how to get around backtags?

[abriel68]

anyone have any insight on this subject? im buying an 84 shotbed 4x4 350 bux about 4-5 yrs back tags. how do i get around it? replace vin numbers license plates? isnt that like a federal offense?

[Rocksurfer]

Your suggestions would land you in trouble and possibly losing the truck. Back fees are one of the few things that you can't make go away for any reason unless you have had it in a non-op status with the DMV. They don't allow you to non-op it even if there is no proof that it has not been on the road. Even a lien sale won't erase fees due. The only thing that does is time, the complete record of the vehicle is generally kept on file for seven years and then they will dump it.

[abriel68]

i have heard if i check the fees with dmv right now that the time clock for it to be out of the system will start over? so i should just sit on it for a year or two? its been out of the system for 4-5 yrs

[Rocksurfer]

Inquires will not change when it dumps out of the system, paying any of the fees or starting the process will though. From what you are saying you have 2 to 3 years before it will drop off the system.

[abriel68]

oh ok so if i were to put it into my name. sweet look like i'll have plenty of time to build it. so when i call dmv do i ask them how much time do i have left? or when was it last registered and calculate it from the last day it was registered? i couldnt pass up a 350 dollar buy.

[Rocksurfer]

They won't tell you when it will drop off, but finding out when it was last registered and how much the fees are won't hurt.

[4RunnerChevy]

A clerk, at the DMV, has the power to drop all fees except current ones.  You could kiss a clerks ass.  There is one lady at my local office, who dropped nearly $500 off one of my bills.

[abriel68]

i have had that success too i think they took 300 off my registration. so if it is a 3 year wait i think i'll just try to win the clerk over. Or can i go in to DMV and ask the clerk what my fees are and see if she will lower the fees? also in the past when i call the 1800 number the operators seem to give me higher fees then if i were to go inside and ask how much my fees are?

[abriel68]

ok i bought my truck today. it hasnt been registered since 2001 so that is 10 years. What is the proper way to approach the DMV to see if it is out of the system? what if they ask if i have moved the vehicle? i havent put it into my name yet. Do i just go down to the DMV and put it into my name and they will wave all other fees? i'm clueless and im hoping that i got a good deal. bought the truck for 300 bux.

[Rocksurfer]

Go to the DMV and get a 1 day moving permit, that will cover you on transporting the vehicle (even though you already have) and then you will find out if it is in the system or not. On a side note if you have an AAA card you can do it there too. They will be able to let you know if it is in the system. You can also try one of those registration businesses and find out that way too.

[abriel68]

my brother is a CHP can he run it? if he can get a background on it that means its still in the system?  If i go the DMV route i get the moving permit and i put it in my name, they will look it up in the system to see if it is there? then if its not they will either say pay the last year of registration? or pay a million dollars? that easy? to me it seems im walking in a minefield and if i do something wrong im gna be stuck with a huge DMV fee. Thank you very much for the help.

[jimbo74]

how come you didnt ask the chp officer first? don't be surprised if he tells you to not try to be shady......

[kneedownnate]

You do realize you can do a vin check on the dmv site to find out the fees, right?

[abriel68]

He's my brother and he's down to earth so he understands the situation. Ok i'll run the VIN on the dmv website.

[abriel68]

i just ran the plates and vin through the online service and there was no matching record!! so its not in the system? how does it work now when i go to put it in my name i pay the last year of registration and a transfer fee?

[abnormaltoy]

What is this thread about? 



If you buy a vehicle and the previous owner had let the registration lapse...are you responsible?

[abriel68]

Yeah you have to pay all fees that are on the car you are buying before you can register it or get it on the road. What i was trying to do is find out if it was in the system or not. If it isn't in the system i guess the fees are waved. It hasn't been registered for 10 yrs so if it was in the system it would be an outrageous amount of money. Im hoping that i only have to pay one year of registration.

[abnormaltoy]

Holy Crap!

What a freaking scam! Is there a time limitation? If you found a 32 Ford in an old barn that hasn't been registered since before WWII...would you owe for that?






















California sucks.

[IronClad]

Holy Crap!

What a freaking scam! Is there a time limitation? If you found a 32 Ford in an old barn that hasn't been registered since before WWII...would you owe for that?






















California sucks.

ONLY if its still in the system. If it hasnt been registerd since before ww2 it wouldnt be in the system

[Rocksurfer]

Holy Crap!

What a freaking scam! Is there a time limitation? If you found a 32 Ford in an old barn that hasn't been registered since before WWII...would you owe for that?






















California sucks.

Yes, California does suck! Plus you must pay penalties of up to 160% of the fees due, so you are not just paying the past due fees but tack on the penalties too and think that they have no proof that the vehicle was ever even on the road. If you don't non-op the vehicle it is assumed that the fees were due with no proof on their part.

[abriel68]

just another way for them to pick your pocket

[Muddytazz]

Glad we don't have to pay back reg on anything

[Rocksurfer]

Glad we don't have to pay back reg on anything

[Zs Confederate Toy]

We jus sell the truck to a family member for a dollar and the back fees go away. (Title swap) Then buy it back when the tags come back up for renewal

[Japjeep]

after 7 years dmv drops a vehicle out of the system..... so you just pay current dues after a chp inspection! (in ca.)

[emsvitil]

after 7 years dmv drops a vehicle out of the system..... so you just pay current dues after a chp inspection! (in ca.)

AAA (Auto Club) can do the inspection.

[Snowtoy]

You are charged fees for every year since the last registration was paid, only a maximum of 3times the amount of the first registration not paid, i.e., if say $70 was the amount owed in 2000, you could only be charged a maximum $210+change of ownership+non-op or current fees do.

You also don't need to bother getting a 1 day moving permit, if asked tell them you towed it home on a trailer, not a tow dolly, they get pissy if the wheels of an unregistered vehicle touches the pavement.

An inspection may or may not be needed, the plate for my '91 had been surrendered, and all I had to do to was buy new plates, no CHP inspection necessary.  If you do have to have it inspected, just have your brother do it for you, if he can/is willing to.

[Rocksurfer]

You are charged fees for every year since the last registration was paid, only a maximum of 3times the amount of the first registration not paid, i.e., if say $70 was the amount owed in 2000, you could only be charged a maximum $210+change of ownership+non-op or current fees do.

I think you need to read the new laws on back fees.

You also don't need to bother getting a 1 day moving permit, if asked tell them you towed it home on a trailer, not a tow dolly, they get pissy if the wheels of an unregistered vehicle touches the pavement.

Sure you can take the risk but if you get a ticket for it being on the street (if your are lucky and they don't take it away) it will show up in the records and they will be able to charge you penalties for having it on the street. The safe bet is to get the moving permit.

An inspection may or may not be needed, the plate for my '91 had been surrendered, and all I had to do to was buy new plates, no CHP inspection necessary.  If you do have to have it inspected, just have your brother do it for you, if he can/is willing to.

It is somewhat of a strange deal with having to get a brake and light inspection or VIN verification, I don't know all the rules there but if you need them you can get the brake and light inspection there are authorized centers just like smogging you can go to. As to the VIN verification those are usually done by either the CHP or the DMV and which one you need to go to depends on the year of the car. Some years are done by one and other years by the other, kinda odd but that's what they do. If you have to do a VIN verification call before you go or you may go to the wrong one.

[Snowtoy]

I think you need to read the new laws on back fees.

I meant to say you are not charged for every year, only a maximum of 3 times what the first years registration fees were that were not paid. This was in in response to comment made by abnormaltoy about about buying a 32 Ford that hadn't been registered since WWII.  The 3 yrs maximum is also what the DMV clerk told me the first of May when I registered an '84 that hadn't had tags since '05.  The DMV site states 160% for registration and weight fees for the first year registration was due and not paid, so likely like most gov workers she didn't know what she was talking about and just said something that sounded right.  For the '84 I just registered I was charged $215, $75 for this year, and $140 in back fees.  Using the 160% would put the original fees for '05 at $88 for registration and weight fees alone, which seems a bit high for the time.

Sure you can take the risk but if you get a ticket for it being on the street (if your are lucky and they don't take it away) it will show up in the records and they will be able to charge you penalties for having it on the street. The safe bet is to get the moving permit

From what abriel68 posted, one would assume he already had possession of the truck, therefore getting a one day moving permit from the DMV wasn't needed.  All he has to tell the DMV if asked, is that he towed it home on a trailer, and not on a tow dolly, or that he flat towed.

[SloCrawler]

it help if you know sombody, i just got my truck switched from commercial to off highway use only for $3,