My Car Registration Sticker has not come yet...will I be pulled over in a few days? (credit card, DMV)

[RJay123]

Am I going to be pulled over for still having the blue sticker? Or is there a grace period?

Can police plug my license plate into some sort of computer and see that it has been paid?

[Fontucky]

1. Depends on where you live and how busy the cops are with real police work.

2. No, not for out of date reg.

3. Yes, assuming they received your check and posted the payment to the system.

[EscapeCalifornia]

If they cashed your check, I'd keep a copy of the returned check in the car until the sticker arrives.

[TimC2462]

If you sent in the payment before you get pulled over, you should be fine. In the worst case scenario, you would have to provide documentation in court that you sent in the payment in a timely manner.

[hobo0909]

I am not a law enforcement officer nor a lawyer, but as far as I know:

1. Yes, you can be pulled over for having expired tags. Especially this time of the year, when drunk driving is high, cops are looking for any reason -- probable cause -- to stop a vehicle. (Remember, all law enforcement needs is probable cause to pull you over.)

2. No, there is no grace period when it comes to your vehicle registration. As soon as it becomes expired, you can be held liable for ticket.

3. The police can plug your license plate into their field computer to look at the registration, but I am unsure whether or not it will show that you paid. In most cases, the police understand that the DMV is inherently slow and all you would have to do is show some type of proof of payment with a date that is before the day your registration expired and you should be okay.

If I were you though, I would just play things safe and not drive the car until you have valid registration. It could potentially save you a lot of time and money, should you end up getting a ticket or worse. Have a good new years though.

[Ultrarunner]

From experience...

Yes, you can be pulled over.

CA counts the postmark as to proof of timely payment. The issue is how can you prove when you mailed it?

As long as the check is cashed... you will eventually be OK...

I had my checked cashed and never got my tag... a couple of weeks I got a notice of delinquent registration from the DMV...

It took a lot of running around... my canceled check was my proof of payment and I was one of about 200 people with registration problems due to a DMV computer glitch... my local State Representative even had to get involved... the DMV told me to pay again and apply for a refund... yeah, right

Even with paid registration... tags get stolen all the time... it's a fix-it ticket... depends on the officer.

The CHP is under tremendous pressure to bring in revenue to avoid lay-offs.

[Everest209]

Of course you can be pulled over, it doesn't matter how soon after it expires. Word of advice, my company didn't pay our tags for almost 5 months. I got pulled over twice, both by CHP. There were many different cities police that would be right behind me and not do anything. CHP will pull you over though, so watch out on the freeways.

[sigep739]

Dont worry about it.. BY LAW - all the stickers are is EVIDENCE that you paid your fees. Without the evidence, it does NOT mean you are in violation.

The cops or CHP will either (a) let you off or (b) issue you a citation (obviously these are the choices). If you end up getting a ticket, all you have to do is prove that you paid your registration before it was due. Appear in court with your evidence (canceled check, credit card receipt, etc etc) and you wont be liable for the fine.

[srvtheservants]

My tags were 2 months late and I mailed in 400 dollars a week ago! How long will I receive my tags?! I am concerned because I have no proof that I paid since I mailed it in. Can I go to the DMV and get proof?? Please let me know if there is an answer!

Thank you,

Chasey

[steel7]

Originally Posted by srvtheservants

My tags were 2 months late and I mailed in 400 dollars a week ago! How long will I receive my tags?! I am concerned because I have no proof that I paid since I mailed it in. Can I go to the DMV and get proof?? Please let me know if there is an answer!

Thank you,

Chasey

Your cancelled check is your receipt. You should receive your 2011 tags in 3-6 weeks. You could of just went to the dmv & paid your fees & received your sticker but without a appt its a 2-3 hr wait. You should be ok BUT if a cop stops you explain to him what you told us & if he still tickets you it most likely will be a fix it tcket which will cost you 25.00 (regardless) & you go to the police station and show your current registration when you get your new tags. They wil sign off the ticket & you mail it in to whomever with the 25.00 thieving admin fee. 10 yrs ago a fix it ticket cost 0 dollars then it went to $10.00 & as of 1-09 it went to 25.00. Blame the horrid, foul, low life, coward, greedy, no good ca legislature & moron govenor (who signed the bills/laws).