Car Registration Dilemma -- Help? (Austin, Howe: 2014, insurance, DMV)

[waitressinthesky]

Let me preface this dilemma by stating that I realize this is stupid, and I should have been responsible in the first place and taken care of this stuff...

-Moved to Austin about a year and three months ago from California
-Changed my insurance over to Texas insurance (insurance is current)
-Never got a Texas license and my car still has California plates
-California registration expired in April 2012
-Yes, I've been driving around with expired plates since then...
-Wanting to get my Texas plates/register my car in Texas
-Got my car inspected, so that's out of the way...

Question is, what happens when I drive my car to the registration place? Will I be able to register my car if my CA registration isn't current? Would I be subject to a fine, or would I be instructed to go and pay for the CA registration (and late fees) before I can register my car in Texas? Would I be in more trouble than that, even?

Please advise.

[Trainwreck20]

More than likely, they will just take your money and give you registration. I know that if it was a Texas vehicle and was expired, that is all they do. I have missed almost an entire year before and they just charged me the fee, gave me the tags, and off I went.

That said, I was already 'in the system' since I had been registered her before. I don't think it matters, though. The DPS couldn't care less if you were behind on your CA fees or not. They do want your money for as little effort as possible. Call or go to the web site, see what is required for registration, and go get registered. They can't prove how long you have been here (or not easily), and likely do not care anyway - not nearly enough to cause a stink over it.

From the DMV web site (http://www.txdmv.gov/vehicles/regist...register.htm):

To register your vehicle in person, take your registration renewal notice and proof of current liability insurance to your county tax office or an approved substation. The registration fee is due at this time.

If you did not receive your renewal notice, you can renew your registration using your:

vehicle license plate number,
vehicle identification number, or
registration receipt from the previous year.

If you are a new resident or your registration has expired, you may only register in person.

Seems to me you would just treat it as a 'no renewal notice received' and go from there (i.e. bring your license plate number and/or VIN). Since you are new to the state, they will likely need the VIN and will send new plates.

[NativeTexan76]

I was in the same situation, although CA plates were only expired for 3 mo when getting car registered in TX. It wasn't a big deal, no late fees, etc.

[waitressinthesky]

Thanks for the advice. I just wanted to know what I'd be walking into, since there's no section about this situation on the website.

[FalconheadWest]

However, if your CA driver's license is expired, that's a whole other story. You will have to jump through hoops to get a driver's license here like take the written test, and some people I know have been made to take the driving test too. I hope your actual license isn't expired.

[waitressinthesky]

No, my license doesn't expire until 2014, thankfully.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by waitressinthesky

Thanks for the advice. I just wanted to know what I'd be walking into, since there's no section about this situation on the website.

"Walking" might be the key word . Let's hope you don't get stopped on the way to the registration. If you've been driving daily with expired tags, consider yourself lucky. DW got stopped FOUR days after we arrived for not having the front plate installed! Amazing what the PO-lice can see traveling @ 65mph!

Get on down there! Just the psychology of 'this year' vs 'last year' might make it easier to slide in without the clerks caring that the expiration was months ago.

And you know, of course, the vehicle registration is done within your county of residence...not like the statewide drivers' license offices.
Good luck!

[goodlucksandiego]

If you have the title for your vehicle you are good to go. Otherwise they will demand a current out of state registration. My mate was in the first category and I didn't have my title so I ended up having to renew my California registration - although my understanding is that I should be able to get refunded theoretically.

[waitressinthesky]

Just updating -- I did manage to register my car without any hassle over the late registration. (I brought the title instead of my expired CA registration.)