# California Dmv Fees Are Killing Me



## raynardo (Jun 8, 2007)

I just got my 2010 California DMV registration fees, in 2009 they were $480 but this year they're up to $585 for my 2006 Ford F-250 PSD. AND ON TOP OF THAT - I now have to have my truck smog inspected - a brand new scam for Califonia 1995 and newer diesel truck owners.

And even more insult to injury, the smog inspection checks for tuners! I have a Superchips Flashpaq - and guess what - it's not CARB certified!

I left a complaint on Superchips website after I was informed by one of their techies that I should put my program back to factory standard and THEN DRIVE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED MILES. When was Superchips going to inform California owners of their products of this information? Can you say CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT?

None of this information is freely available in their website or in their advertisements.

Ben Dover.


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

Ouch.....


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## TexanThompsons (Apr 21, 2009)

Making me more and more glad I live in TX where they realize diesel engine vehicles are what drive our economy.

Sorry to hear that.

Love the "new" name.


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## clarkely (Sep 15, 2008)

sorry to hear of that!!! Cause your BS out there usually starts to find its way to the other states eventually.........

For awhile there i was thinking and hoping California would break away from the rest of the country with their wacky rules and regs......... but now the rest of the Country seems to be starting to follow the wacky stuff That State Govt comes up with.........


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## W5CI (Apr 21, 2009)

I am glad i live in Arkansas, No vehicle insp much less smog check, i just renewed my tags for pickup, $25.00 and lifetime tags for Outback was $45.00. I know the weather is great out there but why is everyone leaving.?? I feel your pain.


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## Duanesz (Jul 10, 2009)

Ya and the state is about to go bankrupt and they want to micro manage everything.


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

I have terminated the budget.....


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

Funny pic! Renewed my tag on the OB and it had doubled from last year. On top of that, Pickups in Iowa was always charged $65 since this is a farm state (duh). Now starting this year any thing newer that 2010 model is charged at full cost like a car would be. Cost for new plates run over $600, 10X what they were. so far we don't have to have the truck inspected but legally to drive in Illinois (1 mile away for me) I should have my truck inspected there. It should get interesting soon when the states realize they are loosing money because the Fed. Gov. is requiring all new cars and trucks to bet better mileage. this = less gas taxes. fun for us all.


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## muttbike (Apr 27, 2009)

RANT ON

Here in Colorado, our Democratic Governor, Bill Taxz Ritter, stuck an additional fee on all tags last year. So my 25 year old utility trailer is now almost $50. It was less than $30 for years. This tax was added to everything wearing a tag, truck, car, TT, motorcycle. On top of that, they implemented a late fee if you register your vehicle outside the month due. Not a big deal for the daily drivers, but I would only register the utility trailer when needed. Now I have to get it done right away or it goes up even more.

BTW, this guy who did this had decided not to run for reelection due to wanting more family time. The POed electorate was looking at giving him more time before the decided not to run.

JR


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## Silvrsled (Jul 24, 2008)

raynardo said:


> I just got my 2010 California DMV registration fees, in 2009 they were $480 but this year they're up to $585 for my 2006 Ford F-250 PSD. AND ON TOP OF THAT - I now have to have my truck smog inspected - a brand new scam for Califonia 1995 and newer diesel truck owners.
> 
> And even more insult to injury, the smog checks for tuners! I have a Superchips Flashpaq - and guess what - it's not CARB certified!
> 
> ...


That sucks. My truck registration was astronomical last year too due to the registration increase. I was outraged. I hadn't heard about the diesel smog check so that really irks me. I'm tired of all the stuff us californians get screwed on.


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## MJRey (Jan 21, 2005)

I paid mine in January and it was $592 but at least I get another year before I need to go through the emissions test BS. There are a large number of aftermarket companies that will never bother to get CARB certification for the products they've been selling for years because it's just too expensive. Hopefully people that bought the stuff kept the original parts so they can go back to stock for the test. Also if you think it's bad for us private diesel vehicle owners the commercial on and off road equipment folks are really getting a beating. Basically they'll have to replace of re-engine their equipment to be able to keep using it. The cost is huge for many businesses and failing to comply opens them up to big fines from CARB. Since CARB funds itself from fines they are all too ready and able to fine businesses that don't comply.

http://www.constructionequipment.com/articleDetail/CA6657603.html

I can't wait to retire and get out of this state!!!! The only problem is other states seem to follow our stupid examples.


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## sunnybrook29 (Oct 7, 2009)

Same in Florida, we did it to ourselves !
Florida voters passed constitutional amendments to force the lowering of property taxes and doubled the homestead exemption . So , counties have had to get the state to raise auto tag fees, fishing and hunting license , traffic tickets and many other fees.
The have been forced to reduce school funding and many other government functions. We all want good schools and good roads and services but we need to figure out how to get the other guy to pay for it. Sometimes we end up being "the other guy". 
Here in Florida , myself I like it when they raise the fuel tax and the sales tax as a great percentage of this is paid by Yankee Tourists!
There are no easy answers, more government or less government? Ain't a whole lot of difference. We might have been better off if we never had lowered those taxes!
My Dodge 2500 $ 78.
My 30 foot TT $48.
My 25 yr old trash trailer $28.
The cost of living always goes up , but it is still a bargain !
Bob


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Don't move out of the state. VOTE!!!!

I don't live in the state, but am impacted by CARB on a daily basis, AND I didn't even get a vote!!!


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

Here in Washington state, tabs were completely out of hand when we moved here in 1994. When I bought my 1999 Silverado, the tab were just under $600. Not the sales tax, the tabs. I came from Oregon which had $20 tabs for two years. Talk about culture shock. Most of that money didn't pay for roads, but went into the state general fund. A few years later a ballot measure was passed by the people that limited car tabs to $30 a year no matter what you drove. The state supreme court decided that was unconstitutional and reversed it. The legislature, feeling the political heat, agreed to the idea of $30 tabs and limited them to that amount. That was until they decided they liked our money. There have now been weight based fees added to truck tabs. So my new truck that is supposed to have $30 tabs has over $100 in gross weight fees added.


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## raynardo (Jun 8, 2007)

I think I've decided to register my truck in South Dakota, where I grew up and my mother still lives. I called the county treasurer's office (they don't have a DMV everywhere), they'll register my truck for about $47! That'll save me about $600 a year! And now that I'm retired, every dollar counts. God Bless South Dakota!


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Colorado is as bad or worse.

I run a commercial GVW plate for 26k om my dually. 1100 bucks and will never go down. Thats terrible. Semis are 3k.

A 1/2 ton truck avgs 5-600 and a 1 ton truck avgs 750 or so and thats for private use.

We need to do what Washington done.

They again raised the rate this year. They said they are broke and got to make the money up somewhere.

Thanks Governor Bill Ritter! We need a smiley face that is bent over showing his moon....









Carey


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## lanceracs (Oct 29, 2008)

That is one of many reasons that we left almost four years ago. Now in Southeast Idaho where life is simple & reasonable. Get back to So. Ca. often to visit family, but would never live there again.


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## jcamp (Oct 16, 2009)

Anyone notice how we folks squeezed in between California & Washington are keeping pretty quiet!


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## Patty (Mar 4, 2010)

All the newer vehicles 2000< saw a huge increase but we have Prop 13 here in CA which limits increases in property taxes to 1% per year. I can tell you that I would rather have some control on property taxes. I saw an article that talked about people paying property taxes that would average out to be my house payment per month or more. $15,000 per year in property taxes. I wouldn't ever be able to retire paying $1200 a month in taxes. A mortgage on top of that







. I'll deal with the fees. California likes to give away so much. Someone has to pay for it!


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## MJRey (Jan 21, 2005)

raynardo said:


> I think I've decided to register my truck in South Dakota, where I grew up and my mother still lives. I called the county treasurer's office (they don't have a DMV everywhere), they'll register my truck for about $47! That'll save me about $600 a year! And now that I'm retired, every dollar counts. God Bless South Dakota!


Be careful, California can nail you for penalties if they figure out what you're doing. If you get stopped and the registration is in your name but you have a CA license they'll figure out what your up to. Also the CHP/police check vehicles with out of state plates they see a lot in a specific area looking for vehicles that aren't properly registered. Many years ago when I lived in an apartment complex I saw a CHP cruising through while I was waxing my car. I asked him what was up since he was looking at all the cars as he drove by and he said he was checking for out of state plates that had been there for several weeks. The CHP has a web page for reporting vehicles with out of state plates that are owned by CA residents:

http://www.chp.ca.gov/prog/cheaters.cgi

Make very sure none of your neighbors or anyone else has a grudge against you or you might get an unwelcome letter from the DMV. There's probably a way around this but my best guess is that you would have to transfer ownership of the truck to your mother and you would just be borrowing it. This would certainly cause some other issues with things like insurance though. Good luck and be careful.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

MJRey said:


> I think I've decided to register my truck in South Dakota, where I grew up and my mother still lives. I called the county treasurer's office (they don't have a DMV everywhere), they'll register my truck for about $47! That'll save me about $600 a year! And now that I'm retired, every dollar counts. God Bless South Dakota!


Be careful, California can nail you for penalties if they figure out what you're doing. If you get stopped and the registration is in your name but you have a CA license they'll figure out what your up to. Also the CHP/police check vehicles with out of state plates they see a lot in a specific area looking for vehicles that aren't properly registered. Many years ago when I lived in an apartment complex I saw a CHP cruising through while I was waxing my car. I asked him what was up since he was looking at all the cars as he drove by and he said he was checking for out of state plates that had been there for several weeks. The CHP has a web page for reporting vehicles with out of state plates that are owned by CA residents:

http://www.chp.ca.gov/prog/cheaters.cgi

Make very sure none of your neighbors or anyone else has a grudge against you or you might get an unwelcome letter from the DMV. There's probably a way around this but my best guess is that you would have to transfer ownership of the truck to your mother and you would just be borrowing it. This would certainly cause some other issues with things like insurance though. Good luck and be careful.
[/quote]
Yes, you might have to change your residency. This is popular however since there are some big tax/registration advantages. However, last I checked it was legal to spend time in a state you weren't a resident of. You just want to make sure your plate and driver's license match.


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## VacaRick (Jul 23, 2009)

Take care, 
If TV and TT plates have different state origins it will be a red flag for some enterprising local constable.


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## muttbike (Apr 27, 2009)

MJRey said:


> I think I've decided to register my truck in South Dakota, where I grew up and my mother still lives. I called the county treasurer's office (they don't have a DMV everywhere), they'll register my truck for about $47! That'll save me about $600 a year! And now that I'm retired, every dollar counts. God Bless South Dakota!


Be careful, California can nail you for penalties if they figure out what you're doing. If you get stopped and the registration is in your name but you have a CA license they'll figure out what your up to. Also the CHP/police check vehicles with out of state plates they see a lot in a specific area looking for vehicles that aren't properly registered. Many years ago when I lived in an apartment complex I saw a CHP cruising through while I was waxing my car. I asked him what was up since he was looking at all the cars as he drove by and he said he was checking for out of state plates that had been there for several weeks. The CHP has a web page for reporting vehicles with out of state plates that are owned by CA residents:

[/quote]

They now have optical tag scanning cameras available to assist them in their revenue generation efforts. These were developed for stolen vehicle location services, but our money hungry local guvvie types quickly found "other" uses for the technology.

Photo


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

Our county just go the optical tag scanner. They just drive around and it scans every tag it passed. If its wrong in any way it alerts the officer and he pulls you over. One local cop came by the office the other day and it went crazy pulling in....half of the public facility employees have dead tags.

WHY IS IT THAT WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN OUR BUDGET BUT THE GOVERNMENT CAN TAKE MORE MONEY FROM US WHEN EVER THEY NEED MORE!!!!!!


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## raynardo (Jun 8, 2007)

I did it.

I registered both my OB and my truck in South Dakota. Instead of giving California $850 for both, I'm gave South Dakota $86.13 for both.

I appreciate the information about out of state registrations, but I have several things going my way:

where I live has a large out of state contingent, so out of state plates aren't that big a deal
I have both the truck and trailer registered in South Dakota
I never (or hardly ever) drive my truck without the trailer attached
I have a second residence in South Dakota
I have five other vehicles still registered in California
I'm heading out for a trip once around the U.S. in a little over a month for three months, I may not appear as "cool" with South Dakota plates as with personalized California plates!


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

raynardo said:


> I did it.
> 
> I registered both my OB and my truck in South Dakota. Instead of giving California $850 for both, I'm gave South Dakota $86.13 for both.
> 
> ...


Is there a website you used for this? My plates are due by the end of the month. Colorado wants 1100 for a 26k gvw plate for my dually. Its about double over every other state from what everyone tells me. Most tell me 3-400 is what they pay.

Im sick of our state ripping us off too. They done another raise this year to us.

Thanks for the info!
Carey


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## TexanThompsons (Apr 21, 2009)

Remind me to hug my state! Trailer was $153 and the truck was only $60.


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## wolverine (Mar 5, 2009)

Here in Michigan, it costs $200 for a lifetime plate for the trailer that never needs to be renewd, but you cannot transfer the plate to another trailer.


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## raynardo (Jun 8, 2007)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> Is there a website you used for this?


No, Carey, I just contacted the county treasurer's office where I grew up and told them that now that I'm retired, I'm moving back home to South Dakota. I used my mother's address, where I spend time every year. The county treasurer's office handles the DMV stuff.

What I loved the best, is when I called them and asked them what the fees would be, they said they weren't 100% sure but they had a ballpark figure - and just send them a blank check and they'll fill it out. That's what I love about South Dakota! I sent them a blank check.


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## Silvrsled (Jul 24, 2008)

raynardo said:


> What I loved the best, is when I called them and asked them what the fees would be, they said they weren't 100% sure but they had a ballpark figure - and just send them a blank check and they'll fill it out. That's what I love about South Dakota! I sent them a blank check.


What's the chances you'll send me a blank check? Hell, I'm close enough to you, I'll even swing by and save you the postage.


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## Ridgway-Rangers (Apr 18, 2008)

raynardo said:


> Is there a website you used for this?


What I loved the best, is when I called them and asked them what the fees would be, they said they weren't 100% sure but they had a ballpark figure - and just send them a blank check and they'll fill it out. That's what I love about South Dakota! I sent them a blank check.
[/quote]

California is kina like that. They ask for the balance in your bank account and add 25% to that. It's kinda like the blank check thing only they take you for everything and then some!


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