Changing my out of state driver's license to CA (Brea: rental car, sale) - Orange County - California - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Donn2390 · 02-25-2008, 08:47 PM

Pretty good information above, except for the person who said no smog is required if the vehicle is less than five years old. That is true for California cars, but out of state cars need a smog. I just registerd two new cars, both with under 10 K miles on them, and they still require the cert. Look in your local Penny Saver for a discount coupon for smog check. A garage will rape you..! I know, I spent many years as the raper..!
AAA is the best bet if you are a member. I have been to local DMV without an appointment and it only takes a couple hours at very most. The long lines are intimidating, but they have like 20 windows proccessing people, so it goes fast. Take a good book..!

Lancelots Lover · 02-25-2008, 11:34 PM

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! Someone else today gave me a heads up about AAA, and I am a member, and there's one on my street, so maybe I'll go there for registration. But I can't wait 2 hours at DMV, with a new full time job and two kids under 10, so I'll just take the appointment I got next month for the license. Another thing I didn't know is that CA doesn't have a yearly safety inspection, just the smog test, which I think is surprising since CA seems to be more regulated than any other state for most things; seems they'd have safety inspection. I have heard widely different prices on the smog test from everyone I have asked, from $30 to $99. Does it depend on type of car? I have a Sequoia. I'll look for the coupons.

Thanks again, everyone. :-)

BreaOC · 02-25-2008, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lancelots Lover

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! Someone else today gave me a heads up about AAA, and I am a member, and there's one on my street, so maybe I'll go there for registration. But I can't wait 2 hours at DMV, with a new full time job and two kids under 10, so I'll just take the appointment I got next month for the license. Another thing I didn't know is that CA doesn't have a yearly safety inspection, just the smog test, which I think is surprising since CA seems to be more regulated than any other state for most things; seems they'd have safety inspection. I have heard widely different prices on the smog test from everyone I have asked, from $30 to $99. Does it depend on type of car? I have a Sequoia. I'll look for the coupons.

Thanks again, everyone. :-)

Welcome you and your family to California

ferretkona · 02-26-2008, 10:13 PM

I understood the 5 year was federal. Results will differ per person on different days. I had problems with a jeep, returned 2 days later to a different agent and all was smooth.

PLM218 · 03-01-2009, 03:26 PM

I have to register my out of state vehicle tomorrow. Do I HAVE TO change my license to a CA license in order to register my car in CA or can do that another time? Any answers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

buckeyenative01 · 03-01-2009, 05:08 PM

Careful if you have any chronic illnesses you list on your drivers license application. I applied for a license in September 2006, listed Type 1 Diabetes in the health issues portion and got a letter in the mail two weeks later saying that I needed to get a physical from my doctor (my doctor's visit wasn't a physical so much as it was a "Are you taking care of your body enough for me to initial this form?" Q&A).

I got the physical, turned in the paperwork (this was the first weekend in October) and two weeks later, got another letter from the DMV saying that I needed to go to the Irvine Office for a hearing to determine whether or not I was capable of handling an automobile (keep in mind I'd had an Arizona drivers license for seven years up to this point with no infractions). The hearing date was the Monday before Thanksgiving. Got a call the Friday before from the DMV telling me that they had to cancel the meeting and that I'd have to reschedule. The earliest date they had for an appointment was the Friday before Christmas.

Went to Irvine for the hearing and spent about ten minutes with the DMV official conducting the hearing answering questions before she turned off the tape recorder and said "I think you've shown that you're capable enough to operate a motor vehicle."

Two weeks later (January 2007) I finally got my drivers license...

Fortunately, I got my car registered through AAA. Took all of fifteen minutes.

Dirk Bonner · 03-01-2009, 05:49 PM

You will also have to surrender your Texas license before they issue you the California license.

Ultrarunner · 03-01-2009, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PLM218

I have to register my out of state vehicle tomorrow. Do I HAVE TO change my license to a CA license in order to register my car in CA or can do that another time? Any answers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Your drivers license should be in the State you reside...

I have acquaintances that own a vacation home and car in Lake Tahoe... they spend a lot of time there, but their home state is Florida... They both drive everywhere with their Florida Drivers License... their Lake Tahoe car is registered in CA and has CA tags.

smokeythekat · 08-08-2010, 03:17 PM

My 89 year old mother is relocating from FL to CA. What does she have to do regarding her license and tags? Will she have to take a written exam?

ferretkona · 08-08-2010, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by movingtohouston

Another hint if you are a woman who is married and changed your name you need to show your marriage certificate to prove your last name. I had to go back because I didn't take it with me the first time so they would only issue my license in my maiden name. Argh!!! Plus I had to pay another fee to change my name on the license.

We were unable to do any name changes for my wife till she got her new social security card. All was smooth after that.