I tried to transfer a 1934 Ford project I bought with a salvage ***le from Nevada today. I said I wanted ***le only transfer. They said I need a Brake and Light Inspection from a licensed BAR inspection facility. I told them ***le transfer only - it's not running or ready for the road. They insisted, so I paid just the fee's and it isn't transferred till I do the inspection. I can hear the arguments about where's the brake fluid (mechanical brakes), and blinkers etc in my head already... How does one get through this hurdle?
Brake and lamp inspection used to be a common thing. Heck, I studied and p***ed the test when I first started. I never used it. It lapsed and I never bothered re-upping. If a web search doesn't find a place nearby, I'd reach out to one of the registration places, DMV, or if you are a member, AAA for a list of licensed businesses. I'd suggest going with any/all do***ents showing OE configuration (mechanical brakes, OE lighting) to show that you are knowledgeable and back your claims. Even something like restoration judging standards might help. It's probably just that clerk, being used to having some checkmark when bringing in a car, and it being a car not a truck (weight) and old (no smog). Problem is, once it's entered in the computer as a hurdle, it's always there. If you can power the headlights, try to get them straight vertically, and level to slightly down on the wall or garage door in front of the car. You probably don't want them to adjust (more money and tearing into it). Make sure all 4 wheels are easily removable. If you show up with everything ready to be checked and a good at***ude along with docs showing how it came OE, you stand a better chance of smooth sailing. If you go in as a know-it-all with rusty, dirty, mismatched junk, it isn't going to help your case.
Hello, It was as simple as typing in Santa Cruz, CA since it is a small community area. This popped up fast. If one checks other choices, the increase of shops is all over the place. Try not selecting Brakes and alignment. I did that first and it was my mistake. Jnaki A certified location was Santa Cruz High School. But, once I narrowed it down to Brakes, two places popped up. YRMV
Make sure they and you have the current Vehicle Code Book (or look up and print). Do your research about your car first (what it needs to have, what it doesn't and the corresponding code number). Did them for years and the way it's setup can be open to scammers. For a ***le only swap I would try another DMV (and supervisor) or ***le person first.
When I brought my '33 in from S. Dakota (to Santa Cruz) all the DMV required was a Vin verification by the CHP. Sounds like you got a DMV clerk who misunderstood something. You are welcome to check mine out; I might have some stuff you need.
Give Ken Leek a call....... https://www.peninsularegistrationservices.com/ They specialize in exactly what you want to do and have seen it all. I used them when Ken's mother used to run the place and it was seamless. For a reasonable fee, they'll handle everything to get your car California legal.
I'd say that Evintho pointed out one thing with his link. Sometimes you have to go to the office where they understand what is going on and have the knowledge base for such things. Sometimes you just have to go to an office higher up on the food chain rather than the corner register your car and get your tabs place.
I would try calling the head office in Sacramento. The inspection requirement doesn't make sense if you aren't going to get it licensed to drive on the road. Charlie Stephens
Just a wild *** guess but I think the issue is that it has a salvage ***le. But as usual I could be wrong.
If you want to put a vehicle back into the system, or in your case, into the system in California, and it has a salvage ***le, a brake and light inspection is required. You get through this hurdle by getting a brake and light inspection.
It is a requirement. It does not have to make sense. It's the law. There is no end-run around this. It just has to be done.
My hauler and I pulled Rich Fox's Bantam pickup to the weigh station and rolled it across the scales, after I verified the VIN (Yes, I am aware that it is not a VIN, but a serial number. There is no end-run around that language, either.) Despite its diminutive size, it is a pickup, and thus has to have a weight certificate to be ***led and registered. It did not even have an engine and transmission in it. Silly? Sure, but there is no end-run around these laws.
Just after I retired I placed a low ball bid on Ebay for a '40 Ford big truck project in OK. Much to my surprise and my wife's dismay I ended up driving to OK to pick it up. It had a OK ***le but no engine. I got the ch***is running with a flathead I had and drove it onto a certified scale. The cab was strapped to the rear of the frame and I piled the front fenders and other misc. parts on the scale. The weigh master came out and confirmed the serial number on the frame matched the OK ***le and provided the certified paper work. My son's soccer coach was a local chief of police and he verified the serial number and I was off to the DMV. No light/brake inspection required. BUT the OK ***le wasn't a salvage ***le. A couple of weeks later I had a ***le only in my name from Sacramento.
The Jalopy Journal
