Leasing and Custom License Plate - CA

[Ampster]

Ok, so, here is the point: once you'll give your leased Smart ED back, what is going to happen? Can you keep your TOY TSLA plates?

Yes, just like I did above with the RAV4EV. The plates belong to the owner of the plates, not the owner of the car. All one has to do is pay a small annual fee each year in order to put them on some future car. I suppose if you don't pay the fee you could still keep them on the wall in your garage.

 

[fablau]

Yes, just like I did above with the RAV4EV. The plates belong to the owner of the plates, not the owner of the car. All one has to do is pay a small annual fee each year in order to put them on some future car. I suppose if you don't pay the fee you could still keep them on the wall in your garage.

Thank you for your reply, that makes sense... but I still don't know what is going to happen when you return your leased car: will the dealer accept a car back without the original plates?

 

[Ampster]

.....will the dealer accept a car back without the original plates?

What choice do they have? Technically, the original plates were surendered to the DMV. They may charge a fee for new plates but remember the personalized plates are owned by the person that bought them originally.

 

[fablau]

What choice do they have? Technically, the original plates were surendered to the DMV. They may charge a fee for new plates but remember the personalized plates are owned by the person that bought them originally.

Good point... ok, I guess that we'll see that together because I am going to do exactly what you have done! When is your lease going to expire? I just got my Model S, so it is going to be a 3 years wait for me before to find out...

 

[smilepak]

That something worth looking into. I might want to keep my plate once my Model S lease end and transfer it to the Model 3.

When you turn in your lease, do you go to the DMV to ask for a new generic plate to put on and then return the lease? Or do you just return the lease w/o any plate and register with DMV the custom plate no longer applicable with the Model S?

 

[fablau]

That something worth looking into. I might want to keep my plate once my Model S lease end and transfer it to the Model 3.

When you turn in your lease, do you go to the DMV to ask for a new generic plate to put on and then return the lease? Or do you just return the lease w/o any plate and register with DMV the custom plate no longer applicable with the Model S?

I have no idea! That's what I am trying to find out.

 

[Ampster]

....

When you turn in your lease, do you go to the DMV to ask for a new generic plate to put on and then return the lease? Or do you just return the lease w/o any plate and register with DMV the custom plate no longer applicable with the Model S?

My advice is to do whatever you feel like. As pointed out above I just returned the car without any plates. The dealers are well versed in how to get new plates. Or, I suppose you could do their work for them and get plates. I don't enjoy going to the DMV so I left the unplated car with the dealer. To be clear, I took off the plates after I arrived so I wouldn't get a ticket for no plates. I go to the Auto Club to do most registration issues that don't involve the dealer.

 

[fablau]

My advice is to do whatever you feel like. As pointed out above I just returned the car without any plates. The dealers are well versed in how to get new plates. Or, I suppose you could do their work for them and get plates. I don't enjoy going to the DMV so I left the unplated car with the dealer. To be clear, I took off the plates after I arrived so I wouldn't get a ticket for no plates. I go to the Auto Club to do most registration issues that don't involve the dealer.

Yes, that's what I'd like trying to do. Otherwise, I'll wait until I get my personalized plates, and then I'll ask Tesla what they suggest doing. The lease is in my name as well as the DMV registration, so I suppose they'll be able to help me with all this.

 

[gsxdsm]

Will be planning to do this as well, interested to see how it goes

 

[emchen]

I believe that the owner of the vehicle (in this case the lessor or tesla leasing, not you) needs to sign off on the personalized plate application. Normally you can do this with a simple form when you pick up the vehicle. If it is after delivery and initial delivery of plates, then there is paperwork the leasing company needs to sign off on.

This is what I would like to know...what is the paperwork and where can I find it? I just received my 60's CA plates (gold lettering on black background) and reached out to the Tesla senior credit specialist who financed my lease. I will call the office number tomorrow at 818-779-1125 to find out about this "sign off".

 

[Lloyd]

If you received your plates, then they have already "signed off". If you take them at the end of the lease, then they will need to release them to you. Leasing companies don't care about personalized plates and it's a normal part of the lease termination.

 

[fablau]

This is what I would like to know...what is the paperwork and where can I find it? I just received my 60's CA plates (gold lettering on black background) and reached out to the Tesla senior credit specialist who financed my lease. I will call the office number tomorrow at 818-779-1125 to find out about this "sign off".

Well, keep us posted with your findings. Thanks!

 

[emchen]

This is what I would like to know...what is the paperwork and where can I find it? I just received my 60's CA plates (gold lettering on black background) and reached out to the Tesla senior credit specialist who financed my lease. I will call the office number tomorrow at 818-779-1125 to find out about this "sign off".

Update: I called and left a message with Tesla Financial, no call back or email back. I went to DMV located in Newhall, waited about 15 minutes as walk-in, and exchanged my old plates with the new, no problems, no questions about lease-holder "sign-off"! As far as I could tell, it was a non-issue.

 

[fablau]

Update: I called and left a message with Tesla Financial, no call back or email back. I went to DMV located in Newhall, waited about 15 minutes as walk-in, and exchanged my old plates with the new, no problems, no questions about lease-holder "sign-off"! As far as I could tell, it was a non-issue.

Thank you for letting us know about it, I am glad that worked out flawlessly. What concerns me is what's going to happen at lease end... You'll keep your own planted, and then return the car without any plates?

 

[Ampster]

What concerns me is what's going to happen at lease end... You'll keep your own planted, and then return the car without any plates?

Read my posts. That is exactly what I did, I returned the car with no plates. I am sorry if I did not make it clearer. The personalized plates are yours, they do not belong to the car. You have two choices to make before you turn in the car. One, go stand in line at DMV and net new plates because you want to keep your personal plates. Two, take a screwdriver with you when you turn in your car and when you get there, remove your plates. You are making an issue where there is no issue. As I said before, the dealer deals with it all the time. They have a permit from DMV, as does the Auto Club, to change registration and request new plates.

 

[fablau]

Read my posts. That is exactly what I did, I returned the car with no plates. I am sorry if I did not make it clearer. The personalized plates are yours, they do not belong to the car. You have two choices to make before you turn in the car. One, go stand in line at DMV and net new plates because you want to keep your personal plates. Two, take a screwdriver with you when you turn in your car and when you get there, remove your plates. You are making an issue where there is no issue. As I said before, the dealer deals with it all the time. They have a permit from DMV, as does the Auto Club, to change registration and request new plates.

Perfectly clear now, thank you for clarifying. My only concern was the possibility to have issues with Tesla when I were to return my car without its "original" plates, but from what you describe, that won't be an issue at all. Sounds great to me and I will follow your second suggested option. Thanks