Impounded for past due registration? (CA)

" (A) With a registration expiration date in excess of six months before the date it is found or operated on the highway, public lands, or the offstreet parking facility."


I didnt' read this thread past your post I quoted but I don't believe your buddy got hosed. It clearly states "operated on the highway, public lands,or the ofstreet parking facility. Notice the "or" it's either 6 months OR one of the following.

 

I've read this thread and understand the law and it's enforcement,,why did your friend park the car in the street in the first place and not in his garage,his back yard or at a storage facility.

Seems to be he ignored the law and now faces the consequences.

And for what it's worth I'm sure he wasn't singled out,it probably happens everyday. HRP

 

The law says 6 mo.s If he was only 5 mo. out it shouldn't have been impounded on that condition?

 

amen!

 

Where's "Bordertown"?

 

Plates/registration in all states is like a racket. I had an OT that was inoperable for nearly 2yrs. I fixed it up and put it back into service, and when I went to renew the plates they tried to make me pay the 2 yrs it was OFF THE ROAD. Long story short, the manager at the SoS office gave me a ration of shit regarding my knowledge of the vehicle code. To quote, "Nobody knows the whole vehicle code, not even us, so you don't know what you're talking about." "So you don't know the vehicle code? How the fuck did you get the job of manager?" I left, called Lansing (our st capital) and made a case with a number. I paid ONLY the current year and got to keep the old plate (my late parent's old plate), and then smiled at the moron manager. "What's so funny?" "I applied for your job. Seems I know more about vehicle codes than you, so have a nice day."

Bottom line, these fucks all over the country in these positions think they're authority figures rather than civil workers. Take no shit from them, stand your ground, meet their attitude with yours. Courteous, right back at ya, dickhead, back at ya times 2. I don't care what state you're in, get on the net and hit the ".gov" site that answers your needs, be prepared to ram your new knowledge up their collective asses as far as it will go. Recently had an issue with my Model A PU. Dumb bitch tried to tell me an antique plate was required. "No it isn't." "Well it be a 1931, so what does that mean? It's an antique." "Can I have my plate please? I don't have time for this." "Ok, but you's gonna get in some trouble, you'll see." Not another word was spoken. Wasn't worth it...

 

^^x100

 

Back in about 1991 I had a 71 Riv that I left parked on the dead end street by my than Apt at the beach, One morning about 6:00am I hear all this BS going on outside so I go out to see whats happening and there's 4 motor cop's and 2 tow trucks , one hooking up the Riv! I ask what the hells going on and the Cop say,"The Cars Been Sitting Over 72 Hours"! I said what the #$%^ the car been sitting here For 1#$$% year ! The Cop put his arm on my shoulder and said I know, I always liked looking at It but the city needs money and told us to pickup all the cars we can !

 

I'm curious as to why he failed to register it.
Forget? Mine are mailed out 2 months before they are due.
If you are a AAA member- you never have to step foot in a DMV office- usually in & out in 10 minutes or less.
Pretty simple stuff
If you drive it, register it.
If you park it for years- Non-Op it!

So the answer is to vote out all the politicians so we can register our cars whenever we feel like it?

 

I listen to the California Highway Patrol in Orange County via a radio scanner and they are always pulling over cars with out of date plates which almost always leads to a out of date drivers license as well. The last last thing I hear from the CHP in the field to the dispatcher is "Send an 11-85 to this location." That's a tow truck.

 

I really wish some of dumb shits that posted on here would have read, and paid heed to this!

To the the assholes that seem to be self appointed "point out what's wrong with California monitors" ~ We really don't give a shit about your opinion of our state, and quite frankly with the attitudes are damn glad you don't live here. So just shut up! you don't see us ripping on the shit hole you live in.
Sorry, just pisses me off

 

If they're getting $100 off the top, what's the tow driver getting?

 

Anything they find in the trunk.

 

The wrecker drivers for the lot I worked used to find some REALLY interesting stuff.

 

It's past time this thread was shut down,,this is the hamb for crying out loud!,,every one of us are opinionated and there in lies a problem,,,asking questions regardless of what it is will get all types of responses,,whether you like it or not.

Getting pissed off and lashing out because of a comment that you do not agree with or want to hear is childish.

I believe the question has been answered,the OP may not be happy with the reply but you are really asking the wrong people,,the California DMV is the people you have to answer to,,it is within their digression to implement the law as they see fit. HRP

 

life is easier when you dont mess with the DMV, or the IRS.

 

I bought a used car and didn't notice the DMV had screwed up my address so I never got the renewal. It was 3 months past due and the Arcadia Sherrifs saw it in a public park parking lot and had it impounded with me standing there pleading to just give me a fix-it ticket (insert chicken shit cop rant here...). The tow truck driver appologized to me as he was laoding my car, then took it to his impound lot where it cost me $150 to get out. I wrote a nastygram to their chief congratulating them on solving all important crime so they had time to devote to this offense. Some cops have no judgement and governments wants our money more and more every day.

 

All this talk amazes me. America isn't a third world country and yet some folks get upset about this. Everywhere else in the world, most of the third world too I'd guess, motor vehicles have to be registered if they're on a public highway.
Of course it's a lot easier in some countries, more complicated in others, but your system looks like a relic from the 50's.

If the OP's buddy's unregistered car had rolled off down the street on it's own or caught fire and injured someone - did he have insurance to pay? Unregistered cars in London, England get towed and crushed immediately no matter what they are or how valuble.

 

Or you simply pay your registration on time

 

Around here if you left a car on the street without current tags on it - it'd be Gonzo!!!
They're even clamping down on cars sitting on private property.
If they're in a driveway of an abandoned house they're now fair game for the scrap guys.

 

Hey we whined about taxation without representation, can't we whine about impoundment without registration ?

 

Some cities and counties have "eyesore', and "blight" ordinances....under which they come on the property, and tow the vehicle away. A co worker's Mustang went to a crusher....... Taken from his driveway....

4TTRUK

 

yes the question was answered.

the OP (ME) is perfectly satisfied.

Obviously i was asking the right group of people as 3 different individuals replied with exactly what i was looking for - the CVC which applies to the situation. thank you very much.

that's ALL that was asked for. the rest is just a bunch of speculation, conjecture and hearsay. people just can't resist.

It is NOT at the DMV's discretion to do as they see fit. It is their duty to apply the law as it is written, however they have no jurisdiction in this matter. This was a Law Enforcement agency issue. They misapplied the law due to a parking officer's inability to do simple math. the vehicle was 5 months expired. why it was expired is of no consequence. the Law is the Law and there was no municipal ordinance which supercedes state law.

(A) With a registration expiration date in excess of six months before the date it is found or operated on the highway, public lands, or the offstreet parking facility.

comprehension friend. it says nothing of the sort. it states that after 6 months the car can be towed whether it is being operated or parked.

as previously stated, the car was 5 months out of registration and as such was illegally towed.

the parking agent told him that it was policy to tow after 6 months of expired tags. he wasn't thinking but i was. i i told him to do the math. he went to the PD and they not only admitted their fault and gave him a formal apology, but they waived all tow and impound fees, waived the citation AND offered to have the vehicle flat bedded to the destination of his choice.

thanks to those of you who contributed something useful to this thread.

 

Well, that got handled rather quickly.

 

It is true. After 6 months if they catch you driving it they can (and will) impound it. They can do it sooner at their discretion but more than 6 months they don't hesitate.

 

It did.
Tuesday night we were talking and he told me what had happened. As he was talking the light went off... bad math... i told him to go down to PD and ask to see a copy of the code and if in fact there was a 6 month threshold, ask them to do the math. i went online to try and find a CVC section that applied and i couldn't, so i came on here to see if in fact that 6 month thing was legit IN CALIFORNIA. right about the same time, he shot me a text explaining the above. this time, despite his negligence, the law was in his favor.

 

And in all fairness, THIS post today was the first time you mentioned the car was only 5 months out instead of 6. If that info had been in the first post, you would have gotten better help.

 

I am surprised that you can drive a vehicle for up to six month in California with no (an expired) registration.

In Mass. you don't get one day.....

 

his very first post says it was 5 months out !?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

Thanks. Time for new glasses.