cases.

Garage / drive it in any state

39:3-4a. Temporary registration of motor vehicle in another state by resident of New Jersey
Notwithstanding the provisions of Revised Statutes 39:3-4 every resident of this State who acquires and temporarily registers a motor vehicle in another State may operate such vehicle or cause such vehicle to be operated on the public highways of this State for a period not in excess of the unexpired term of such temporary registration in another State.

This negates that because the owner would be a NJ resident and the vehicle is housed and operated primarily in NJ.

The OP has a vehicle NOT operated in NJ, nor housed here. Quite frankly, NJ isn't the issue here but how NY state handles it.