In Calif, Vehicle Registration and Insurance

[rockerarm]

Hi. Approx a year ago I obtained a '71 Super Beetle from a friend. Within a week I was at my local Auto Club to do the transfer. Since this car was not safe/legal to be driven, it was going to be parked on the property I rent while I develop a game plan for her. Approx 6 months later my landlord wanted to do some work on his unit and asked me to park the car on the street. I found myself back at the local Auto Club now putting basic liability insurance on the car as it was now to be on the street.
Here's the kicker. Within a month or so I receive a letter from the Calif DMV stating the registration is now suspended. The form stated registration suspended for lack of insurance! The car was subsequently moved to a friend's shop parking lot while I hash this out.
My intention is to write the DMV a detailed letter with a chronological log of when the car was obtained, where it was parked, stating the reason for this, and the change in where the car was to be parked on the roadway, and why.
My question to anyone is has anyone experienced this scenario, and why did it happen. Did I do something wrong? Any tips on dealing with the DMV. When I approached my local Auto Club they stated this scenario was out of their scope of expertise. How should I approach from today onwards?
Thanks in advance, Bill.

[KTPhil]

So its' currently registered, right (wither regular or non-op)? And the ticket was for no insurance, not for lack of registration.

Talk to a supervisor at AAA. You paid good money for them to handle registration (in your annual fees).

Someone probably reported a non-working car on the street, a cop ran the plates/VIN, and came up empty. It may be DMV's database that is wrong, but it was AAA's job to get it fully registered. Don't let them pass the buck.

Hint: try a smaller town's DMV if you eventually have to go there. The big ones in the city or suburbs are far too busy to take any interest in solving the problem. Where around L.A. are you?

[rockerarm]

Hi Phil.
No, no citation on windshield or in the mail from parking enforcement/police.
Seems to all be internal to our DMV. Prefer to stay away from a DMV office. That's why I joined AAA.
At this point, I don't know if I f'd up or DMV is to blame.
After reading the current bay bus thread by KentPS, regarding his purchase of a non-running bus, I thought of my personal scenario with this super. By him registering it within the allotted time and has the car in his garage/or property, for an extended duration, while he brings it back to life, will Kent suffer the same scenario as I have?
PS, I'm in Burbank. Bill

[Jon Schmid]

Your chassis number (a/k/a VIN) is probably not of the 17 digit alphanumeric variety. If so, DMV computers can have a problem with them. Don't ask me how I know. If this is the case and the folks at your AAA office claim that they can't help you, then they're full of crap.

[Cali_Army_Guy]

Was it insured while it was sitting on the property? Or did it only have insurance once it got moved to the street? If it was uninsured while NOT being on the street then I'm guessing that's your problem.

The only way around that is to put the car on "non op". Otherwise it MUST have current insurance.
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[lonotch]

I've had AAA for about fourty years and the same thing happened to me a few years ago, I went to get a stated value insurance on my Ghia and was denied since it wasn't in a secured location, AAA never told me I was denied and ended up getting the same letter from the DMV with a $25 fine for not having insurance on the car. Now my car was never outside on the street so I doubt that someone turned you in, I called AAA to reimburse me the $25 fine but they were no help so I just ate it, not worth the trouble to be on the phone trying to get my money back. BTW I love AAA and all the extra things they do for me like very rarely having to go to the DMV office.
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[Cusser]

Arizona. About a dozen years ago I was stopped by a cop who ran my plates, the computer "told" him that I did not have insurance. I showed him my insurance card, turns out that previous insurance company sent in an end of insurance to the state, and therefore I had trouble getting that removed. Basically, no matter what proof of insurance I provided the state, the information HAD to come from either the insurance company or from my agent directly; state did not tell me that. Took several months to straighten that out.
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[2weel]

In your post, the thread says "The form stated registration suspended for lack of insurance!"

There ya go! Get proof the car was registered at the time period of time in question and present that to them.

I couldn't tell if the car is in NON OP status or currently registered??

Lets say its in your name and you hold title.

In California

It's another can of worms if you park a car on the public roadway with a non op status on the vehicle. If registered? With out minimum insurance levels even tho you hold title to that vehicle your registration can be suspended.

[jason]

AAA's fault. They are supposed to send the proof electronically when you pay the fees. Send a copy of your insurance to DMV or have AAA do it again.

[Jon Schmid]

[B Ramsey]

This is simple. Any vehicle in California that is currently registered has to have insurance.

If you want to take it off insurance for any reason, you have to file for PNO (planned non operation). If you register a car and then don't insure it right away, they will suspend the registration. Nothing else matters.

The end.
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[Joe Bence]

Yep^ If it is registered it must be insured where you are parking it or even driving it has nothing to do with it, years ago you had to mail in proof of insurance to CA DMV, in resent years it is done electronically, DMV did not have proof of insurance and that got the ball rolling prior to you getting insurance...
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[jason]

Not true for me. I have cars with no insurance that are registered. They just cant touch any public street. Renewel time they need insurance.

[TrulyVintage]

Bill,

Not sure from your OP ...

Did you transfer the title into your name after you bought the vehicle a year ago ?

If you did & if you did not intend for it to be operated on the road - did you notify DMV in writing of that ?

If not & if it remained active in their system as being currently registered then you are required to keep state minimum insurance active.
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[B Ramsey]

[Jon Schmid]

[jason]

Never said I was cool, dick. I register it drive it for a bit then take it off the insurance. Put another one on and drive it. Nothing special happening or law breaking. Like I said earlier, they have to be registered if they touch any public road. Insurance too. Maybe Im lucky that AAA doesnt tell DMV, my registration has never been suspended. My insurance also goes up if I take a VW off my insurance. So some years I do the opposite, non op with insurance.

To original poster just go to DMV with your insurance card. Maybe take something that also shows you had insurance at the time, only need that if you received a ticket.

[c21darrel]

I dont think DMV requires insurance for a non-op registered car . If they do...im in trouble
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