Modern Vespa

I'm here in San Francisco, and I just received a Renewal Notice from DMV for license and registration fees in the amount of $98. The notice states that the fees are due on October 14, 2010. I purchased my new 300 Super in late May 2010 from a Bay Area dealer, and the dealer processed all the DMV registration and license paperwork. I previously received my license plate and registration sticker, which shows that the license/registration is good through June 2011.

Does anybody know why I would be receiving a "Renewal Notice" this early? Shouldn't the license and registration fees be renewed in May 2011. Thanks in advance for any help/responses.

the state is broke and they are just trying to get more money

just call the 800 number and state your current registration date and ask why they sent out one for oct. or just ignore it as you have a valid reigstration paper now.

Typically after the purchase of a NEW vehicle the tabs renew in 11 months, not 12, so April 2011 would be my guess with a notice mailed to you in Feb 2011. Yet another way the CA DMV works in mysterious ways....although there's really nothing mysterious about their motives in cheating us out of 1 month of fees.

I would be appealing the renewal date of Oct., but as they say "good luck".

Don't get me started......

Thanks you guys. My concern is that there's a schedule of all kinds of late payments and penalties if the thing isn't paid by October 14, 2010. I just wonder if the dealer somehow has a way of only paying for three months (even though telling the customer the full year was paid) when filing the initial set of registration papers.

But the paperwork you've got shows it's good through June 2011 ? It's the same here. If you were daft enough (or couldn't wait) and road taxed the vehicle on, say 30th July, they regard the tax as applying throughout the complete month from the start of that month , so in that case it would expire on 30th June. You've paid 12 months but get 11 months plus a few days.

As a result most users apply for the disc at the beginning of the month, leading to queues, but at least then you get your 12 month's worth.

Agreed. But why the damn notice. The fees literally double if not postmarked by 11/14/2010. The State's going broke and trying to use all these fees and fines to makeup for it. It's a wonderful system here in CA.

It's an error, call them up.

The fees do not have to be mailed till the last day of the current registration.

Jesus .... I just went back and re-read the Renewal Notice, and specifically, the fine print VIN and license plate numbers on the Notice. It turns out, this notice is for the LX 150 I traded into the dealership to purchase the new 300 Super. It's not for my current 300 Super.

But this does raise a new question. The Notice was sent on July 26, 2010. I purchased the Super (and traded in the LX 150) on or around May 21, 2010. I gather the dealer hasn't re-registered the LX 150 yet. I've already contacted the dealer and told him I received the LX 150 renewal notice. My concern is that the dealer doesn't re-register the LX 150. I don't want a delinquent record with the CA DMV. And I don't want to have to wait in line at (or make an appointment with) DMV to demonstrate to them I no longer own the LX 150.

Does anybody know whether I can write them back and tell them I no longer own the vehicle? I've got a bill of sale. I do wonder what happens when subsequent purchasers fail to register vehicles they buy. Can DMV hold the seller responsible for registration fees after the vehicle has been sold?

[quote="ToppiSF"]Thanks you guys. My concern is that there's a schedule of all kinds of late payments and penalties.

Read your registration, it will tell you when it's time to renew.

Title changes can take a while. I would just contact the dealer, like you did, and ask if they have changed it over yet or not. Was there a form, maybe on the back of the title, that you had to sign when you traded it in to the dealer? I think that's what we do in Texas. I would also contact the DMV and tell them that you traded it in. I bet it will work itself out without you having to pay anything. Good luck

In that case you can ignore it or fill out a release of liability.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/reg/reg138.pdf

The dealer does not have to process any paperwork until they sell it.

When you traded your LX in, did you have the title to the bike? If so, you are meant to detach a section of it and mail it to the DMV showing that you have sold the bike and no longer have liability for it.
This insures that if the new owner takes his sweet time registering it, you will not be held responsible for parking tickets etc. http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffvr32.htm

I'd like to thank everybody who responded, particularly our CA folks who posted about the DMV Release of Liability Form. I had no idea about this form. In any event, the form's been completed, and I'm mailing it in now. Hopefully, that'll do it. Much thanks to all, really. Having to deal with DMV in person is a nightmare around here. Best scooter driving to all.