# Illegal to Buy New Car Out of State & Bring It Back to CA?



## mandms7 (Feb 28, 2004)

I was on the California DMV site researching what's involved with buying a vehicle out of state and bringing it back into California where I live, when I read the following under there "Out of State Vehicles" registration page:

_California residents are prohibited from importing, purchasing, or leasing a new vehicle from another state, unless the vehicle was manufactured for sale in California and the Environmental Protection Agency label certifies the vehicle has California smog equipment. California considers a new vehicle to be any vehicle with less than 7,500 miles on the odometer at the time it is purchased or acquired._

Here's the link for those interested: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/osreg.htm#BM2561

So basically, unless the car was specifically manufactured for California, its illegal to buy it out of state and bring it into California? Am I reading this right? That pretty much eliminates every out of state car out there.


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## m630 (May 9, 2005)

all new BMWs are 50 state compliant so it shouldnt be a problem ...AFAIK.... :thumbup:


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## LmtdSlip (May 28, 2003)

Or you could buy your car here in FL. Ill drive it around for 4000 miles. then drive it to you in Cali and call it a used car with over 7500 miles.

Let me know when you want to start so I can clear my schedule.


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## mandms7 (Feb 28, 2004)

Does this apply to past year vehicles, such as a 2004 with under 7,500 miles?

And according to the website, the vehicle has to have a "California Certified" sticker under the hood, which is different from "Federally Certified".


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## BobbiOh (Sep 27, 2005)

Kinda....yes.

A friend of ours is going through this with his motorcycle. He's from Texas and his motorcycle does not have enough miles on for him to be able to register it in California or trade it in to California dealer. The only thing he can do is sell it to someone outside of California, which sucks considering the custom paint job, seat, etc.

I don't really know details beyond his situation.


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## philippek (Jul 31, 2003)

m630 said:


> all new BMWs are 50 state compliant so it shouldnt be a problem ...AFAIK.... :thumbup:


For that matter...I think every major manufacturer who makes cars for the North American market make them such that they all pass California Emissions Standards.


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## LA X3 (Jul 5, 2005)

California is the largest car market in the world, and the standards set here tend to set the standards for the country. Virtually every new gasoline car sold in the U.S. is saleable in California. (That doesn't mean you shouldn't verify it, just that you don't have much to worry about.)


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## beewang (Dec 18, 2001)

LA X3 said:


> California is the largest car market in the world, and the standards set here tend to set the standards for the country. Virtually every new gasoline car sold in the U.S. is saleable in California. (That doesn't mean you shouldn't verify it, just that you don't have much to worry about.)


I can speak from experince.... Mazda and Motorcycles will only have CARB certification (and the related smog equipt) in the states that requires them (CA, NY just to name a few).

cheers,

beewang :bigpimp:


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## zachlail (Sep 12, 2005)

friends of mine bought an X5 a few years ago in NC and drovie it home to Cali, they didnt have a problem, i wouldnt worry about it. (bimmers are cheeper on the east cost!) :thumbup:


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## mandms7 (Feb 28, 2004)

Can someone outside of CA who bought a new recent model BMW look under the hood and see if it has a "California Certified" sticker?

I'm looking to buy a 2004/5 BMW out of state that may have under 7,500 miles, and I don't want to come home and find out that it can't be registered because of this lame law.

Thanks!


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## beewang (Dec 18, 2001)

mandms7 said:


> Can someone outside of CA who bought a new recent model BMW look under the hood and see if it has a "California Certified" sticker?
> 
> I'm looking to buy a 2004/5 BMW out of state that may have under 7,500 miles, and I don't want to come home and find out that it can't be registered because of this lame law.
> 
> Thanks!


*ALL BMW's Destined for US Market are CARB certified*

I hope this helps


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## schley (May 26, 2005)

mandms7 said:


> I was on the California DMV site researching what's involved with buying a vehicle out of state and bringing it back into California where I live, when I read the following under there "Out of State Vehicles" registration page:
> 
> _California residents are prohibited from importing, purchasing, or leasing a new vehicle from another state, unless the vehicle was manufactured for sale in California and the Environmental Protection Agency label certifies the vehicle has California smog equipment. California considers a new vehicle to be any vehicle with less than 7,500 miles on the odometer at the time it is purchased or acquired._
> 
> ...


Don't forget to pay the car taxes as it is determined where you register the car. Obviously if you try and buy a car from Oregon (where there is no sales tax :thumbup: coincidently) and try and register it there, you cannot with having residency. Or if you buy it there and want to register it in california you will have to pay sales tax because that is where you registered it. Just a FYI. It is appealing to many, tempting to some, and a worthwhile risk to a small few. The fines are pretty hefty I have heard.


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## SmoothCruise (Jul 23, 2005)

Isn't there some kit car ruling that can get you around such a law? Some car fan told me about it. Don't remember all the details.


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## grahambishop (Mar 27, 2005)

I purchased my car in Germany and brought it back to Virginia a year ago where the VA DMV held me up somewhere north of 2300 dollars for sales tax, as it was the first time the car was registered in the States. That tax was on the amount of the Bill of Sale which I had to give them a copy. The sales tax would have been for the original amount of sale no matter how old the car was. I am not making this up. When I moved to California in February, the first thing the vehicle registration people wanted to see was....my receipt for the Virginia sales tax. Or they would have gotten me again. My advice is to be legal and pay the tax. it does help pay for the roads we enjoy when the frickin potlholes don't cause the low profile tires to blow out. And there is something to be said for the joy of knowing your're legal. :thumbup:


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## Stuka (Jul 17, 2002)

mandms7 said:


> I was on the California DMV site researching what's involved with buying a vehicle out of state and bringing it back into California where I live, when I read the following under there "Out of State Vehicles" registration page:
> 
> _California residents are prohibited from importing, purchasing, or leasing a new vehicle from another state, unless the vehicle was manufactured for sale in California and the Environmental Protection Agency label certifies the vehicle has California smog equipment. California considers a new vehicle to be any vehicle with less than 7,500 miles on the odometer at the time it is purchased or acquired._
> 
> ...


All BMW's are 50 state legal.

DMV is just p*ssed that it had to refund all the "environmental impact fee" of $300 for people who moved form out os state...

Plenty of people have bought bimmers from out of state and got it proerply tagged in CA.


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## SmoothCruise (Jul 23, 2005)

grahambishop said:


> My advice is to be legal and pay the tax. it does help pay for the roads we enjoy when the frickin potlholes don't cause the low profile tires to blow out. And there is something to be said for the joy of knowing your're legal. :thumbup:


I don't mind paying the tax, if I knew they were using it wisely, and that I thought the tax was fair. Regarding wisely, many times this year, I've seen my state, county and city repave roads that were probably good for another year or two, only to neglect the roads that needed repaving badly. Regarding fairness, In my state, they just tax you on the sticker price of your car, which I think is just pure bull crap. They claim it's a tax for using the roads. Okay... but then excluding trucks, it should be a flat fee, or a fee based on the weight of the car, or a fee based on the fuel efficiency of the car (a gas tax), or some combination thereof.


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## bimmerZ5 (Jan 11, 2005)

mandms7 said:


> I was on the California DMV site researching what's involved with buying a vehicle out of state and bringing it back into California where I live, when I read the following under there "Out of State Vehicles" registration page:
> 
> _California residents are prohibited from importing, purchasing, or leasing a new vehicle from another state, unless the vehicle was manufactured for sale in California and the Environmental Protection Agency label certifies the vehicle has California smog equipment. California considers a new vehicle to be any vehicle with less than 7,500 miles on the odometer at the time it is purchased or acquired._
> 
> ...


California is a crappy state for car enthusiasts. Jacking off in your car is probably illegal in CA... along w/ everything else that is illegal here... this state is run by a bunch of tax collecting communists! :thumbdwn: I missed the days when this place was run by republicans...

it's time to move to Texas...


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## hawk2100n (Sep 19, 2005)

Or you could move to South Carolina where there is no emmisions testing and basically anything that has 2 or more wheels. You can even go to the DMV and pay 100 dollars and get an official fake driver's license. NO Social Security# Required! Acutally, the local DMV got busted and 12 people were arrested who worked there.


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## The HACK (Dec 19, 2001)

beewang said:


> *ALL BMW's Destined for US Market are CARB certified
> 
> *I hope this helps





Stuka said:


> All BMW's are 50 state legal.


So is it legal to buy BMW outside of California and bring it/import it into California or not? :dunno: Who's right, beewang or Stuka?!


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## mandms7 (Feb 28, 2004)

What does "CARB certified" mean?

Also, and I may be wrong, but I don't believe that being "50 State legal" is the same thing as "California Certified" per the DMV website. Supposedly you car has to have a separate sticker under the hood that states that it is "California Certified."


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## 'Cane (Jun 16, 2003)

Not sure about BMW, but when I was with Ford, I lost a deal to a guy because he was moving to Cali immediately after the sale. Ford has a no cost option for "California Emissions", but we only ordered those under special request, not for stock.


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## beewang (Dec 18, 2001)

mandms7 said:


> What does "CARB certified" mean?
> 
> Also, and I may be wrong, but I don't believe that being "50 State legal" is the same thing as "California Certified" per the DMV website. Supposedly you car has to have a separate sticker under the hood that states that it is "California Certified."


Go pop the hood of your car, you will see the CARB sticker


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

LmtdSlip said:


> Or you could buy your car here in FL. Ill drive it around for 4000 miles. then drive it to you in Cali and call it a used car with over 7500 miles.
> 
> Let me know when you want to start so I can clear my schedule.


 :rofl: :rofl:


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## fm_illuminatus (Jun 13, 2005)

mandms7 said:


> I was on the California DMV site researching what's involved with buying a vehicle out of state and bringing it back into California where I live, when I read the following under there "Out of State Vehicles" registration page:
> 
> _California residents are prohibited from importing, purchasing, or leasing a new vehicle from another state, unless the vehicle was manufactured for sale in California and the Environmental Protection Agency label certifies the vehicle has California smog equipment. California considers a new vehicle to be any vehicle with less than 7,500 miles on the odometer at the time it is purchased or acquired._
> 
> ...


California is a nazi regime when it comes to enviornmental regulations.


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## Robert A (May 18, 2003)

Except turbodiesels such as the MBZ E320cdi which is only 45-state legal.



philippek said:


> For that matter...I think every major manufacturer who makes cars for the North American market make them such that they all pass California Emissions Standards.


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