AZ to CA toy hauler registration.....with a twist

[Bigbore500r]

I picked up a toy hauler that I need to transfer title and register in CA. Original owner purchased it new in 2007, from Carson Trailers in AZ. Trailer was brought to CA, but CA wanted to hit him with the sales tax on that trailer, so he never registered it. Fast forward to now - I have the trailer, a bill of sale, and the Lien Release the bank sent him when he paid it off. There is no CA title because he never registered it here. The lien release states "no electronic title is on file, please take this letter to your nearest DMV and request a title". It is also notarized (it's legit).

I'm thinking its going to go like this - DMV is gonna want to inspect the trailer, verify the vin, and hit me with all that tax he didn't pay back in 2007 when he abandoned the registration process the 1st time in '07. I have a bill of sale from the guy saying it was sold to me for $1,000, and says it has no CA registration because it was kept on private property for storage and not for CA highway use.

What say ye ? I don't want to go to the DMV and shoot myself in the foot saying the wrong thing. Obviously I dont want to pay tax on a trailer that cost $25,000 new, when i bought it used for much much less.

 

[warlock250]

Just go register it and keep your mouth shut and play dumb.

 

[grumpy88]

I would register it out of state first for a couple of months and then come to .ca with a clean current registration

 

[Bigbore500r]

Just go register it and keep your mouth shut and play dumb.

Think they will have record of the previous owner trying to register in '07 ? AAA told me they won't handle it as there is no CA title on file and no registration. Out of state vehicles / vehicles without CA registration must be handled direct with DMV.

 

[OutCole'd]

This is a buddy of mine, he can help with the Vin verify.

http://www.vinverifiers.com/

He may also be able to help with the registration.

 

[Singleton]

Go to AAA and register it. Just did my ToyHauler registration through them and it was very easy and only had to pay use tax on the sale price

 

[Bpracing1127]

Why not register it in az and be done with it

 

[Singleton]

Why not register it in az and be done with it

CA resident pulling an AZ trailer in the same name = huge fine and PIA if you get pulled over.

 

[Miller92672]

CA resident pulling an AZ trailer in the same name = huge fine and PIA if you get pulled over.

Yup...Boat trailer and travel trailer registered to my wife all vehicles are registered to me and my business for this reason

 

[Bigbore500r]

Go to AAA and register it. Just did my ToyHauler registration through them and it was very easy and only had to pay use tax on the sale price

AAA on the phone said they can't transfer a vehicle to my name from out of state, or issue a new title without current CA registration.

 

[buck35]

If you are just hauling off the neighbors garage crap , then there's no reason to license and transfer.
Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[Bigbore500r]

If you are just hauling off the neighbors garage crap , then there's no reason to license and transfer.
Sorry, I couldn't resist.

"....we're gonna need a bigger trailer"

 

[rpmsrup]

AAA on the phone said they can't transfer a vehicle to my name from out of state, or issue a new title without current CA registration.

I bought a toy hauler from Michigan and it hadn't been registered in years took it to AAA and they just verified the vin and gave me a new plate and registration super simple. some of the DMV and AAA are getting smart about what some of the values are on used vehicles just a FYI

 

[warlock250]

You need to get the original MSO that the guy had when he first paid for it. Then you have the original title basically.

 

[Bigbore500r]

I bought a toy hauler from Michigan and it hadn't been registered in years took it to AAA and they just verified the vin and gave me a new plate and registration super simple. some of the DMV and AAA are getting smart about what some of the values are on used vehicles just a FYI

Did you have a Michigan title? All I have is a Lien release and bill of sale from original owner to me

 

[warlock250]

Did you have a Michigan title? All I have is a Lien release and bill of sale from original owner to me

Can you get a hold of the original owner and get the MSO.

 

[rpmsrup]

Did you have a Michigan title? All I have is a Lien release and bill of sale from original owner to me

no title just a reg card from Michigan

 

[RiverDave]

Why not register it in az and be done with it

This is the direction I would be going. No sales tax on private party.. then if you want Ca ref move it over next year.

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

Call this girl. I bought a huge trailer that was for a Fountain that had the same issues as it was the trailer for a demo boat. She handled the whole thing for me. She's good!

Arleen's Vehicle Registration  
WebsiteDirections
4.7
7 Google reviews
Legal services in Hesperia, California
Address: 14465 Main St # 3, Hesperia, CA 92345
Hours: Open today ? 9AM?5PM
Phone: (760) 947-2156
Suggest an edit

 

[rvrrun]

Call this girl. I bought a huge trailer that was for a Fountain that had the same issues as it was the trailer for a demo boat. She handled the whole thing for me. She's good!

Arleen's Vehicle Registration  
WebsiteDirections
4.7
7 Google reviews
Legal services in Hesperia, California
Address: 14465 Main St # 3, Hesperia, CA 92345
Hours: Open today ? 9AM?5PM
Phone: (760) 947-2156
Suggest an edit

That's what I would do. We regularly register cars w/o non ops and out of state cars using a service. If this person doesn't pan out I can give you the name of our guy.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

This is the direction I would be going. No sales tax on private party.. then if you want Ca ref move it over next year.

This or fill it with clear jugs of liquid and bring it to the DMV and demand registration.

 

[Big B Hova]

Tell the DMV mindtheirownfuckingbusiness

 

[Don Johnson]

BB500, is your tow vehicle registered in your name or your company? If its in your company then you should have no concerns towing an AZ plated RV with a Calif plated vehicle. Thats how i avoid this whole Calif vs AZ crap.

 

[Chopperman]

AAA on the phone said they can't transfer a vehicle to my name from out of state, or issue a new title without current CA registration.

This doesn't seem right. Years back when I bought my Hallett in Az it had no title for the trailer and AAA had no issues with it. Just asked me for the VIN and told me that Ca doesn't even issue titles for most trailers that they were bill of sale only when sold privately, but I could pay the $17 dollar fee to get a Ca title if I wanted. Which I did. It was easy. They didn't really even want to see the bill of sale. Just glanced at the VIN to type it in the computer. Transferred both to my name and got Ca titles for both. Easy peasy.

 

[warlock250]

In Az you can get a bonded title for it since you don't have the MSO.

 

[Bigbore500r]

This doesn't seem right. Years back when I bought my Hallett in Az it had no title for the trailer and AAA had no issues with it. Just asked me for the VIN and told me that Ca doesn't even issue titles for most trailers that they were bill of sale only when sold privately, but I could pay the $17 dollar fee to get a Ca title if I wanted. Which I did. It was easy. They didn't really even want to see the bill of sale. Just glanced at the VIN to type it in the computer. Transferred both to my name and got Ca titles for both. Easy peasy.

I think the difficulty is because it's an RV instead of a regular trailer. CA won't issue permanent trailer plates for it, has to have yearly registration. I may just run in there anyway and see

 

[Bigbore500r]

In Az you can get a bonded title for it since you don't have the MSO.

I called that registration service posted earlier in the thread, they said worst case they could bond it and it shouldn't be an issue. Hopefully they are right!

 

[Bigbore500r]

BB500, is your tow vehicle registered in your name or your company? If its in your company then you should have no concerns towing an AZ plated RV with a Calif plated vehicle. Thats how i avoid this whole Calif vs AZ crap.

No, truck is registered to me.

 

[Don Johnson]

No, truck is registered to me.

How about..... Since you own an AZ residence, register the RV in AZ in your wifes name. If pulled over towing with a CA plated truck explain that your wife is full time resident in AZ and RV is in her name.

Or better yet do you have a living trust? If so register it to the trust and that fixes everything.

 

[Bigbore500r]

How about..... Since you own an AZ residence, register the RV in AZ in your wifes name. If pulled over towing with a CA plated truck explain that your wife is full time resident in AZ and RV is in her name.

My house is on the CA side [emoji20]

 

[Don Johnson]

My house is on the CA side [emoji20]

Oops, I knew that.....