rhintransit - 2-1-2007 at 09:14 AM
have been going through the drill of getting a DEQ(smog) exemption signed so I can renew my Arizona/Phoenix car tags. AZ also does registration
yearly which complicates things for having a 'current' registration. if the vehicle is out of state one can apply for an exemption til one returns to
AZ.
this year I took the form, which requires a signature from a 'local law enforcement' officer to the Loreto City Police Dept. big yawn there, but at
least an improvement over the sexual harrassment from the Federales last year when I tried that route for another car (long story, see end of post).
final word, other than no signature, was that they basically didn't care if USA tags or registration were current. my question: is this true? do
car tags need to be current? does the registratin need to be current. I realize that if someone wants to shake me down, the legality of anything is
suspect, but I do like to try to fly under the radar and stay as legal as I can.
on to migracion (FM3 renewal still in progress, 6 weeks and counting, after 3 hrs for initial FM3 last year. always something to keep one entertained
around here) a guy there did agree to look at the vehicle, VIN number and by the way, offered to buy the car from me...but he did stamp my form all
over with most impressive stamps and florishes and I assume that will be sufficient for the state of AZ.
people in similar situations might want to try their local migracion office.
expanded story re first attempt, other car...guys never took their eyes off my chest level, wanted to know why I was single, where I lived...turned
out they already knew, wanted me to go have a drink with them, etc etc. hard to believe I passed on all that. wrote a long letter to AZ DEQ
explaining that fiasco and mailed it it...got exemption back, no further questions.
bajalou - 2-1-2007 at 10:50 AM
Have you thought of getting a mailbox in another part of AZ which does not require periodic smog exams and changing the registration address to there?
You can then renew the registration online without a problem. And I have always registered for 2 years at a time in AZ.
osoflojo - 2-1-2007 at 12:52 PM
Back when I still had a vehicle registered in AZ I would get the exemptiond every year and I would have them signed by my landlord "Commandante
Castro". Always worked for me.............
Bruce R Leech - 2-1-2007 at 02:55 PM
I did get a ticket once here for expired tags. so at least in some places they care
longlegsinlapaz - 2-1-2007 at 03:41 PM
Ticketable in La Paz!
rhintransit - 2-1-2007 at 06:37 PM
damn. and I'm planning to drive to La Paz tomorrow. should I smear dirt over the place? fake a sticker? where and when in La Paz? anyone actually
experience a ticket there? I remember accidentally driving on expired plates in AZ for months. never bothered me til I realized it.
as to a different address in AZ...I have a house/ main residence in Phoenix. and have to have US insurance on car, etc. getting a different post
office address seems to be jumping through a lot of hoops for car registration. guess I'd prefer to be legal in the states, where it's harder to get
an officer of the law to look the other way...
gnukid - 2-2-2007 at 12:34 PM
As far as expired tags go in la paz, the officers are primarly on foot and without radio, they may or may not whistle to stop you, hard to hear with
windows up and the radio on eh? what are they going to do run after you with their fat bellies.
Either way they have hard time even reading the registration. Look for and print articulo 106 which states that if your FM3 is valid then your car is
reg is valid even if late up to 5 years. Just hand them the copy of the articulo and say "aqui leer articulo ciento seis, ya no tiene permiso para
molestarme. Me entiendes? Adios. que la vay bien." or try the lloud texas accent approach. jajaja
In truth articulo 106 is much more complicated and one must have the copy of the pages of a current FM3 and you couldn't have left the country in the
period in which it had expired but from my experience just handing them the copy of 106 helps throw back in their court and tease them a bit to get
you on your way, in the end the fine normally would be low like 13 dollars though.
On another note, your legally required to carry a copy of the reg paper which can easily be copied and altered as can a digital photo of current reg
printed on photo paper-in effect that would improper as opposed to having an expired tag up to 5 years along with your fm3 and the copy of 106 which
would be proper.
rhintransit - 2-3-2007 at 10:20 AM
I like the articulo 106 idea, any idea of where to find it?
thanks to a tube of cad red acrylic paint my plate now looks legal til I can get back to AZ in a few weeks to take care of that. thanks for all the
suggestions.
Scan That Tag !
MrBillM - 2-3-2007 at 11:03 AM
With a little time and effort, you can make your own tags provided you have an original to scan. You usually need to spend a little time resizing and
color correcting the scan until you get it close enough, but I've been doing it for years. You don't even have to use the color glossy paper. I did
originally, but found it worked just as well to use regular paper and cover it with clear packing tape. The Inkjet colors fade fairly fast from the
UV, but replacement is cheap and quick.
You would want to practice at being a Careful driver, though. It wouldn't do to have the Policia stop you and ask for your
registration, although you could probably alter one of those to make a decent copy given some patient program time.