Moving into SC with a leased vehicle (Columbia: insurance, attorney)

[megassel]

I'm in a conundrum. I have a lease with Honda and moved a few months ago from NC. The SC DMV says that I can't register my car in SC (or get SC plates) without an original power of attorney from Honda. Honda says that the SC DMV has to request that themselves. SC DMV says they don't do that, and that Honda has to complete a form and send it - along with my packet of documents and the original power of attorney - to the SC DMV and then they'll process my registration.

I sent my whole package off to Honda in late April. I've heard nothing, and Honda said they don't track it.

Now my NC registration is about to expire and NC is threatening to fine me for cancelling my NC insurance. I have SC insurance, but no SC registration.

How can it be this complicated? Do I just have to turn in my car early to resolve this?

[usc_gal98]

Did you go through the local DMV or the main DMV office in Columbia?

[mpaquette]

I had a similar problem with our 2 leased vehicles when we moved here. It seems that nobody at the Balantine DMV office knew anything about registering a leased vehicle. They kept asking for the title and couldn't understand how you could drive a car w/o a title. Long story short, go in person to the DMV, take all of the paperwork you have for your car, when they give you a hard time ask them to call Honda while you're in line. That's what we ended up having to do and although it was very frustrating, it worked.

[megassel]

Originally Posted by mpaquette

I had a similar problem with our 2 leased vehicles when we moved here. It seems that nobody at the Balantine DMV office knew anything about registering a leased vehicle. They kept asking for the title and couldn't understand how you could drive a car w/o a title. Long story short, go in person to the DMV, take all of the paperwork you have for your car, when they give you a hard time ask them to call Honda while you're in line. That's what we ended up having to do and although it was very frustrating, it worked.

My first try was at the DMV, and I didn't even make it to the line before I was sent away with a list of items I had to get from Honda and come back with. That was when the wild goose chase started.

I got an idea this morning, and looked to see if the check I sent with my package had been cashed. It hasn't. So the SC process hasn't even started -- I guess it all died at Honda. I'll have to go to the DMV in person again, I guess. This is ridiculous.

[Allentown]

Megassel!
Your thread yesterday regarding the lease and your entry into SC prompted me to immediately inquire about my lease as well. My wife and I are relocating in September from NJ to SC, so your comments hit home. I immediately called Wells-Fargo which is where our financing for our new Toyota is based. I explained to them your problem and Wells-Fargo indicated that as soon as we move to contact them and request a "out of state title transfer " They would immediately provide me with all the necessary forms that you spoke about and they assured me that I would have no problems. You are correct though in that anyone in your situation and the same as mine must get the required paperwork to take to the DMV. I was hoping that because our lease was through Wesll-Fargo and not Toyota that I would avoid the problem but I was told that I would also need to acquire the necessary paperwork in order to satisfy the DMV.

I guess the DMV's are only doing their jobs, but here in NJ you always seems to get the run around or get to the front of the line only to be sent home looking for this form, proof etc. They are all the same.

Good Luck with your processing.

Allentown

[groove1]

I am guessing this will work the same way if a bank has a lien against your car?

[megassel]

I'm going to try that tomorrow. I'll call Honda and say I need an out of state title transfer and see what they say. It can't hurt! Thanks for the tip! And Honda thanks you, too, because I'll be a little less frustrated since I'm going in with some direction.

I tell you, 75% of everything on this move has required at least one phone call to get the paperwork corrected. I'm losing my mind. And in a few months, we'll move again to the new house and I'll have a whole new batch of "issues" to fix. And then, blessedly, it will cease and we will return to normal life. It's been a long time since we've had that!

Originally Posted by Allentown

Megassel!
Your thread yesterday regarding the lease and your entry into SC prompted me to immediately inquire about my lease as well. My wife and I are relocating in September from NJ to SC, so your comments hit home. I immediately called Wells-Fargo which is where our financing for our new Toyota is based. I explained to them your problem and Wells-Fargo indicated that as soon as we move to contact them and request a "out of state title transfer " They would immediately provide me with all the necessary forms that you spoke about and they assured me that I would have no problems. You are correct though in that anyone in your situation and the same as mine must get the required paperwork to take to the DMV. I was hoping that because our lease was through Wesll-Fargo and not Toyota that I would avoid the problem but I was told that I would also need to acquire the necessary paperwork in order to satisfy the DMV.

I guess the DMV's are only doing their jobs, but here in NJ you always seems to get the run around or get to the front of the line only to be sent home looking for this form, proof etc. They are all the same.

Good Luck with your processing.

Allentown

[groove1]

Not sure if this is the same with a lease, bit for Liens:

Your out-of-state vehicle title and registration
If there is a lien on your vehicle, you must bring the name and address of the company that holds the lien.

SC Department of Motor Vehicles