Moving from Boston, Need Car Advice! (Denver, Aurora: for sale, car registration, insurance)

[drespy]

Hey there; I'm brand new to this forum, so I apologize if this question has been answered before!

I'm in my mid-20s and moving from Boston to Denver in August for school.

I grew up in North Carolina, and beginning in 2003, I started driving the car I currently have. The car has been in Boston since fall 2009, but has NC plates, and NC inspection & registration. However, the inspection expired on 2/28/11 and the two week grace period ends soon. After considering options, my mom decided she didn't want to deal with it, and signed over the title to me. In a week, I'll be driving illegally in MA. Of course, since I live in the Boston area, I can easily get by without driving for a long period of time.

My question is this: when I move, can/should I drive my car across the country with expired license and registration? It seems really ridiculous to go through the process of getting it inspected and registered in MA only to go through the process again in CO. (There are services to ship cars, but they end up costing at least half the price of the car. I know gas is pretty expensive now also, but the money I save on not having to buy a flight and not having to ship things is definitely worth it.) If I were to do this, what are the odds I get pulled over, and what happens if that occurs? Also, when I get to CO, how do I get my car inspected/registered, and is there a fine associated with the lapsed inspection from another state?

Thanks so much for any advice you have.

Also, where are the good rock climbing gyms in the Denver area? I'll likely be living in Aurora, so something close to there is preferable.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by drespy

Hey there; I'm brand new to this forum, so I apologize if this question has been answered before!

I'm in my mid-20s and moving from Boston to Denver in August for school.

I grew up in North Carolina, and beginning in 2003, I started driving the car I currently have. The car has been in Boston since fall 2009, but has NC plates, and NC inspection & registration. However, the inspection expired on 2/28/11 and the two week grace period ends soon. After considering options, my mom decided she didn't want to deal with it, and signed over the title to me. In a week, I'll be driving illegally in MA. Of course, since I live in the Boston area, I can easily get by without driving for a long period of time.

My question is this: when I move, can/should I drive my car across the country with expired license and registration? It seems really ridiculous to go through the process of getting it inspected and registered in MA only to go through the process again in CO. (There are services to ship cars, but they end up costing at least half the price of the car. I know gas is pretty expensive now also, but the money I save on not having to buy a flight and not having to ship things is definitely worth it.) If I were to do this, what are the odds I get pulled over, and what happens if that occurs? Also, when I get to CO, how do I get my car inspected/registered, and is there a fine associated with the lapsed inspection from another state?

Thanks so much for any advice you have.

Also, where are the good rock climbing gyms in the Denver area? I'll likely be living in Aurora, so something close to there is preferable.

What you need to do is contact the DMV in Boston and explain the situation, and you should be able to get some sort of "in-transit" registration that might be good for only a week or so - maybe 30 days, depending on rules at your MA DMV. This would most likely be a temp. permit you put in your back window, and keep you legal, assuming you have current insurance on it. When you arrive in Denver, you'll need to go to an emissions station for a test, then ask at the station for a VIN inspection (needed for cars coming from out of state), the title that was signed over to you, the temp. registration you got to drive out here, and a simple bill of sale from your mother (can be hand written and just states she gave you the vehicle and she's your mother, date, her signature) If I remember correctly, if the car is under a certain value and your mother gave it to you, then you don't have to pay sales tax, just registration. I forget what the emissions test and VIN inspection cost... but pretty sure combined is well under $100. Probably around $50.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by drespy

Hey there; I'm brand new to this forum, so I apologize if this question has been answered before!

I'm in my mid-20s and moving from Boston to Denver in August for school.

I grew up in North Carolina, and beginning in 2003, I started driving the car I currently have. The car has been in Boston since fall 2009, but has NC plates, and NC inspection & registration. However, the inspection expired on 2/28/11 and the two week grace period ends soon. After considering options, my mom decided she didn't want to deal with it, and signed over the title to me. In a week, I'll be driving illegally in MA. Of course, since I live in the Boston area, I can easily get by without driving for a long period of time.

My question is this: when I move, can/should I drive my car across the country with expired license and registration? It seems really ridiculous to go through the process of getting it inspected and registered in MA only to go through the process again in CO. (There are services to ship cars, but they end up costing at least half the price of the car. I know gas is pretty expensive now also, but the money I save on not having to buy a flight and not having to ship things is definitely worth it.) If I were to do this, what are the odds I get pulled over, and what happens if that occurs? Also, when I get to CO, how do I get my car inspected/registered, and is there a fine associated with the lapsed inspection from another state?

Thanks so much for any advice you have.

Also, where are the good rock climbing gyms in the Denver area? I'll likely be living in Aurora, so something close to there is preferable.

Do you even have insurance on the car?

Get your car registered now in MA, or you will have problems. You could get a ticket, or your car could be impounded. As a student, you probably wont even need to get it registered in CO. The MA registration should be fine in CO.

[icewater]

How many possessions (not demons) do you have? Really, if you're going to bring everything you have in the car, then why not only bring the absolute essentials, ship everything else, and SELL or donate the car ahead of time. This is extreme, but could negate alot of problems ahead of time.

Really, the easiest route is to register it in Mass. and insure it in Co. (the insurance company shouldn't be worried about where it is plated--and if the ins is paid up this might not even be required). Also, an emissions test ($25) and VIN inspection ($15 or free at a dealership) is only mandatory if you are getting Colorado plates, and are a moot point if you renew your Mass. tabs.

[drespy]

Thanks for the replies, all!

I mentioned that I didn't want to go through the process of registering the car in MA and then rinse and repeat in CO. I failed to mention that I MUST get it registered in CO. I'm moving here for 8 years, and my graduate program requires establishment of CO residency, including CO car registration.

Given that, it looks like my best option (if I don't sell it) is to go for the "in-transit" registration from either MA or my home state of NC, and go ahead and get it insured in CO prior to traveling. Thanks, Denverian!!

[newhandle]

When you register your car, you will have to either certfiy that it is insured where you have it registered, or you will need, if the state allows it, to pay an uninsured vehicle fee. Most states have a refund on registration so that if your plate is only used 3 months, you will get a partial refund. If you have MA or NC plates but your ins. says you are registered in CO you have a problem and most likely you can't do that without commiting fraud since your ins. company will want to know where the vehicle is garaged. You will be subject to being detained, the vehicle and its contents impounded if you dont' do it by the book. Transport tags are normally only valid when the vehilcle is being transported for sale in which case you need the bill of sale.