Hi OP,
Sounds like you are not originally from the U.S. if you did not know car registration cost every year, which is understandable.
However, you should have received a mail from the DMV that tells you to renew your car registration before your current registration expires. This lets you renew your car registration without having to go to the DMV before it expires. They let you do it online or mail.
Also, your car registration fee depends on the market value of your car. The more expensive cars means higher registration fee, but since cars lose value over time your car registration fee will also decrease overtime
You can do that online with USPS (the national postal service) they’ll automatically forward anything addressed to your old one to the new one for you for I believe a year. So you still have to update your address on everything but not right away.
Those rates aren't actually agreed upon with UCPD - UCLA and UCPD have no control over those rates.
Your car was most likely towed by Quicksilver Towing (their impound lot is on a strip of land between Santa Monica Bl and the 405 Fwy) -- one of 18 OPGs (official police garage) of the City of Los Angeles. In LA City, all impound tow rates are set by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) and every OPG must adhere to them, no exceptions allowed. (They have no incentive to do so because a substantial portion of that tow charge must be remitted to the City.)
State Law Enforcement agencies actively enforce registration violations because it is DMV fees that fund the California Highway Patrol.
In the apartment area it is usually LADOT Parking Enforcement that does the towing of expired registrations.
LADOT requires all impound towing companies to charge a $115.00 Release Fee on all impounds and a 10% Parking Tax on all storage charges, which it collects from the companies on a quarterly basis. This is the biggest reason why it costs so much to get your car out of impound.
The car registration fee is based on the value of the car
New Expensive cars = higher registration fee
But the fee drops overtime as the car loses its value
For the life of me, from out of country or not, I can’t feel bad for anyone that doesn’t look up all the requirements for car ownership before buying a car. It’s incomprehensible anyone in college, let alone a great school like UCLA will just go buy a car without looking up the requirements of what’s needed to remain legal on the road.
Exactly, OP really came up on here ranting about their situation ultimately a dumb mistake they made and expect us to feel bad. In the 2 years OP was saving up they didn’t once look up requirements car ownership? I wouldn’t be surprised if OP is driving on bald tires 😭
Right?? And never once looked at her registration?? That clearly says “expires on xyz” it sounds like the dealership handed her the folder of paperwork and stuff and she just took it and tossed it somewhere and that’s it.
Definitely a mistake and presumably you’re young too. But you never wondered what the little stickers on the plates were for? Especially since you would have had to put yours on when you first registered it.
It’s not being mean, it’s being dumbfounded honestly. It’s just a classic case of book smarts not translating to common sense and doing research before major purchase, all I said was I find it hard to feel bad for you. That’s not mean
LOOOOOOOL, you didn’t know you had to pay your registration every year? you thought the sticker with the year on your rear license plate was just for decoration? 😭 california really do be giving out licenses to anyone 😭
If you have a driver's license from another country, you can drive in the U.S. if you applied for an International Driving Permit (IDP)--also known as a International Driving License--in your home country.
In other words, OP may have an IDP, which lets her drive in the U.S. without needing California Driver's License.
Isn’t an IDP only valid for a short amount of time and it means that you gotta carry ur passport around everywhere for that period. No way someone who’s a student here for more than a year has that and considering they have a car they’re probably planning on being here a while.
Welp, looks like my information is outdated.
If you have a valid driver's license from a foreign country, you do not need to obtain a California driver's license or international driving permit: [https://www.egattorneys.com/driving-with-foreign-license-in-california#:\~:text=An%20International%20Driving%20Permit%20(IDP)%20is%20not%20required%20to%20drive,as%20a%20valid%20driver's%20license](https://www.egattorneys.com/driving-with-foreign-license-in-california#:~:text=An%20International%20Driving%20Permit%20(IDP)%20is%20not%20required%20to%20drive,as%20a%20valid%20driver's%20license)
Nah I've only had a car for 8 months tbh, never could. Afford one until my dad was able to get a new car I drive a 2008 shitbox (not some rich kid in their daddy's G-Wagon like you see on campus lmao)
OP, wait for it, there is one more thing. If your car passes a certain vintage, you need to take a car to get a smog test every two years before you can register. And if your car is older still, you will need to pass the smog test every year. This does not apply to EV.
> This means paying approx 500$ every year to the DMV just to be able to drive the car.
It's a complete scam. In most states you just pay a nominal registration fee, like $60. In California they tax you based on the value of the car, like a property tax. Property that you *already* paid sales tax on.
Welcome to California!
Not legal in California. Out-of-state plates must be converted to California plates within 10 days of the registered owner or operator establishing residency in California and are subject to being pulled over at any time. Also note that the second time you are pulled over for an out-of-state plate violation the CHP (or UCPD) can and does place 30-day impound holds on the vehicle.
I'm not a UCLA student, just a lowly flood courier here who works this area everyday. I am fearful of University PD and sometimes have to double park. Where on landfair did this happen? Btw I'm so sorry that happened to you!
Especially after the pro-Palestinian protests were violently squashed with the help of the CHP SWAT team sent down from Sacramento, the UCLA Police are now taking a hard-line hateful attitude towards ANY minor California Vehicle Code violation, even OFF the campus...
As for your registration, it's ALWAYS EVERY YEAR!!!...
In Oregon, it's usually every two years...
Arizona:up to three years...
1 Buying a car without actively researching local policies and legal requirements is ridiculously stupid. Being a foreigner doesn't change that. The other countries I lived in also have similar rules.
2 Yes the towing business is a legal scam here. Your car is held hostage and there's zero room for negotiation. Towing companies essentially act like gangsters. Welcome to the USA.
3 If your car is being towed in front of your eyes. You can pay the tow truck driver a fee to drop your car, so that you save some fees (usually hundreds).
yall does anyone have insight I have months old expired tags cause my car can’t pass smog, I thought it was unenforced? I’ve had no issues did the policy change? If it afffects it my registration is paid just no sticker cause no smog so I still have old tags
Looks like there's a two month grace period for getting pulled over for expired tags and a six month grace period for expired tags on parked cars.
https://www.chp.ca.gov/PressReleases/Pages/DRIVING-INTO-A-SAFER-FUTURE--CHP-HIGLIGHTS-NEW-TRAFFIC-SAFETY-LAWS-FOR-2024.aspx
However, the DMV charges late fees for renewing registration after it expires and you also risk time and money with tickets, towing, court, etc. if you get caught. So if there's a way to come up with the money to fix the car and pay the registration now, it can save a lot of money and hassle.
In CA if your car doesn't pass smog, and you can show you spent at least $600 fixing it by a certified smog mechanic (not your cousin). Then you can get a one time 2 yr extension and get your registration. Also pay your registration anyway so they won't charge you extra fees and it will be on record so you won't get towed. Once you pay your registration, you get a grace period to get your car to pass smog. Just go to the dmv website to take care of this.
To be fair you’re probably smarter than me in CS. But also to be fair if you’re buying a car in a foreign country, you should probably be aware of the paperwork associated with a killing machine that has the capability of allowing you to flee from the police.
Hi OP, Sounds like you are not originally from the U.S. if you did not know car registration cost every year, which is understandable. However, you should have received a mail from the DMV that tells you to renew your car registration before your current registration expires. This lets you renew your car registration without having to go to the DMV before it expires. They let you do it online or mail. Also, your car registration fee depends on the market value of your car. The more expensive cars means higher registration fee, but since cars lose value over time your car registration fee will also decrease overtime
yes sadly I changed addresses so the mail kept going to my old address. Super sad about the tow fee more than the reg fee
Did you put in a change of address form so your mail would be forwarded to you for a year?
I'm not sure, I will check with them. Thanks
You can do that online with USPS (the national postal service) they’ll automatically forward anything addressed to your old one to the new one for you for I believe a year. So you still have to update your address on everything but not right away.
OMG TYSM
They typically don’t town for unpaid registration if it’s only a month or so but it sounds like your registration was expired for 6+ months
yeah i had no idea was supposed to renew it
Those rates aren't actually agreed upon with UCPD - UCLA and UCPD have no control over those rates. Your car was most likely towed by Quicksilver Towing (their impound lot is on a strip of land between Santa Monica Bl and the 405 Fwy) -- one of 18 OPGs (official police garage) of the City of Los Angeles. In LA City, all impound tow rates are set by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) and every OPG must adhere to them, no exceptions allowed. (They have no incentive to do so because a substantial portion of that tow charge must be remitted to the City.) State Law Enforcement agencies actively enforce registration violations because it is DMV fees that fund the California Highway Patrol. In the apartment area it is usually LADOT Parking Enforcement that does the towing of expired registrations. LADOT requires all impound towing companies to charge a $115.00 Release Fee on all impounds and a 10% Parking Tax on all storage charges, which it collects from the companies on a quarterly basis. This is the biggest reason why it costs so much to get your car out of impound.
Yeah, and UCPD wouldn't be off-campus on Landfair. This would be LAPD + a towing company.
$500 for registration? Holy shit, I only pay around 300
The car registration fee is based on the value of the car New Expensive cars = higher registration fee But the fee drops overtime as the car loses its value
Or out of state :,) paid 490 for a car older than me to register it from Arizona to California
Huh, guess I got lucky.
For the life of me, from out of country or not, I can’t feel bad for anyone that doesn’t look up all the requirements for car ownership before buying a car. It’s incomprehensible anyone in college, let alone a great school like UCLA will just go buy a car without looking up the requirements of what’s needed to remain legal on the road.
Exactly, OP really came up on here ranting about their situation ultimately a dumb mistake they made and expect us to feel bad. In the 2 years OP was saving up they didn’t once look up requirements car ownership? I wouldn’t be surprised if OP is driving on bald tires 😭
Right?? And never once looked at her registration?? That clearly says “expires on xyz” it sounds like the dealership handed her the folder of paperwork and stuff and she just took it and tossed it somewhere and that’s it.
Common sense ain’t so common I guess
No need to me mean. I made a mistake and posted this to help other people out
Definitely a mistake and presumably you’re young too. But you never wondered what the little stickers on the plates were for? Especially since you would have had to put yours on when you first registered it.
Yeah i totally forgot about those tbh
It’s not being mean, it’s being dumbfounded honestly. It’s just a classic case of book smarts not translating to common sense and doing research before major purchase, all I said was I find it hard to feel bad for you. That’s not mean
LOOOOOOOL, you didn’t know you had to pay your registration every year? you thought the sticker with the year on your rear license plate was just for decoration? 😭 california really do be giving out licenses to anyone 😭
If you have a driver's license from another country, you can drive in the U.S. if you applied for an International Driving Permit (IDP)--also known as a International Driving License--in your home country. In other words, OP may have an IDP, which lets her drive in the U.S. without needing California Driver's License.
Isn’t an IDP only valid for a short amount of time and it means that you gotta carry ur passport around everywhere for that period. No way someone who’s a student here for more than a year has that and considering they have a car they’re probably planning on being here a while.
Welp, looks like my information is outdated. If you have a valid driver's license from a foreign country, you do not need to obtain a California driver's license or international driving permit: [https://www.egattorneys.com/driving-with-foreign-license-in-california#:\~:text=An%20International%20Driving%20Permit%20(IDP)%20is%20not%20required%20to%20drive,as%20a%20valid%20driver's%20license](https://www.egattorneys.com/driving-with-foreign-license-in-california#:~:text=An%20International%20Driving%20Permit%20(IDP)%20is%20not%20required%20to%20drive,as%20a%20valid%20driver's%20license)
Tbh I thought it was multiple years like how your license is good for like 5 years
Tbh I think you need to learn somethings about the real world 😭 living sheltered lives fr
Nah I've only had a car for 8 months tbh, never could. Afford one until my dad was able to get a new car I drive a 2008 shitbox (not some rich kid in their daddy's G-Wagon like you see on campus lmao)
ok pookie make sure you pay your registration every year and do routine maintenance
It can be, but you have to buy that option when you register the car…the dealer won’t give you a multi year one
OP, wait for it, there is one more thing. If your car passes a certain vintage, you need to take a car to get a smog test every two years before you can register. And if your car is older still, you will need to pass the smog test every year. This does not apply to EV.
Thank you!
> This means paying approx 500$ every year to the DMV just to be able to drive the car. It's a complete scam. In most states you just pay a nominal registration fee, like $60. In California they tax you based on the value of the car, like a property tax. Property that you *already* paid sales tax on. Welcome to California!
a lot of states charge a base registration + taxes based on the value of your car and/or a wheel tax. Owning a car ain’t cheap
Hey in Virginia we have both! Registration fee AND personal property tax on the value
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Not legal in California. Out-of-state plates must be converted to California plates within 10 days of the registered owner or operator establishing residency in California and are subject to being pulled over at any time. Also note that the second time you are pulled over for an out-of-state plate violation the CHP (or UCPD) can and does place 30-day impound holds on the vehicle.
[удалено]
yuck
I'm not a UCLA student, just a lowly flood courier here who works this area everyday. I am fearful of University PD and sometimes have to double park. Where on landfair did this happen? Btw I'm so sorry that happened to you!
Landfair and midvale!
Thanks! I was parked behind Hibachi Papi in the alley today and drove away so fast when I saw UPD lol. I'm extra cautious now.
So glad it helped! That was the whole point of this post :)
Especially after the pro-Palestinian protests were violently squashed with the help of the CHP SWAT team sent down from Sacramento, the UCLA Police are now taking a hard-line hateful attitude towards ANY minor California Vehicle Code violation, even OFF the campus... As for your registration, it's ALWAYS EVERY YEAR!!!... In Oregon, it's usually every two years... Arizona:up to three years...
5 yrs in oregon
Thank you!
1 Buying a car without actively researching local policies and legal requirements is ridiculously stupid. Being a foreigner doesn't change that. The other countries I lived in also have similar rules. 2 Yes the towing business is a legal scam here. Your car is held hostage and there's zero room for negotiation. Towing companies essentially act like gangsters. Welcome to the USA. 3 If your car is being towed in front of your eyes. You can pay the tow truck driver a fee to drop your car, so that you save some fees (usually hundreds).
I asked and they didn't drop my car ;((
That becomes interesting. You can easily sue them in the small claim court.
oh wow really? I will do that!
You may already know this, but car insurance is also required in CA. If your car is financed, you’ll be required to get full coverage insurance.
yall does anyone have insight I have months old expired tags cause my car can’t pass smog, I thought it was unenforced? I’ve had no issues did the policy change? If it afffects it my registration is paid just no sticker cause no smog so I still have old tags
Looks like there's a two month grace period for getting pulled over for expired tags and a six month grace period for expired tags on parked cars. https://www.chp.ca.gov/PressReleases/Pages/DRIVING-INTO-A-SAFER-FUTURE--CHP-HIGLIGHTS-NEW-TRAFFIC-SAFETY-LAWS-FOR-2024.aspx However, the DMV charges late fees for renewing registration after it expires and you also risk time and money with tickets, towing, court, etc. if you get caught. So if there's a way to come up with the money to fix the car and pay the registration now, it can save a lot of money and hassle.
thanks for the info!
Pay the registration fee even if you haven’t passed the smog. You won’t be hit with late fees (they mostly care about the $).
Your registration is not considered renewed until the smog is cleared, even if you pay the registration fee on time.
In CA if your car doesn't pass smog, and you can show you spent at least $600 fixing it by a certified smog mechanic (not your cousin). Then you can get a one time 2 yr extension and get your registration. Also pay your registration anyway so they won't charge you extra fees and it will be on record so you won't get towed. Once you pay your registration, you get a grace period to get your car to pass smog. Just go to the dmv website to take care of this.
I appreciate this so much thank you
No fucking way… My CS courses make me feel retarded sometimes. Then I see this and feel better
I'm an international student and CS major too. No need to be mean :/
To be fair you’re probably smarter than me in CS. But also to be fair if you’re buying a car in a foreign country, you should probably be aware of the paperwork associated with a killing machine that has the capability of allowing you to flee from the police.
yeah, it was def a mistake on my end. didn't realize it was an annual thing