Which one is the BEST state to register your car?

[left4taco]

Hey guys. Horror story: I live in California.

I was shocked when I received my renewal letter. $427 for a 2019 Mustang! It's f**king crazy. I'm literally thinking of registering it in another state. So do you guys have any state recommended with lower tax rate, no smoke test and everything can be done through mail?

I've been considering these state but there must be some better place.
1. South Dakota. No smoke detection. Mail-friendly
2. (actually no...)

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[Nagare]

Fairly certain it's illegal to register your car in a state separate than where you maintain your residency isn't it? If anywhere would 100% ding you for that, wouldn't it be California?

Florida is pretty great for having to do nothing though.

 

[ManyfordsnoMustang]

Planty of folks register their cars in other states but its risky

https://jalopnik.com/the-pitfalls-of-the-montana-license-plate-scam-1711216059

 

[LxMike]

What would you tell the police if you get stopped and they see one address on your license and a different one on your registration and insurance.

 

[Hack]

If you don't like the regulations where you live - my advice is to follow the law but work hard to improve those laws. It will probably be difficult, but in the end it will benefit a lot of people.

 

[ManyfordsnoMustang]

What would you tell the police if you get stopped and they see one address on your license and a different one on your registration and insurance.

In some states that doesn't matter. In Illinois plenty of people have their car(s) registered at a relatives house as that county doesn't do emissions testing. So states allow for that other's don't.

 

[db252]

Can't wait to move out of Cali to Tennessee (few years/maybe less). Not sure if it's the best state to register a car but $29/yr and no emissions testing sounds awesome to me.

 

[Kermitz]

Can't wait to move out of Cali to Tennessee (few years/maybe less). Not sure if it's the best state to register a car but $29/yr and no emissions testing sounds awesome to me.

5 more years in California for me and this is my destination.

 

[Shifting_Gears]

Florida, South Carolina.. neither require inspection. Again, it’s a very gray area to register if you don’t have a residence in that state. It was about $500/car to register in FL when we moved here. That’s one time, annually it’s under $100 to renew registration.

 

[Interceptor]

If you don't like the regulations where you live - my advice is to follow the law but work hard to improve those laws. It will probably be difficult, but in the end it will benefit a lot of people.

The people talking about leaving California and going to another state and infecting that state, please read above

 

[Bikeman315]

Someone beat me to this petition:

https://www.change.org/p/we-can-use...s-to-the-ocean-drop-california-into-the-ocean

And who says Republicans do not have a sense of humor?

 

[Avispa]

Florida, South Carolina.. neither require inspection. Again, it’s a very gray area to register if you don’t have a residence in that state. It was about $500/car to register in FL when we moved here. That’s one time, annually it’s under $100 to renew registration.

Florida, no inspection but you do have to have the VIN read at a county tax office in FL or by any police officer, or certified by a dealer on its stationery if the car is out of state. Just moved last year and did all the DDs. Was also going to get FL antique plates for the 66 Vette, but its in Maine and didn't want to go to a dealer or the police station. Got Maine antique plates instead.

General rule on registration is where the car is principally garaged rather than residence. State of residence is only an issue for driver licenses.

 

[Purerock105]

Florida is the best of the 3 states I've had vehicles tagged. Virginia & North Carolina the other 2.

Florida is no front tag state. No state inspections. And personal property tax is calculated to be way less than other states.

Insurance can be another issue all together tho.

 

[shogun32]

if the car is owned by a Trust, it can be registered in the state of said trust. There's quite the cottage industry in Montana and Dakotas to set up trusts and have tile held there but garage/operate in a different state. Check your local regs to see how legal that is. In VA for example you can legitimately have FL plates (lots of military claim FL residence) but you're still on the hook for county property tax unless expressly declared and even then you don't get a waiver. The cops drive around with their plate scanners running and log all out of state tags and cross check them against DL and 'garaged' address. They will eventually find the mismatch.

 

[IPOGT]

What would you tell the police if you get stopped and they see one address on your license and a different one on your registration and insurance.

"I saved $500 on my car insurance!!"

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