Certified Pre Owned California DMV registration question

[RafRey]

I purchased my CPO 4Runner from a dealership on 10/19/11. I received my DMV registration yesterday and it shows valid from 1/16/2011 to 1/16/2012.

This leaves me less than two months before I have to pay registration again, and I essentially paid for 10 months that I did not own the vehicle.

I don't recall this happening on any used vehicles I bought in the past. I thought that registration starts on the date of purchase, but I can't find that written anywhere on the CA DMV website.

Before I contact the dealer, I just wanted to get some feedback from the community. Thanks.

 

[ant-ny]

just contact DMV and ask them to clarify. unless CA has some strange rules regarding new vs. cpo vs. used, it should not make a difference. a vehicle registration is a vehicle registration. maybe they forgot to "pro-rate" it or, that's just how it is.

 

[Barry694]

CA Registration

I lived in CA for 30 years. The plates always stayed with the vehicle and the registration date sticker on the vehicle did also. If you buy used car with months to go before expiration, that is a bonus. If it expires in couple of months, that is life. When I lived in CA the plates renewed every two years, I believe, and your smog inspection was based on the last number of your serial number being odd/even to correspond with the calendar year.

 

[White 4x4runner]

I lived in CA for 30 years. The plates always stayed with the vehicle and the registration date sticker on the vehicle did also. If you buy used car with months to go before expiration, that is a bonus. If it expires in couple of months, that is life. When I lived in CA the plates renewed every two years, I believe, and your smog inspection was based on the last number of your serial number being odd/even to correspond with the calendar year.

Pretty much how it still is with the registration but for smog and renewing plates its if your county is an open cow Ty or not for smog open meaning you smog when buying or selling and thats it otherwise it's every 2 years.