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About LinkBacksHi. I recently acquired a used atom. Do you have any advise as to how I can register it in California? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Hi. I recently acquired a used atom. Do you have any advise as to how I can register it in California? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
What documentation did you receive with it?
Originally Posted by deltachi_888
I'm pretty sure you can't register a used Atom in California. The only way to register an Atom here is as a kit car (so once it's already built it's disqualified.) I don't know of anyone who has registered an Atom in California that was previously registered in another state.
The letter of the law indicates that you cannot register a previously-titled car from a different state as a SPCNS ("special construction" or "kit car" colloquially), which is the classification you need in CA in order to have a chance at passing smog. However, DMV workers can let a lot of things through at their discretion, subject to later review in Sacramento. You might get lucky when trying to title your car, or you might not. I wish you would have asked earlier about registration, so that we could advise you to only buy new or previously-titled-in-CA.
300hp K20A | "It'll never go, my dears! Not if he's had anything to do with it."
I'm going to respectfully disagree with the above two posts based on my actual research with the dmv office in Sacramento and the bar. I encourage you to do your own research rather than rely on internet lore. You will find many people who have gone through sb100 with used cars that are kit cars successfully and legitimately. As long as you have the correct documentation it is possible. However sb100 is a rarely used process at the dmv so you are likely to get many different opinions. That's why you should go straight to the offices that approve the process to get the facts.
Jeffgtx, your statement piques my interest. Have you seen someone successfully complete a previously-titled car's SPCNS registration by filling out a REG 5036 (http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/reg/reg5036.pdf) and not ticking the boxes "by me" or "for me by" under "This vehicle/trailer was primarily assembled"?
300hp K20A | "It'll never go, my dears! Not if he's had anything to do with it."
its possible just takes lots of time and some money...
Im always up for a good piquing.
Let me just provide what I know to be true. Again my recommendation is to do your own research rather than accept word of mouth.
I have not "seen" what they put on their reg form on that checkbox so I can't say yes but I know what you are referring to. But I do know they registered the vehicle under sb100 while providing the title from the previous state/owner. So it would be hard to say they were trying to get away with something. Also if you read the documentation behind the process it doesn't say anything about the registrant having to be the original owner that I have found. And in the words of the BAR agent who I have talked to, they do not care if you were the original owner when it was assembled. What matters is that it was an assembled vehicle when it was born.
Enough people have done it that I don't consider it a fluke.
Ive also talked to the division in Sacramento and confirmed it is allowed. You simply have to document that it was assembled. If you cannot, then you run into trouble.
This is however a rarely used dmv process so everyone could potentially have a different experience, but so far I've found more people that were successful by following the rules and most of the people I talk to who say it cannot be done didn't actually try. They just heard it or read it somewhere. So the information takes a life of its own. Who knows maybe it's just a timing thing that since they don't use them all in a year anymore they aren't as restrictive? Not sure. But based on my research, I just dislike seeing people talked out of trying. They should investigate and confirm themselves using precise information/documentation before giving up.
Thanks for your detailed reply! I'll address it piecewise:Im always up for a good piquing.
Let me just provide what I know to be true. Again my recommendation is to do your own research rather than accept word of mouth.
What I mentioned, the REG 5036, is a required form for SPCNS registration. The 2nd owner of a car would not be able to completely fill out that form truthfully. While a Statement of Facts can usually substitute for any form, I haven't heard of it being used in substitution for REG 5036. This is not to say that it isn't possible.
The problem with asking people at the DMV whether X, Y, or Z is allowed, is that they do not have the final say - the courts do. Pointing to some DMV official and saying, "but they said it would be OK!" is not usually a good defense. We've seen the house of cards fall in other states when a motor vehicle bureau decides to reverse their opinion.
If people are successfully registering their used, out-of-state, turn-key kit cars, that's great. It's too precarious a position in my opinion, and until I see written affirmation that this is permissible, I'll continue to advise people to take the much safer route of an in-state car or a new build.
300hp K20A | "It'll never go, my dears! Not if he's had anything to do with it."
Yes. I'm familiar with the form. I have it right here.. And I know what you mean about the checkbox. I'm not sure how to answer that nor do I know what those previous have done.
And i I agree about going on the advice of agent x y or z. However going to the person in Sacramento who approves the paperwork when it's finally submitted by your local office is a fairly reliable source. And again, nothing in the law I have seen says anything about being the original owner as a requirement.
I dont disagree that that playing it safe is an option. But I do object to it being labelled as impossible or against the law. I think that's urban legend and have research to back up my feeling. That's why I chimed in.
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