Trade-In's Registration Renewal Timing

[ohiyukichan]

Hello MY Fam!

Sorry if this has been asked before, I couldn't quite find a topic that answered my questions about it.

I am doing a trade-in for my MY, EDD is 11/23-12/13, however, my car's registration renewal is also due sometime in November. I don't want to accrue any late fees from the DMV, so I do intend on paying the registration if my Tesla doesn't come in time. However, If there is a miracle and my Tesla comes before my registration renewal is due, should I leave it unpaid and notify the DMV that I no longer own the vehicle? I know the DMV usually sends the renewal 2-3 months ahead of the due date, so I don't know what my timing should be in regards to this.

Thanks!

 

[jordanair45]

I registered mine as PNO until I get my Tesla. Since I won’t be driving it.


Dealer can move the car after you release the liability.

 

[Kairide]

When you trade-in a vehicle in CA, you'll sign DMV forms authorizing the release of the vehicle to the dealership. This releases you from all liability from the date you sign. Obviously anything outstanding prior will still be your responsibility. If you trade it in the day of, or before your registration expires, you're not responsible for the renewal. Don't waste your money renewing unless you'll be trading it in after the expiration date.

 

[ohiyukichan]

When you trade-in a vehicle in CA, you'll sign DMV forms authorizing the release of the vehicle to the dealership. This releases you from all liability from the date you sign. Obviously anything outstanding prior will still be your responsibility. If you trade it in the day of, or before your registration expires, you're not responsible for the renewal. Don't waste your money renewing unless you'll be trading it in after the expiration date.

Thank you so much for this! I guess i'll just hope that they deliver before it's due then.

 

[PNWLeccy]

Has anyone sold or traded-in a vehicle with an expired registration? There is no prorated registration refunds and it is not transferrable in WA state which means the new owner has to register the vehicle themselves no matter what. My EDD is currently a few weeks past my renewal and I would have to pay ~$950 to renew my registration for a vehicle I will immediately be getting rid of and would like to avoid that if possible.

I've tried researching this and some sources say that it is possible to sell a vehicle with expired registration in WA and some trade-in services may not ask for it (Tesla) but others require it (Carmax).

 

[Kairide]

Has anyone sold or traded-in a vehicle with an expired registration? There is no prorated registration refunds and it is not transferrable in WA state which means the new owner has to register the vehicle themselves no matter what. My EDD is currently a few weeks past my renewal and I would have to pay ~$950 to renew my registration for a vehicle I will immediately be getting rid of and would like to avoid that if possible.

I've tried researching this and some sources say that it is possible to sell a vehicle with expired registration in WA and some trade-in services may not ask for it (Tesla) but others require it (Carmax).

I’m not sure if you can legally sell or trade in a vehicle with expired tags. Even if you could, the chances of someone willing to buy or accept a vehicle with expired tags is slim to none. They wouldn’t want to pay to renew the registration any more than you want to.
Every time I’ve traded in a vehicle, the first thing they do is ask for the registration. I’m assuming to make sure it exists, but also that it’s still valid.

 

[G2bme]

Has anyone sold or traded-in a vehicle with an expired registration? There is no prorated registration refunds and it is not transferrable in WA state which means the new owner has to register the vehicle themselves no matter what. My EDD is currently a few weeks past my renewal and I would have to pay ~$950 to renew my registration for a vehicle I will immediately be getting rid of and would like to avoid that if possible.

I've tried researching this and some sources say that it is possible to sell a vehicle with expired registration in WA and some trade-in services may not ask for it (Tesla) but others require it (Carmax).

Agreed, as the OP posted I tried to time it and I ordered in March. Registration was due August and we’re coming to September. I just paid my registration since I still need to drive my car. If you ordered a MYLR and made the order after July1st, expect your delivery to come end of December.

 

[PNWLeccy]

I’m not sure if you can legally sell or trade in a vehicle with expired tags. Even if you could, the chances of someone willing to buy or accept a vehicle with expired tags is slim to none. They wouldn’t want to pay to renew the registration any more than you want to.
Every time I’ve traded in a vehicle, the first thing they do is ask for the registration. I’m assuming to make sure it exists, but also that it’s still valid.

The thing is that registrations are not transferable to new owners no matter what in WA. The new owner is required to renew the registration whether it has nearly a year remaining or if it’s expired.

 

[open_reading]

When you trade-in a vehicle in CA, you'll sign DMV forms authorizing the release of the vehicle to the dealership. This releases you from all liability from the date you sign. Obviously anything outstanding prior will still be your responsibility. If you trade it in the day of, or before your registration expires, you're not responsible for the renewal. Don't waste your money renewing unless you'll be trading it in after the expiration date.

Hey there, I know this is 2 years late, but I just wanted to know if you're sure this is the case in CA. I traded in my vehicle and took delivery in June 2021, and I got mail today saying that car I traded in got towed and that the towing company wants me to pay all the fees since they listed me as the last registered owner, even though they also listed Tesla as an "interested party" in the letter. I didn't get any copies of the release of the vehicle liability form. Would you know how to get them? I also filed a bunch of notice of release of liability forms in the official dmv site but I didn't print out any confirmations.

 

[Kairide]

Hey there, I know this is 2 years late, but I just wanted to know if you're sure this is the case in CA. I traded in my vehicle and took delivery in June 2021, and I got mail today saying that car I traded in got towed and that the towing company wants me to pay all the fees since they listed me as the last registered owner, even though they also listed Tesla as an "interested party" in the letter. I didn't get any copies of the release of the vehicle liability form. Would you know how to get them? I also filed a bunch of notice of release of liability forms in the official dmv site but I didn't print out any confirmations.

Yes, as far as I know this is still true. When you trade in a vehicle, you should have signed forms authorizing the sale and releasing liability for the vehicle starting when the DMV forms were signed. You should have received a copy of the form at the time you traded it in. You shouldn’t be responsible for any tickets after that date. Of course the dealership you traded in your vehicle needs to file the paperwork with DMV appropriately. Knowing Tesla, there’s a good chance they didn’t file the paperwork correctly, or at all.

 

[Resist]

Everything I have seen said that dealers can take vehicles that are PNO'd. So I went to the DMV and got a one day drive pass. My trade in vehicle has been on PNO status for years. Now days away for picking up my new Tesla they sent me a text saying the trade in has to be fully registered and out of PNO status...what?!!!

No way I can get this done in two days nor would I want to because I would have to get smog check and then pay the registration for the full year, and it doesn't get refunded if I only have the car for a few days. So basically Tesla screwed me over!

 

[Kairide]

Everything I have seen said that dealers can take vehicles that are PNO'd. So I went to the DMV and got a one day drive pass. My trade in vehicle has been on PNO status for years. Now days away for picking up my new Tesla they sent me a text saying the trade in has to be fully registered and out of PNO status...what?!!!

No way I can get this done in two days nor would I want to because I would have to get smog check and then pay the registration for the full year, and it doesn't get refunded if I only have the car for a few days. So basically Tesla screwed me over!

Seems pretty reasonable that anyone buying your car, dealer or private would want it to be properly registered. Not sure why you’re so upset over this.

 

[Resist]

Seems pretty reasonable that anyone buying your car, dealer or private would want it to be properly registered. Not sure why you’re so upset over this.

Because they are going to have to re-register it themselves anyway. It doesn't matter that it's not registered to drive on the road by me and legally I can drive it to them on a one day drive pass, from the DMV. Once I sign over the title to a private party they can't legally drive it on the road until they register it. A dealership can drive it on the road with dealer plates, so again it doesn't matter that I have it PNO'd.

 

[Kairide]

Because they are going to have to re-register it themselves anyway. It doesn't matter that it's not registered to drive on the road by me and legally I can drive it to them on a one day drive pass, from the DMV. Once I sign over the title to a private party they can't legally drive it on the road until they register it. A dealership can drive it on the road with dealer plates, so again it doesn't matter that I have it PNO'd.

Would you buy a car that hadn’t been registered for years or smogged? What happens if your car fails the smog test? Tesla would be responsible for fixing it before they could send it to auction.

 

[jjrandorin]

Everything I have seen said that dealers can take vehicles that are PNO'd. So I went to the DMV and got a one day drive pass. My trade in vehicle has been on PNO status for years. Now days away for picking up my new Tesla they sent me a text saying the trade in has to be fully registered and out of PNO status...what?!!!

Sounds to me like you confused "CAN take" with "Have to take". They are buying your car (or not). They get to set the conditions of the sale, as long as they are not performing discrimination.

If you dont want to meet their policies for trading it in, you should remove it from the deal and sell it private party, or to some other dealer who you find who doesnt care about PNO status.

 

[Resist]

Would you buy a car that hadn’t been registered for years or smogged? What happens if your car fails the smog test? Tesla would be responsible for fixing it before they could send it to auction.

My car is registered, just not to drive on the street. And lets say it was registered to drive on the street, a smog test has nothing to do with anything when trading it in to a dealership, because it only has to be smogged when sold to a private party. It could easily be 6 years from the last smog test, because in CA we pay a smog abatement fee that extends when it has to be smogged.

 

[Resist]

Sounds to me like you confused "CAN take" with "Have to take". They are buying your car (or not). They get to set the conditions of the sale, as long as they are not performing discrimination.

If you dont want to meet their policies for trading it in, you should remove it from the deal and sell it private party, or to some other dealer who you find who doesnt care about PNO status.

And I understand that, but buying a PNO'd vehicle is no different than buying one that is legal to drive on the street. What is their logic in requiring it not to be on PNO status? If a vehicle wasn't PNO'd or even registered in the DMV system, then I could understand that.

 

[jjrandorin]

And I understand that, but buying a PNO'd vehicle is no different than buying one that is legal to drive on the street.

No, its not. One is legal to drive on the street, and has theoretically been smogged etc (or someone was bribed) and the other one is not legal to operate on the road, has unknown smog status etc. Not the same thing at all.

 

[Resist]

No, its not. One is legal to drive on the street, and has theoretically been smogged etc (or someone was bribed) and the other one is not legal to operate on the road, has unknown smog status etc. Not the same thing at all.

And again, it could be 6 years or longer in CA from the last smog test on a street registered vehicle. So just because it's street legal that doesn't mean it would pass a smog test, that many years later. And if it were just about getting a smog test to trade it in, I could probably find someplace to get it done in time but the bigger issue is having to pay the registration fee for only a fews days use and not getting that money back from the DMV or at least some of it back.

 

[brkaus]

But it isn’t registered in a way that the buyer can even test drive it before purchase legally.

“Reasons for the one-day permit include a vehicle or smog inspection, a repair or alteration, permanent wrecking or movement to a new storage space.

The one-day permit bypasses the need to reinstate full registration and no additional fees are required. That said, none of these purposes are related to someone test-driving a car in PNO status in California for potential purchase.”