Local US paperwork assistance needed

Greetings,

I am a French citizen living in France. I bought a car in the USA, Texas. I have a bill of Sale, Title is 20 years old. Was off the road for 20 years.
The car is now in a garage in CA for a check up and maintenance.
I plan to do a 3 weeks road trip (May 2020) with that car through the USA and therefore several states, then export/ship it home (France).

I have ask several US national organisation, but it seems out of their competencies. :eek: (administration same all around the globe, I guess)

• I need to get a proper Title I assume. How can I get that ? Even a temporary one.
• Same for the registration
• Same for car insurance

Your feedback is highly appreciated.
Cheers Xavier

I'd be happy to go to the California DMV this weekend and ask. I can call my insurance company tomorrow as well. Please let me know if I should proceed.

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Originally Posted by 72targa

I'd be happy to go to the California DMV this weekend and ask. I can call my insurance company tomorrow as well. Please let me know if I should proceed.

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Yes please :-) that is very kind of you :-)

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Originally Posted by Xavier PJB

Greetings,

I am a French citizen living in France. I bought a car in the USA, Texas. I have a bill of Sale, Title is 20 years old. Was off the road for 20 years.
The car is now in a garage in CA for a check up and maintenance.
I plan to do a 3 weeks road trip (May 2020) with that car through the USA and therefore several states, then export/ship it home (France).

I have ask several US national organisation, but it seems out of their competencies. :eek: (administration same all around the globe, I guess)

• I need to get a proper Title I assume. How can I get that ? Even a temporary one.
• Same for the registration
• Same for car insurance

Your feedback is highly appreciated.
Cheers Xavier

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Amazing trip, looking forward to know more!

No done yet Massimo, it is a long and difficult process to get a car registered and insured as a foreigner.

But for sure if it is happening, I will keep you posted :-)

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Originally Posted by Biancaneve

Amazing trip, looking forward to know more!

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Originally Posted by Xavier PJB

Yes please :-) that is very kind of you :-)

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I'll keep you posted!

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Originally Posted by Xavier PJB

No done yet Massimo, it is a long and difficult process to get a car registered and insured as a foreigner.

But for sure if it is happening, I will keep you posted :-)

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:) following up!

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Originally Posted by 72targa

I'll keep you posted!

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To register (and insure)it in your own name a CA drivers license is most likely required.

Checked today with my insurance company (State Farm). They do not issue short term insurance but they offered a name of a broker to call. I will call them tomorrow plus I will also call AAA. Pending trip to DMV on Saturday.

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Originally Posted by 72targa

Checked today with my insurance company (State Farm). They do not issue short term insurance but they offered a name of a broker to call. I will call them tomorrow plus I will also call AAA. Pending trip to DMV on Saturday.

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Just buy 1 year insurance policy and pay it monthly then cancel it when you are done.

Edit: I don't think it can be done as you want, legally, with a combo of expired TX plates, driving thru CA and other states, and being a foreigner....

For insurance try this: https://www.thezebra.com/car-insurance-foreign-drivers/
For the plate/title, not sur ehow you resolve that from CA with expired TX tags not having taken ownership of the car officially here or living here...(you're exporting)

Xavier,

C'est pas gagné et a mon sens quasi impossible legalement. Les USA ne sont pas vraiment un pays comme tu imagines d'Europe mais une collection d'etats avec des regles differentes et aucun interet a cooperer entre eux. Le "title" de texas est toujours valide, correct ? signé et transféré a ton nom ? Quelles plaques ? Texas ? plus valides puisque "off the road for 20y" ? Dans ce cas je doute que la californie ne puisse t'aider grandement, mais tu peux *peut etre* obtenir au DMV une plaque papier temporaire "de transfert" - je l'ai fait une fois pour convoyer une auto californienne quand j'habitais en floride.... mais j'ai eu des histoires de VIN (le numero de serie) sur le title et ce fut une galere complete a gerer entre CA et FL, alors pour un etranger je ne te raconte meme pas..

Les assurances americaines ne sont pas vraiment equipées pour gerer a) un etranger sans permis de l'etat b) une bagnole avec des plaques perimées qui n'est pas sous ton nom... Tu peux avec un permis international si tu resides la, mais frais descendu de l'avion sans residence locale, je pense que c'est difficile. Tu ne pourras pas refaire les plaques sans faire le title a ton nom et payer les taxes, et de toutes manieres ca ne se fera pas sans permis de conduire local. Donc t'es marron. A mon avis tu as meilleur chance en demandant en France a qq'un qui a peut etre fait cela.. Que je sache, parce que la question revient souvent, les gens qui ont reussi ce genre d'aventures ont tous triché en utilisant soit leur femme (americaine) ou un ami (americain) qui a fait semblant d'acheter l'auto et l'a immatriculée et assurée a leur nom et pretée ensuite au visiteur (c'est hyper cher a magouiller, taxes a payer, et pas forcement legal si pépin avec l'assurance).

je te conseille de demander a) au DMV de californie des plaques temporaires de transfert ou convoyage (peut etre etat pas etat, bonjour les emmerdes si tu visites d'autres etats) b) contacte des assureurs specialisés genre Hagerty, grundy ou Leland West et demande s'ils peuvent assurer une auto qui n'est ni a ton nom et t'es pas americain... Peut etre ont ils un truc avec ces plaques temporaires de convoyage, mais j'en doute fortement. D'un autre coté je suis négatif aussi ;-)

A mon avis, expedie ta voiture direct en France et oublies, et loues une mustang GT ici - facile. Ou tu achetes une auto disons en californie et convainc le proprio de garder l'argent mais pas changer l'assurance ou le titre (bonjour le risque). Tu vois les problemes. Bonne chance !

Aussi, contacte Jim ici

http://carsdmv.com/ c'est un contracteur indepedant du DMV qui facilite les choses avec eux...

Expliques ton problem en detail et il peut te repondre pour peut etre faire immatriculer en californie (j'en doute) ou des plaques temporaires (maybe)...

Spoke today with the insurance broker. Sounds quite easy for short term insurance. They just need the ZIP Code of where the car is registered and your foreign license. I'll PM you the broker's info. And I'll let you know how it goes at the DMV tomorrow.

Pete you are very very kind.

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Originally Posted by 72targa

Spoke today with the insurance broker. Sounds quite easy for short term insurance. They just need the ZIP Code of where the car is registered and your foreign license. I'll PM you the broker's info. And I'll let you know how it goes at the DMV tomorrow.

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Merci Greg, je viens de les contacter, j’attends le retour.

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Originally Posted by Greg D.

Aussi, contacte Jim ici

http://carsdmv.com/ c'est un contracteur indepedant du DMV qui facilite les choses avec eux...

Expliques ton problem en detail et il peut te repondre pour peut etre faire immatriculer en californie (j'en doute) ou des plaques temporaires (maybe)...

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Got a bunch of forms at the DMV. I'll scan to PDF and post. Then we'll start to assess what you're getting yourself into!

1. If you bring in a car from out of California, to register in Calif... You have to take the car to DMV and have a VIN check done. So it has to go to DMV. Most likely with an appointment.
2. If you drive a car without insurance, you go to court, in that county. And it is $2000 fine.
(So don't drive without it).

Xavier,

There are a few different ways to do this. Obviously you want to take the easiest route possible.

1. Try to obtain a one-time 30 day Temporary Operating Permit in California. You can get this on a non-resident vehicle or one which needs a CHP VIN inspection. You must have insurance first and you will have to pay all the registration fees but fortunately you may not have to pay the “use” fee which is essentially a ~9% sales tax on purchase price for an ownership transfer in CA (and similar in some other states). Here is the CA DMV page. https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...k/ch25/ch25_12

2. Research and find the easiest state to obtain a non-resident registration or temporary permit. Some states can be much easier than others. You will still need insurance but you can drive legally in CA for the period you are specifying if the car has legal papers in any other state.

3. Find a Registration Service which is a company that does the work of going to the DMV and registering the car for you. A good one can do wonders in getting through the bureaucratic maze and they often know more about how to do things than the clerk at the DMV office. They may also guide you on the best route to get a temporary permit - All for a fee of course.

Good luck

Greetings to all, many thanks to all of you. Because that Porsche community is so strong and is a true brotherhood, I have been successful : I can now drive Ruby in the USA 100% legally.
It has been a bit of a journey, but the reach is done.

As planned I'll be in the USA from April 29th until May 18th, and I will attend SPD with Ruby and drive through a 21 days road trip from West coast (L.A.) to East coast (NYC) with her.:p

Am now proud to own a business in the USA ;).
All the best.
X

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Originally Posted by Xavier PJB

Greetings to all, many thanks to all of you. Because that Porsche community is so strong and is a true brotherhood, I have been successful : I can now drive Ruby in the USA 100% legally.
It has been a bit of a journey, but the reach is done.

As planned I'll be in the USA from April 29th until May 18th, and I will attend SPD with Ruby and drive through a 21 days road trip from West coast (L.A.) to East coast (NYC) with her.:p

Am now proud to own a business in the USA ;).
All the best.
X

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Did you have to buy said business to make that work or is that a side thing ? ;-)
Share if you can, it is a question that comes up now and then and we'd like to know how for the next time...

Greg, I did setup a new business in the USA which buys cars, bikes etc to collection them. I had the assistance of an attorney. Not cheap but efficient. Now I can buy as many as I want (can ?) :D

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Originally Posted by Xavier PJB

Greg, I did setup a new business in the USA which buys cars, bikes etc to collection them. I had the assistance of an attorney. Not cheap but efficient. Now I can buy as many as I want (can ?) :D

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The sledgehammer solution, that'll do it. I like your style Xavier ;-) Congrats !

So, I solved that issue by setting up a local business : Classic Tribute LLC. I'll use that entity to buy and sell cars between France and USA.
A bit costly as a solution, but tuning it into a long term opportunity :D
All the best.