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Old 09-30-2011, 01:10 AM
 
Location: Manhattan
32 posts, read 29,950 times
Reputation: 74

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Hi, i don't know if anyone has the answers to this, but trying to figure it out is proving a little complex so any help and assistance would be massively appreciated.

My wife and I are moving back to NYC from London (which is where i'm from, and hence my confusion about buying a car in the US).

We were hoping to head back, fly out to San Francisco to visit friends, buy a used car and drive it back over a 7000 mile road trip.

However, i'm confused about whether this is a) possible and if it is whether it's b) possible in the time frame we are looking at.

Originally we were looking to do it in less than 30 days but then we thought we'd extend the trip to 6 weeks.

I gather i'm fine to drive and get insurance on a car with my UK license. However, neither my wife or i know about the in's and out's of registering a car in CA with an out of state license (NY for her, and out of country license for me).

I gather the license plates will stay with the car on CA cars, is this correct? Does that mean a dealer can register our car with an out of state address, and we'll be ok to drive the car off into the sunset?

Thanks to all help - much appreciated. As you can probably understand, things work very differently in the UK (not better or worse, just differently) and my wife's knowledge regarding such a purchase is about as extensive as mine i.e. not extensive at all.

Cheers guys
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Old 06-07-2013, 05:05 AM
 
6 posts, read 40,997 times
Reputation: 11
HI there! I know this is an old post, just wondering if you got the info you needed, as I'm in almost the same boat as you, except we're doing Chicago to San Francisco this summer.
How did it work out for you?
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Old 06-13-2013, 01:52 PM
 
341 posts, read 672,522 times
Reputation: 741
I buy vehicles out of state all the time because it's usually cheaper to buy in a state elsewhere, drive it back, pay the taxes and be done.

Here's all you need to do. Buy the car and contact the local dept. of motor vehicles and tell them what you're trying to do because each state is different. They might give you a temporary registration that is good for the amount of time to get the vehicle back to your state, or they'll say it's all ok.

Contact your insurance company- the car isn't registered in your name until it gets back to your state to be registered so they'll usually provide a temp card as well.

Get to Ny, bring your sales receipt/contract and then they'll assess your taxes on that, you register it at the same time.

Done.

I've driven from CA to NY in 3 days. But it wasn't a sightseeing tour, we were on a mission.
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Old 06-13-2013, 06:18 PM
 
Location: Full Time: N.NJ Part Time: S.CA, ID
6,114 posts, read 12,477,913 times
Reputation: 8674
Quote:
Originally Posted by pyrite_mite View Post
HI there! I know this is an old post, just wondering if you got the info you needed, as I'm in almost the same boat as you, except we're doing Chicago to San Francisco this summer.
How did it work out for you?
Confused about your question. Where is your trip origionating?

If you're starting in CA, or ending up in CA, you can register your vehicle using a One Trip Permit (CA Reg 402).

25.010 One Trip Permit (CVC §4003)

Note that your "Travel [cannot be] by a roundabout or indirect route. The trip must be made by the most direct route." Meaning no site seeing along the way, A-B trip only.
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Old 06-14-2013, 03:12 PM
 
341 posts, read 672,522 times
Reputation: 741
Officer, this is the most direct trip through good cities incase I break down with this new, unproven car. The last thing I need is a break down in El Paso, Indianapolis, Cleveland.

You get the idea.

Also, leaving CA, you're pretty much forced to leave through LA or SD as its really the only logical availability to the eastbound routes.

Start in SFO, head south on 101 and hit every damn beach town on the way (half moon, monterey, big sur, slo, solvang, santa barbara, ventura, malibu, etc) Get to LA, explore, catch the 15 to Vegas then Aspen, Denver.

From there, it's **** until Pennsylvania lol. That's basically the northern route.

The southern route is Phoenix, alberquerque, Dallas, Memphis, Nashville, Louisville, etc etc.

I would start on the northern and depart Denver for Memphis and finish that way.
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Old 06-14-2013, 09:53 PM
 
7,280 posts, read 10,884,524 times
Reputation: 11491
Better check because California has some very strict laws and one of them states that a car dealer in California must charge sales tax for any vehicle delivered in California. If the selling dealer is willing to deliver the car out of state, the dealer is not required to charge sales tax.

Anything else subjects you to some nasty consequences if the person in authority decides to pee on your parade.
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Old 06-15-2013, 12:50 AM
 
Location: Full Time: N.NJ Part Time: S.CA, ID
6,114 posts, read 12,477,913 times
Reputation: 8674
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mack Knife View Post
Better check because California has some very strict laws and one of them states that a car dealer in California must charge sales tax for any vehicle delivered in California. If the selling dealer is willing to deliver the car out of state, the dealer is not required to charge sales tax.

Anything else subjects you to some nasty consequences if the person in authority decides to pee on your parade.
Correct - if physically purchased here, regardless of where the vehicle is headed, you will pay tax. To get out of paying CA tax, you'll need to take physical delivery out-of-state, and complete a BOE 448 form.
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