California Question: Does an out of state college student need to get her car smogged?

"With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username" (with-a-g)
05/18/2018 at 18:53 • Filed to: None

I ask because the car in question is an Arizona-registered 1979 Volvo. It has never been registered in CA, and is unlikely to have compliant emissions. The student is legitimately in CA only temporarily for school.

How does that work, especially given the age of the car, etc.?

DISCUSSION (15)

Berang > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
05/18/2018 at 19:07

Is the registration for Arizona current? Then no.

facw > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
05/18/2018 at 19:09

If she’s establishing CA residence, then the car is supposed to get smogged and registered within 20 days.

If she’s not, I’d assume you’d just have to comply with whatever Arizona’s laws are (TX had special inspection requirements for cars that were out of state when their renewal came due).

I have no idea if she is required to be a resident while in school, though my guess would be, probably, but no one actually does it.

M.T. Blake > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
05/18/2018 at 19:20

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

(a) Except as provided in Sections 6700, 6702, and 6703, any vehicle which is registered to a nonresident owner, and which is based in California or primarily used on California highways, shall be registered in California.

(b) For purposes of this section, a vehicle is deemed to be primarily or regularly used on the highways of this state if the vehicle is located or operated in this state for a greater amount of time than it is located or operated in any other individual state during the registration period in question.

M.T. Blake > M.T. Blake
05/18/2018 at 19:25

Also:

4152.5 VC says to apply within 20 days

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > facw
05/18/2018 at 19:29

It’s a private school, so she’s not establishing CA residency. The car has current AZ registration for two years.

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > M.T. Blake
05/18/2018 at 19:30

Do they have a 40-year exemption or anything?

wafflesnfalafel > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
05/18/2018 at 19:30

just don’t carry Canadian ID

DipodomysDeserti > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
05/18/2018 at 19:35

Going from AZ to CA for school! That’s a rarity!

M.T. Blake > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
05/18/2018 at 19:36

For registration? No. California wants its money for using its roads.

Smog is required for 1976 and newer gasoline vehicles and 1998 and newer diesel vehicles.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
05/18/2018 at 20:04

Yes it needs to be smogged and registered in ca but if she keeps her AZ license and lies to the cops if she is ever pulled over shouldn’t be a problem. “I’m just visiting” my address is blah blah Arizona. That’s what I would do.

My bird IS the word > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
05/18/2018 at 20:24

Looks like it may not be technically legal, but the cops aren’t going to check as long as it doesn’t have cali plates. They can’t ticket for arizona inspection.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
05/18/2018 at 21:51

She’ll be fine. Just keep her driver’s license in AZ and car registered in AZ. I’m assuming she will be keeping her permanent address in AZ

The Snowman > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
05/18/2018 at 23:38

Realistically, if you are in a bigger city it will never be a problem. If you are in a medium to small town you will get pulled over a lot at night. If you’re in a small enough town for the cops to remember the car it will be a big problem.

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > M.T. Blake
05/19/2018 at 09:01

I wouldn’t mind if she had to register but the smog is what I’m concerned about.

M.T. Blake > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
05/19/2018 at 10:43

Can’t register without smog. The tolerances are pretty wide for 1979 compared to newer. I’m not a Volvo expert but typically back then there were CA and Federal compiling emissions. If you have a Fed car it doesn’t have a lot of devices.