Some time ago I discovered that my Model A was NOT on "Planned Non-Operation" but just unpaid--since 2008! Now it's been in the garage all that time, so no problem there, but, the DMV wanted some $737 to bring the registration up to date. Well, most of that is penalties, but cars as old as the Model A are exempted from those penalties. However, most clerks don't know about that! Our local office here in Oroville could be considered to be an Abusive Office--they seem to think anyone coming there is doing something illegal, besides having to make an appointment and wait for an hour, average, even with the appointment! So I was in Paradise today, and had time to stop in. "Do you have an appointment?" "No" "Do you have your paperwork?" "Yes!" "Step over here to number 3." So I hand her the last paid registration paper, and she says, "$737" I say, it's exempt, and show her this memo I downloaded from the DMV webesite that talks about the exemption (https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/connect/bb11c904-037d-4638-9311-7a9cc39e8f8a/1 2vin21.pdf?MOD=AJPERES) and she says, "you don't have historic plates." I tell they aren't required. She then asks if I'm a collector (it mentions that the memo), and I tell her yes, and start listing the cars I own. "You need to bring in the registrations for all those." "Can't you look them up by my name?" "Hah!" but she goes and talks to her supervisor again. The supervisor calls someone, and she comes back, "Statement of Facts listing your collector cars, and Certificate of Non-Operation." Tells me I can fill the forms out "over there" so that's what I do. I'm checking them over, and she asks if I'm done, "yes, I think so." And I go back to her "window" where she tell me she can't exempt the special plate fees (I have a personalized plate, "MA GREEN) of $163. "OK, I understand." The total due is $226."
So while I'm writing the check, the supervisor comes over and wants to know that if I get a ticket with a non-op car, all the fee forgiveness is lost. "But now I've got a current registration, right?" "Yes" and she goes into the explanation again, and that it covers parades too. After I leave the office, I realize she must have looked up my other cars, of which 4 are on Non-Operation and she wanted to make certain I didn't "trade plates" to drive them. Hey, they're on non-op because they don't run!(yet!).
So, I now have my life-long A (I used to slide down the front fenders when I was 3 or 4) legally ready for the road again--at least until August when it due for annual renewal (about $70)!

What a great system? What a great state? Glad your on the road again. They wonder why people go postal. They should pay you for preserving history.

Oh hallelujah! A bunch cumbersome but...
Ma Green hadn't been on the roster since '08?
Almost as bad as Crappy Lizzhe! Last on record here in 2002.
Glad you have it sorted! Too cool in your interesting state.

It's great when a plan works out isn't it. You went in with the law on your side by taking in the download from the DMV. When I registered my '22 Coupe many years ago I did the same thing in Ohio, I took all the paperwork from the Ohio DMV website with me. Like you the clerk had to ask a supervisor about my registration after looking in several books. The supervisor came over to the window and we spoke for a few minutes and she said give his registration he's got more paperwork then we do!

Dennis, we're lucky that in Ohio it's still a bit easier to register/title our antique cars. But I'm sure that'll change before we go to the used car lot in the sky, as it seems everything out West seems to flow to the East, on the jet stream!

Orwell couldn't have imagined a more obstructive, complicated and needlessly punitive bureaucracy. We're cheering because you were able to navigate it and emerge only slightly damaged. ??? How did we come to allow this ??? Why do we put up with it ??? What possible good does this provide to the community ??? Lastly, how do we change it ? Is it even possible ? Heaven knows I haven't a clue.

And last night Gov. Moonbeam got his "tax 'em 'till they die" increase on gas tax and increase on licensing fees through the legislature in one day. The excuse? Gotta fix our infrastructure! Ignore that there's enough taxes already to fund it IF the taxes are only spent on what they were originally designed for. NO guarantee that the new taxes won't get siphoned off just like the previous ones!
AAAARGH!!!

Apparently the answer to my questions is that this is what most people want or approve of ? I know I'm out of step. Hey, I ride horses and drive a Model T . . . When I'm in a hurry ! ;- )

A recent survey (like in the past few days) show that the majority of residents DON'T want it, as they don't trust the money to be spent where it is promised.

good old California ... They would not register my T because the title was signed thru a probate sale in another state. (Calif does not recognize probate sales in any other than Calif) forcing me to post a bond and go thru a "seller not delivering title" procedure.

David, I feel your pain as I read your April 6 post on your Model A non-opp and I was struck by the irony of the timing that you talk about in April 7 post about Moonbeam Brown's new tax. To Brown the new transportation tax is for bike paths, buses, and car pool lanes, just like Brown's first time as Governor plus Brown's new most favorite thing, high speed rail. This is what I posted prior regarding Brown's time as Governor and the State Highway System.
When I started working for the California Department of Transportation, Caltrans, in 1984 as a highway engineer the State was just recovering from 8 years of Jerry Brown's mismanagement. The older engineers that had built the State highway system up and survived the Brown years told how bad things got under Brown, and that couldn't happen again, the people won't stand for it. Now 32 years later I'm retired from Caltrans and it has happened again. The voters of California are such Sheep and Jackasses to elect Jerry Brown twice more.

Well, as I've been told numerous times; we in California have the best legislature money can buy! I don't think I've ever seen a piece of legislation go through the process so fast, Proposed one day and almost by the second day it is voted upon and approved! To make a bad pun, "We wuz Railroaded!" (and I actually think a properly designed and built High speed rail system throughout the state would be a good thing--note I said, "Properly Designed and built!" We actually used to have a pretty good Interurban system from Chico to Sacramento & the Bay Area; while not modern "High Speed" the travel times from Chico to Berkeley were better than the present highway travel times! But now I'm getting WAY off track here!)

Kevin - I would like nothing better then high-speed rail. At 200 mph (French TGV does this in spots) Boston to SW Florida would be about 8 hrs. Minimum security checks. I'd never drive the 95 corridor again! (73 one-way trips so far). I still feel for those who have to live in the Peoples' Democratic Republic of California though.

Dave Dewey: I travel all the way (32) miles to Red Bluff for DMV stuff even though we have a nice modern office here in Redding.
The people in RB are n9ice and the ones in Redding are a bunch of _well _ you know the word.

As a engineer and having worked for five years for Santa Fe Railroad as a civil engineer before working for Caltrans I would like to see a good 200 MPH high speed rail system. The problem with the California system as it is now designed, is it won't even be high speed, only around 150 MPH and doesn't deal with the mountains to get into LA. To get into LA with out long and expensive tunnels it would have required a different route along the coast range and I5 corridor, using the coast range to help gain some altitude to require less tunneling.

I have heard that the rails they are using are standard track and have been told that it can't be used for high speed rail, won't hold up.
Besides the out of control cost of living taxes and other Liberty Robbing laws/Regulations i'm glad I moved to Missourah. Have many friends planning on bugging out as soon as they can.

Geo. n Missourah (formerly LosAngeles)

Actually this is his third term...he was first elected in the 70's and he didn't do such a good job then either...and nobody wanted that buffoon for governor when he ran again...yet he got in and then got relected...shows to go ya, Dummycrats will vote for anyone that walks and talks like a jackass...hence the two more terms of good ol Moonbeam.

After more than 25 years working as a contractor for both state and private businesses, and six years working directly for the local school district. I can say with reasonable certainty that this state will NEVER have a sustainable balanced budget until after a few thousand bureaucrats are put into our overcrowded prisons for long terms. I have seen felonies committed, many times. They MUST lose their careers. They MUST lose their homes, and they MUST lose their pensions. Most of the people whose job it is to enforce the laws of this state must also lose their jobs. Because many of those felonies were reported. Guess what was done about it.
To do anything less, will just leave openings for a new set of liars and thieves to move in.

I have been most of my life in Califunny. But I was not born here, I was born in Nevada. I wonder if they would take me back? (Hey, Harvey Cash, would you like a new neighbor?) I am really not up to a major move at this point in my life. However, I may not have much choice in the matter.

Bill D.
That's interesting, because back in '77 I put a new motor in my '46 Che&y because the old one (which had the VIN on it) was cracked badly. The Mt. Shasta office gave me nothing but grief when I tried to update the VIN number. If I were willing to put the motor BACK in the car, and have them verify it, then I could do a "motor Change"--NO!! They could not look at the motor out of the car! My other option was to post a bond for the value of the car. The Redding office gal I went to came out, verified the numbers, and fixed the paperwork--NO CHARGE!!
But, offices change! Sometimes daily, or hourly, depending on who's shift is on!

Wayne, Judging from your post you will love the recent story of the Fresno CHP station commander who a few years ago allegedly helped his adult son escape to Mexico. The son was convicted of rape and was out of jail on bail waiting for the sentence court date. The son fled to Mexico with the help of family but was caught. The father, the CHP commander was involved and arrested. The CHP let him retire at full regular retirement. How that the case is coming to trial the commander wants his retirement changed to medical retirement due to stress. Because of a new California law if convicted of the felony he is charged with he will lose his regular retirement, but if his retirement is medical he will not loose it.

Considering a few of the "wagon circling cover-ups" I've seen? I am surprised they even asked him to retire.
Must not have played golf with enough higher ups.

My experience with the Ca. DMV is that the average clerk there considers it a personal and professional failure if you leave with what you came for. You are trying to defraud the State in some way or another. They get especially pissy when you haul out the vehicle code book and show them why you don't owe them more money. Supervisors must be called to override the computer's demands for $$$. It pays to know the law. Some branches of the DMV are better than others.

Erik, You are SO right! I know that my having to fill out a "statement of Facts" listing all my other antique cars to prove that my Model A is part of a "Collection as a hobby" is not necessary--but it made them happy, so what did I care--as long as I got my registration fixed! tried to find the exact regulation on the DMV website, but couldn't--might be my dial up, but I suspect they don't want folks finding it! But I did find that memo and that took care of things!

Glad things worked out for you David. I can't believe the misery the city of Oroville went through to register their 22 Buick. I would have told them to just ignore registration and drive it in whatever parades they wanted. What Oroville cop would ever mess with them anyway? Screw the beaurocrat bastards. Learn the laws and how to deal with them.