The Wacky World of California

Posted on February 12, 2007 by Gene

Here’s another example of the culture shock I’m still exposed to here in California.

I bought my Audi in November. I paid the full registration fee, and this morning, three months later, I received my license plates.

And they expire in 2 months.

As far as I can figure out, in California when one registers a car for the first time — when it is new — that becomes the registration renewal date on that car forever. The original owner of my car registered it for the first time in April, so even though I bought it and registered it in my name in November, the renewal date is in April.

So, why didn’t the registration fee get pro-rated to reflect this shortened registration period? I paid more than $200 to register the car, and will have to pay that again in 2 months.

Why, oh why, is California so complicated and bureaucratic? What is so difficult about resetting the registration on the car so that it expires in November, when I bought it?

As much as I detest the red state attitude of Virginia, I really miss its simplicities… all you folks back in Virginia who complain about the DMV should try living in California for a while.