{"id":6228,"date":"2024-11-08T05:34:43","date_gmt":"2024-11-08T13:34:43","guid":{"rendered":"\/wp-site\/?p=6228"},"modified":"2024-11-09T08:25:02","modified_gmt":"2024-11-09T16:25:02","slug":"buying-a-car-in-california-from-out-of-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/car-loan\/buying-a-car-in-california-from-out-of-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Buying a Car in California From Out of State"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you\u2019re a <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/california\/\">California<\/a><a href=\"\/car-insurance\"> <\/a>resident and you purchase a new car from out of state, you\u2019ll need to prove that it is certified to meet California\u2019s smog laws. If you purchase a car in California and plan to register it in another state, you\u2019ll need to check out your state\u2019s requirements for registering an out-of-state vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-jerry-key-takeaway border-primary flex flex-col rounded bg-gray-50 p-6 border-l-0\"><div class=\"flex flex-col md:block md:space-x-1\"><span class=\"has-primary-color text-lg font-semibold\">QUICK LOOK<\/span><span class=\"text-gray-900 text-base\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"jerry-block-content\" contentclassname=\"text-gray-900 text-base\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The state of California has some of the strictest laws in the nation when it comes to vehicles that can be registered within the state.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you\u2019re purchasing a new or used car from out of state as a California resident, it will need to satisfy the state\u2019s emissions standards in order to get registered\u2014but some exceptions can apply<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you purchase a car in California but live in another state, you may need to pay local sales tax<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Buy-a-car-out-of-state-as-a-California-resident\">How to buy a car out of state as a California resident<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Before you purchase that \u201cperfect\u201d out-of-state car:<\/strong> It\u2019s important to understand California\u2019s requirements for registering a car bought across state lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you\u2019re a California resident and you purchase or acquire a new car from out of state: <\/strong>You\u2019ll need to prove that it is certified to meet California\u2019s smog laws in order for it to be registered in the state. The California Department of Motor Vehicles DMV (CA DMV) will not register a new vehicle\u2014or one that is less than two years old or has less than 7,500 miles\u2014without a smog certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Not all new cars conform to California\u2019s emissions testing requirements:<\/strong> Some car manufacturers produce vehicles to be sold only in the other 49 states. These \u201c49-state\u201d vehicles pass federal emissions requirements\u2014but not California\u2019s! That said, once a 49-state vehicle is more than two years old or has more than 7,500 miles on it, it may be registered in California, assuming it can pass the smog check.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-jerry-key-takeaway border-primary flex flex-col rounded bg-gray-50 p-6 border-l-4\"><div class=\"flex flex-col md:block md:space-x-1\"><span class=\"has-primary-color text-lg font-semibold\">Pro Tip:<\/span><span class=\"text-gray-900 text-base\">The emission label under the hood of your vehicle will tell you if the car is legal for sale in California.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"jerry-block-content\" contentclassname=\"text-gray-900 text-base\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Exceptions-to-California\u2019s-emissions-law\">Exceptions to California\u2019s emissions law<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are some exceptions to California\u2019s emissions law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You may be able to register a 49-state vehicle in California if:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The vehicle was obtained as part of a divorce, legal separation, or inheritance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The vehicle was purchased to replace a California-registered vehicle that was stolen and\/or destroyed\/made inoperative beyond repair while using it out of state<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The vehicle will be used as an emergency vehicle in accordance with California Vehicle Code \u00a7\u00a727156.2 and 27156.3.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The vehicle was registered by you in the state of your last active military service outside of California<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Buy-a-car-in-California-if-you-live-out-of-state\">How to buy a car in California if you live out of state<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you purchase a car in California and plan to register it in another state: <\/strong>You\u2019ll need to be familiar with your state\u2019s requirements for registering an out-of-state vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In most cases, you\u2019ll need:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To acquire a valid bill of sale for the car purchased (some states, like Montana, Arizona, and Oklahoma, require a notary stamp on the bill of sale)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bring the bill of sale to your local DMV with photo identification, proof of residency, odometer disclosure, and proof of auto insurance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Register your vehicle in your state of residence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When you register your vehicle, you will likely need to pay local sales tax or the difference between the sales tax in California and the state where you register the vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you purchased the vehicle from a private party: <\/strong>Ask the private seller to create a bill of sale for the transaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-separator-jerry-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Learn more: <\/strong><a href=\"\/dmv\/how-to-transfer-a-car-title\/\">How a car title transfer works<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-separator-jerry-default\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"I-don\u2019t-have-a-physical-title?\">What if I don\u2019t have a physical title?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Registering a car in California requires:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A physical car title<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An emissions inspection certification<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A filled-out vehicle registration form<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Title and registration fees<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you only have an electronic title for the vehicle:<\/strong> You\u2019ll need to request a physical copy of the original title from the out-of-state DMV in order to register it in California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Things can get even more complicated if you\u2019re financing a vehicle:<\/strong> The title request will have to go through your lender, the lienholder, which may take a bit of time. That said, you may be able to get a temporary registration and car insurance policy that allows you to drive the car while the paperwork is being processed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Buying-a-vehicle-out-of-state\">Tips for buying a vehicle out of state<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can\u2019t find the exact car you\u2019re looking for in your state of residence, making your car purchase in a different state might make sense. However, there are some things car buyers will want to avoid when shopping for cars out of state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Keep the following car-buying tips in mind:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Never skip the vehicle history report:<\/strong> Don\u2019t forget about the CARFAX report! Reports like these will alert you to any accidents or issues your car\u2019s encountered in the past.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Schedule your vehicle inspection in your home state: <\/strong>You\u2019ll need to meet the inspection requirements of the state you register your car in, not where you purchased the car.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t forget an emissions test:<\/strong> For Californians especially, this is a must. Don\u2019t purchase a car that can\u2019t pass the emissions test of the state where you live!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Know your state\u2019s sales tax laws for vehicles:<\/strong> You\u2019ll pay the sales tax of the state you register your car in, not the state where you purchased the car.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Purchase car insurance before you drive off the dealership lot: <\/strong>If you\u2019re trekking back to your home state, don\u2019t do it without insurance! Make sure to brush up on your state\u2019s minimum car insurance laws. Once you\u2019ve picked your insurance company, be sure to verify your coverage will be active while you\u2019re making the trip back home in your new ride.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jerry-cta\"><div class=\"flex flex-col items-start gap-4 rounded-xl border border-zinc-200 px-12 py-8 md:flex-row md:items-center md:gap-14\"><div class=\"flex-1\"><span class=\"text-xl font-black text-gray-900\">Find affordable car insurance in minutes.<\/span><\/div><div class=\"flex-1\"><a href=\"\/signup\" class=\"bg-primary block w-full rounded-full px-14 py-2 text-center font-black text-white hover:no-underline\">COMPARE QUOTES<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jerry-meet-experts\" data-wp-interactive=\"jerry\/meet-experts\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;modalVisible&quot;:false}\">\n  <div class=\"font-circular text-2xl font-extrabold text-slate-900\">Expert-driven. Built for you.<\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"my-3\">\n    <div class=\"flex justify-between items-center py-3 border-b border-neutral-200 cursor-pointer font-semibold text-gray-900\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.toggleModal\">\n  <button class=\"text-left text-base\" type=\"button\">\n    Why you can count on Jerry&#8217;s articles  <\/button>\n\n  <div class=\"transition data-[visible=true]:md:rotate-180 text-xs iconify i--chevron-down text-gray-500\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"modal-backdrop fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-50 overflow-hidden overscroll-contain bg-black\/70 font-body transition-transform delay-100 duration-0 md:relative md:z-auto [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:translate-y-full [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:bg-black\/0 [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:md:hidden\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onModalInit\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.hideModal\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\">\n  <div class=\"modal-view fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 flex max-h-[75%] w-full flex-col rounded-t-3xl bg-white pb-7 pl-7 pt-3.5 transition md:relative md:rounded-none md:pl-0 md:transition-none [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:translate-y-full [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:md:hidden\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\">\n    <div class=\"modal-header md:hidden flex justify-between items-center pb-1 mb-1 border-b border-zinc-200\">\n      <div class=\"modal-title text-base font-semibold\">Summary<\/div>\n\n      <div\n        class=\"modal-close-btn wp-block-group w-11 h-11 mr-2.5 content-center text-center\"\n        data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.hideModal\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"iconify i--close text-gray-500 cursor-pointer\"><\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"modal-body pr-7 overflow-y-auto\"><div class=\"wp-block-template-part\"><div class=\"flex flex-row items-center gap-2.5 rounded-lg bg-gray-pink px-4 py-5\">\n  <span class=\"iconify mt-0.5 shrink-0 self-start text-xs text-primary i--shield-check\"><\/span>\n\n  <div>\n    <div class=\"font-body text-xs font-bold text-primary\">Our goal is clear, trustworthy information.<\/div>\n    <div class=\"mt-1 font-body text-xs text-gray-600\">\n      Our content is created, edited and fact checked by a team of licensed insurance agents, automotive pros and\n      experienced journalists who know the industry inside and out. Facts are thoroughly researched, verified and kept\n      current, and our editorial team is separate from our business partners, so our opinions &#038; tips are unbiased. All\n      insights drawn from Jerry\u2019s proprietary, aggregated customer auto insurance quotes data provide unique, real-world\n      guidance.\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"text-base font-semibold text-gray-900\">Our experts<\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"my-8 flex flex-col gap-8 items-center justify-center\">\n          <div\n        class=\"meet-experts-item group relative flex h-auto w-full flex-none flex-col justify-between overflow-hidden rounded-3xl py-9 text-sm shadow-variant-card\"\n        data-expand=\"false\"\n        data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onItemInit\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"grid h-full w-full grid-cols-1 overflow-hidden px-8 md:grid-cols-4\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Melanie-Johnson.png\" class=\"size-16 rounded-full md:size-32 col-span-1 md:ml-4\" alt=\"meet-experts-thumbnail\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Melanie-Johnson.png 250w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Melanie-Johnson-150x150.png 150w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Melanie-Johnson-56x56.png 56w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Melanie-Johnson-120x120.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 260px, (max-width: 576px) 432px, (max-width: 720px) 540px, (min-width: 720px) 250px, 100vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/>\n          <div class=\"col-span-3\">\n            <div class=\"my-4 flex-1 content-center font-circular text-lg font-medium text-slate-900 md:mt-0\">\n              Melanie Johnson            <\/div>\n\n            \n            <div class=\"text-slate-500 mt-2 leading-6\">\n              <p>Melanie Johnson is an insurance writer with more than 10 years of experience in writing and publishing. A specialist in travel and insurance-related topics, Melanie&#8217;s mission is to craft articles that simplify complex topics into concepts and ideas car owners can use to save money on car-related expenses. Since joining Jerry, Melanie has written over 600 articles, including on state-specific regulations, car maintenance basics, and city insurance landscapes. Before joining Jerry, Melanie was a reporter for rAVe [publications] filming product videos, interviewing AV executives, and reporting on AV trade shows.<\/p>            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"absolute hidden group-data-[expand=true]:flex bottom-0 w-full h-24 bg-gradient-to-t from-white from-30% to-transparent to-100% items-end justify-center\">\n          <div\n            class=\"flex cursor-pointer flex-row items-center gap-2 my-4 font-circular text-primary\"\n            data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.onItemExpandClick\"\n          >\n            <span class=\"text-sm\">See more<\/span>\n            <span class=\"iconify i--chevron-down text-xs\"><\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n          <div\n        class=\"meet-experts-item group relative flex h-auto w-full flex-none flex-col justify-between overflow-hidden rounded-3xl py-9 text-sm shadow-variant-card\"\n        data-expand=\"false\"\n        data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onItemInit\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"grid h-full w-full grid-cols-1 overflow-hidden px-8 md:grid-cols-4\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Melanie-Krieps-Mergen.png\" class=\"size-16 rounded-full md:size-32 col-span-1 md:ml-4\" alt=\"meet-experts-thumbnail\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Melanie-Krieps-Mergen.png 250w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Melanie-Krieps-Mergen-150x150.png 150w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Melanie-Krieps-Mergen-56x56.png 56w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Melanie-Krieps-Mergen-120x120.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 260px, (max-width: 576px) 432px, (max-width: 720px) 540px, (min-width: 720px) 250px, 100vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/>\n          <div class=\"col-span-3\">\n            <div class=\"my-4 flex-1 content-center font-circular text-lg font-medium text-slate-900 md:mt-0\">\n              Melanie Krieps Mergen            <\/div>\n\n            \n            <div class=\"text-slate-500 mt-2 leading-6\">\n              <p>Melanie Mergen is an insurance writer with more than 8 years of writing, research, and editing experience. She\u2019s covered topics like car insurance, home insurance, finance, and car ownership for Jerry. Her mission in doing so is to help people secure and protect their most important assets while making the best possible use of their finances.<br \/>Prior to joining forces with Jerry, Melanie worked as a freelance content writer and editor, a teaching artist, and journalist. She received her Creative Writing MFA from Columbia University.<\/p>            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"absolute hidden group-data-[expand=true]:flex bottom-0 w-full h-24 bg-gradient-to-t from-white from-30% to-transparent to-100% items-end justify-center\">\n          <div\n            class=\"flex cursor-pointer flex-row items-center gap-2 my-4 font-circular text-primary\"\n            data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.onItemExpandClick\"\n          >\n            <span class=\"text-sm\">See more<\/span>\n            <span class=\"iconify i--chevron-down text-xs\"><\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Buying a car in California from out of state can be a complicated process due to the state\u2019s many laws and restrictions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":42444,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jerry_authors":"[{\"id\":\"232\",\"type\":\"main-author\"},{\"id\":\"311\",\"type\":\"editor\"}]","jerry_author_ids":[232],"jerry_idx_page_label":"","jerry_meta_desc":"Buying a car in California from out of state can be a complicated process due to the state\u2019s many laws and restrictions.","jerry_related_posts":"[6079,5177,8452]","jerry_summary":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[89,111],"class_list":["post-6228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-car-loan","tag-california","tag-car-loans"],"modified_by":"Elmz Layson","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6228","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6228"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6228\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43623,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6228\/revisions\/43623"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}