How long does it take for DMV to mail registration and license plate (car bought from a dealer) (Fremont: purchase)

[zlzhao1104]

I'm currently living in Sunnyvale. I bought my car from a Fremont dealer on 6/9. The salesperson said it could take a month for the DMV to mail out registration and license plate. It's been a month but I have received nothing. Someone told me it took him 5 months...

The problem is, I will move back to another state in a month. If I still don't have the registration paper and license plate by then, how am I gonna travel?

Can I call or visit the local DMV and ask?

Any ideas will be appreciated.

[cb73]

Your registration paperwork is not processed by the DMV. It is processed either by the dealer or a company hired by the dealer (this changed several years ago.)

The DMV has very strict rules on processing, but since they no longer see the paperwork until it is totally all done, they have no way of knowing how long the dealership or their hired company sat on it before it got processed.

Call the DMV 800 number and give them the VIN to see if the paperwork was even submitted yet. If not, call back to the dealership, ask to speak to their DMV person and explain the situation and hopefully they can tell you where your paperwork is at.

Unfortunately, all the dealerships know that they are in charge of processing the paperwork and they STILL use the "DMV is slow" excuse.

[zlzhao1104]

Originally Posted by cb73

Your registration paperwork is not processed by the DMV. It is processed either by the dealer or a company hired by the dealer (this changed several years ago.)

The DMV has very strict rules on processing, but since they no longer see the paperwork until it is totally all done, they have no way of knowing how long the dealership or their hired company sat on it before it got processed.

Call the DMV 800 number and give them the VIN to see if the paperwork was even submitted yet. If not, call back to the dealership, ask to speak to their DMV person and explain the situation and hopefully they can tell you where your paperwork is at.

Unfortunately, all the dealerships know that they are in charge of processing the paperwork and they STILL use the "DMV is slow" excuse.

Great info! Thanks a lot!

[Mr5150]

Originally Posted by cb73

Unfortunately, all the dealerships know that they are in charge of processing the paperwork and they STILL use the "DMV is slow" excuse.

Depends on how long the dealership holds on to your License and tax $$$.

We bought a Van in Hayward in June and got our plates in 10 days. OTOH, we bought our Subaru locally and it was two months till we got our plates

[cb73]

Originally Posted by Mr5150

Depends on how long the dealership holds on to your License and tax $$$.

We bought a Van in Hayward in June and got our plates in 10 days. OTOH, we bought our Subaru locally and it was two months till we got our plates

Some dealerships literally key in your application in the back room, and it's done. Others bundle them--waiting till they have a full bundle--and send them to whichever company they've contracted with so there can be a huge difference in turnaround time.

Plus the original person could have made some mistake--forgotten to get a signature or something--and it all has to be shipped back for correction.

If you look at your purchase contract, the "DMV fee" is still there, but there's also now a "processing fee" (or something like that, don't recall) where the dealer can charge you up to $85 to process your application instead of it being processed by the DMV.