Vehicle Registration

[Greenie Weenie]

A pilot at the airport I work at told me pilots can have their cars registered in any state they choose, regardless of where they are living, because we hold a federal license (FAA Cert.) Anyone know if there is any truth to this? He says he has beat tickets in court twice.

 

[FN FAL]

I would hire him as your lawyer then.

 

[sqwkvfr]

No.

Vehicle registrations are regulated by states, and most states belong to some sort of an 'interstate compact' that helps standardize vehicle and driver licensing.

But, residency requirements vary from state to state...most have exceptions for driver licenses (military service, students, etc.,) but there are very few for vehicle licensing, and in the state where I worked traffic enforcement for several years, there was no such exception.......I suspect most states are the same way, as they are very serious about collecting those highway tax revenues.

I live in Arizona now, and I wouldn't recommend trying it here, unless you want the trooper to laugh while he's issuing the ticket and calling for a tow truck.

What state do you live in? I guess it's possible some state somewhere has a law like this, but it is by no stretch of the imagination a blanket law.

 

[sqwkvfr]

One more thing... I forgot about the "special" parts of the country that require emissions testing.....try getting around those and you'll be subject to additional criminal and, in some cases, severe civil penalties.

 

[BornAgainPagan]

I forgot about the "special" parts of the country that require emissions testing

My "special" part of the country eliminated it last year. Since we were on the "special" list for poor air quality recently, we're reinstituting testing. I hope more follow suit.

 

[FN FAL]

Some states like Florida, also have something that's called a vehicle impact fee (maybe it's called something else?). But anyway, they charge you a couple hundred bucks to bring your out-of-state vehicle into their state and registering it. Sounds like it's a way for them to charge you for the sales tax they didn't get from you, because you bought your car out-of-state.

But anyway, if you "reside" there, they will make you pay this fee within a certain amount of time of moving there...and they seem to adamant about making you get your car registered and licensed in that state...and paying the fee.

Maybe a Floridia resident can fill us in on the details... it was about a decade since I lived there for 7 months as a student.

 

[sqwkvfr]

My "special" part of the country eliminated it last year. Since we were on the "special" list for poor air quality recently, we're reinstituting testing. I hope more follow suit.

Yeah, I'm soooo happy when I'm waiting in line to get tested when I know full well that most cars modern automobile burn so clean that a friggin leaf blower emits almost ten times the number of pollutants and that 84% of the course particles in the "brown cloud" over my city is composed of dust.......explains why the cloud looks to be the same color as the soil around here.

I suppose I could turn a new leaf and find ways to kill time...
-hop out and start hugging trees in the parking lot
-lecturing others waiting in their cars on the evils of fossil fuels
-block the MVD testing station's entrance with bicycles, golf carts (electric, of course), and chicks named "moonbean" who don't shave their pits.

-Or I could just join the neo-hippies happily congregated and smoke a joint or a bowl.......wait a minute, isn't smoke what we're trying to eliminate? Maybe, after taking a bong hit, we should blow into one of those tailpipe tubes and see what it reads! I'm certain that it wouldn't be good...the question for my neo-hippie friends; what goes, the pot or the air quality standards?

"This is a real drag, man. Ya know where we can get some crank?"

Hold on, hold on....how about new "Ultra-low-emission, summer blend pot?!!!?!!??!!??!?!?!" "Weed lights!".......We'll hire James Earl Jones, no, a Janice Joplin impersonator to do the commercials!!!!

Hell, I'm excited about this!!! I'm calling the bank right now....anything to confuse the neo-hippies!!!!

 

[Wankel7]

Geez, I have lived in TX for a little over a year now and haven't registered. I figured I would be moving anyway. Thankfully there is not emmisions testing where I live. And my insurance company said it dosen't hvae to be registered where I live

The cops just don't care down here and I have been pulled over already. No ticket though.

 

[Jedi_Cheese]

God I love no emission tests. The dealership I went to when my check engine light came on told me that it was an emission sensor that went bad, and that they reccomended that I not replace it.

 

[Ailerongirl]

I'm going to throw my experiance in here...take it for what's it worth, which isn't all that much!

I live in the DFW for 5 years and had kept my TN plates and TN lisence the whole time. I did however had TX insurance. Every time I got pulled over (4 times) I was asked why I had TN tags and lisence, and each time I explained that I was flew out of DFW, and was it was my 'base', and not my permanent residence. One officer told me that 2 out of 3 (registration/lisence/insurance) had to be from the same state for it to be legal. Don't know though if that was a state reg though.

One thing I will say for the State of TX is that 'deferred adjudication' is not only a incentive for driver, but a great money maker opportunity for the State. Of the 2 speeding tickets I was actually issued, I paid both, served 3 months probabtion, and had neither go on my record.

It's not quite the freedom to have you car registered wherever you'd like, but it worked for me to not have to re-register my car. TN is cheaper, plus I have vanity plates that I'm rather attached to

 

[Jmmccutc]

what about those special states that don't require any inspections, man i've seen some vehicles that would make me cringe...but hey i know my car get inspected and e-checked regular...might cost an extra $100, but hey it's gonna run well...

 

[pilotman2105]

what about those special states that don't require any inspections

Minnesota is one of those states. Makes for driving with the window down very interesting.

My permanent residence is a state which requires inspections, so my car usually runs fairly well.

 

[wingnutt]

^^^ and what the hell does the inspections have to do with driving in minnesota with the window down??? i lived there for some years too...perhaps things have changed?!?

but im with ailerongirl on this one. i also had to reside in DFW awhile back, and never did take the colorado plates off my truck, as much for the emissions, as for the fees

 

[Jedi_Cheese]

WTF? The liberals bitch about car emissions and Kerry flies his hairstylist in and it burns over a grand worth of fuel? I haven't bought a grand worth of fuel in my entire life (prob coming close tho)!

 

[Tim47SIP]

Skerry

I haven't bought a grand worth of fuel in my entire life (prob coming close tho)!

Well that must make you around 17 or so
Or that makes you still living at home with your parents paying for the gas. Good set up! Don't tell anyone!
P.S. I'll keep it a secret!

 

[regionalcap]

For those living in Texas, here are the rules that I got from another website.

State Law Requires You to Register and Title Your Vehicle in Texas if:

1. You establish residence, or,
2. You become gainfully employed.

Your vehicle may be operated with current out-of-state license plates for 30 days.
Immediate registration is required at the end of such 30-day period.
You are not required to register and title your vehicle in Texas if:
1. You are a nonresident member of the U.S. Armed Forces or,
2. You are a nonresident student attending an accredited Texas college or university on a full-time basis. Part-time employment is allowed.
NOTE: However, your vehicle must display valid license plates and remain currently registered.

 

[KigAir]

Some states like Florida, also have something that's called a vehicle impact fee (maybe it's called something else?).
......
Maybe a Floridia resident can fill us in on the details... it was about a decade since I lived there for 7 months as a student.

The impact fee was ruled unconstitutional in court 9-10 years ago. Everybody who had paid it, me included, got a refund check minus the lawyers fee(I think it was $20). Also, Florida has no inspections.

 

[pilotman2105]

^^^ and what the hell does the inspections have to do with driving in minnesota with the window down??? i lived there for some years too...perhaps things have changed?!?

Perhaps you never got a lung full of someone's exhaust who didn't have their emissions checked? I just find it funny that some states require emissions checks and others don't. Yet, we have this lovely branch of the government called the EPA who b*tches and moans about car emissions everyday.

 

[Wankel7]

For those living in Texas, here are the rules that I got from another website.

State Law Requires You to Register and Title Your Vehicle in Texas if:

1. You establish residence, or,
2. You become gainfully employed.

.

Gainfully enployed in general? Or in Texas?

 

[Oakum_Boy]

Uh, think about that one for a minute...