Virginia titling and plates

[scaesare]

My Model S is on order, and I'm trying to anticipate what to expect here in Northern Virginia.

- Has anybody gotten the DMV here to issue the "Clean Special Fuel" plates for a Model S? (For that matter, are they REQUIRED if you want to use the HOV lane exemption?)

- I've seen several posts that Tesla may be changing the way registration occurs in some states. Did you pay title & tax yourself in the DMV, was that all handled thru Tesla?


- Front plates, anybody here running without them? getting hassled?


Too bad DMV requires VIN and title to reserve a plate... one of the ones I wanted just got snagged!

Thanks..

-sc

 

[andrewket]

My Model S is on order, and I'm trying to anticipate what to expect here in Northern Virginia.

- Has anybody gotten the DMV here to issue the "Clean Special Fuel" plates for a Model S? (For that matter, are they REQUIRED if you want to use the HOV lane exemption?)

- I've seen several posts that Tesla may be changing the way registration occurs in some states. Did you pay title & tax yourself in the DMV, was that all handled thru Tesla?


- Front plates, anybody here running without them? getting hassled?


Too bad DMV requires VIN and title to reserve a plate... one of the ones I wanted just got snagged!

Thanks..

-sc

You can hold tags for 90 days using any car that you have registered with the dmv. You can then later purchase the tag for any car registered in your name. I held 3 tags this way.

 

[scaesare]

You can hold tags for 90 days using any car that you have registered with the dmv. You can then later purchase the tag for any car registered in your name. I held 3 tags this way.

Ah... good to know, thanks!

It seems, however, you can't use the web reservation page for the "Clean Special Fuel" plates...

"You must submit a "License Plate Application" (VSA10) to include the entire vehicle identification number (VIN) and title number. If you have just purchased the vehicle, DMV can verify if your vehicle qualifies for clean fuel plates; however, we cannot process the transaction until your vehicle is titled on our automated system. "

I think I'll give them a call and see what's up....

 

[andrewket]

Yep, that's true. Special fuel tags are done manually in Richmond.

 

[Miuaiga]

You will want to check, but I thought I recalled that the Clean Special Fuel tags and designation is not recognized in NOVA HOV corridor. See Va DMV:

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

Tesla refunded the sales tax and registration fees to me so that I could title and register the car myself. Much quicker. They are extraordinarily back logged.

And, I run with a front plate.

 

[andrewket]

You will want to check, but I thought I recalled that the Clean Special Fuel tags and designation is not recognized in NOVA HOV corridor. See Va DMV:

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

Tesla refunded the sales tax and registration fees to me so that I could title and register the car myself. Much quicker. They are extraordinarily back logged.

And, I run with a front plate.

Who did you ask for the refund? I'd like to do this as well. It would be great if Tesla could remove it from the MVPA and avoid the refund completely. I assume they sent you the certificate of origin?

 

[Miuaiga]

They did send the certificate, eventually. I was told they were going to stop collecting those fees on future purchasers from VA because of the problems VA drivers encountered with the State Police, which only caused owners to hound Tesla about where their registrations were. At the time they refunded me, I had a VIN but it was never registered in the nationwide database and didnt show up for my insurance carrier, GEICO, because Tesla corporate had not yet registered the car, even in CA. I can't find the name of the person with whom I spoke on my iPad. Will check another source to let you know. The individual did say that at the time, there was a two to three week backlog inside Tesla on processing registrations to CA, which would take two to three weeks once they received them before filing with VA, which would have added another couple of weeks.

I'll be back if I locate the contact at Tesla with whom I worked.


Found it. Good luck. See below:

Kasey Krape
Ownership Experience Advocate
Tesla Motors
650-681-6146

 

[scaesare]

Thanks for the info on VA registration... hopefully that will be SOP by the time I get mine...

In addition, I just called the "main" DMV folks , and then made a second call to the Richmond "special vehicle" department this morning, and found out a couple of things:

1) Even though you can't do it form the DMV website, you can reserve a customized "Clean Special Fuel" plate for 90 days by calling the DMV, even if you don't have a VIN yet, and without having to supply a VIN from another vehicle you own. They can hold it under your customer ID 3 or SS#.

2) Despite the fact that the Model S is not yet listed on the DMV website as a "qualifying vehicle" for Clean Special Fuel plates (even thought the Roadster was for previous years), they are aware of the Model S and will issue the plates for it.

Hope this helps out any other VA'ers...

Oh, and thanks for pointing out the HOV caveat, Miuauga.

 

[jthompson]

Just got this from Virginia DMV Commissioner's office, confirming what Tesla reps told us recently:

"The Commissioner is pleased that Tesla, the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association (VADA), and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), through counsel, came to an agreement and avoided litigation regarding the operation of a Tesla dealership in Virginia. After the initial ruling, the parties to the hearing before DMV engaged in discussions and, after consideration of those discussions and additional information presented, the Commissioner could determine that Tesla may own a Tesla dealership in Northern Virginia. To operate as a dealer, Tesla must meet the statutory requirements applicable to dealers and obtain a license from the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board.

Thank you,
Andrew


Andrew Owens
Legal Services Analyst
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
2300 West Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23220-0999
Office: (804) 474-2238
Visit us at Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles "

 

[ABVA]

Does anybody know how "Gross Sales Price" is calculated by VA DMV? Is it just the base price or does DMV include all optional items as well including Regulatory and Documentation Fee?

 

[Transepoch]

If you are asking for sales taxes, then yes, expect to go all-in.

For the purposes of the Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax collection, gross sales price includes the dealer processing fee. The gross sales price is the vehicle price after the manufacturers' rebates or manufacturers' incentives. Gross sales price does not include any other price reductions, such as credit for trade-ins, unpaid liens or other unpaid credits.

 

[ABVA]

If you are asking for sales taxes, then yes, expect to go all-in.

Thanks, Transepoch

 

[bhzmark]

Has anyone done a old style clean fuel plate transfer to a new car? A while back I moved my pre-2006 style plates to my 2014 Tesla and now have to do it again for a new Tesla. I know there isn't much benefit to the old pre-2006 style anymore, but still want to keep it.

I emailed [email protected] and they haven't responded yet.

I think last time I did a replacement plate order for the old car (which generated a new plate number, but still on the old style plate), and then a transfer of that new replacement plate to the new car.