BajaNomad

Buying '77 Truck w/ AZ plates

LaloinBaja - 4-21-2011 at 05:39 PM

I live in Baja Norte. I want to but a truck from a buddy for $900.00...But it's AZ plates are expired...What do I need to do to re-up them????? Thinking of crossing the line with this truck... Thanks...Lalo

BajaWarrior - 4-21-2011 at 09:35 PM

You need to get the Title in your name for starters then get current on registration.

DENNIS - 4-21-2011 at 09:41 PM

I wish I had time right now to explain this, but, if you have the title, get South Dakota plates....online. You'll need a US address for mail.

Ask someone else here for clarification. I have to go.

Phil S - 4-22-2011 at 07:00 AM

Will this truck stay in Baja? Or will you be driving it back & forth? If it stays, why not just get Baja plates? Or just takes the plates off, and if you get stopped, just tell the officer, "it's o.k. I live here" ! ! !

rhintransit - 4-22-2011 at 07:10 AM

for a $900 vehicle, hard to figure why to keep legal. oops just reread...you want to cross into the states. that would be a problem.
AZ plates...big hassle. you have to have AZ insurance on the vehicle in order to renew the registration. and if you 'live' in a smog area...Tucson, Phoenix ?others...you need to get a yearly smog exam, though you can fairly easily get an exemption if you are out of a testing area.
South Dakota works, though you need to either have a friend there with an address willing to do the paperwork/legwork for you or you need to have a mail forwarding service, at 100 plus bucks a year and they will do the legwork for you for a fee, 25 and up, plus registration fees which are 40-50/yr I think. I never could make the math work for me but others do. it costs me about 150/yr for liability only AZ insurance (I have another car that stays in AZ and so get multicar discount) 40 or so for yearly registration plus 10 bucks for the smog exemption.
don't know if you can import the thing.

[Edited on 4-22-2011 by rhintransit]

Phil S - 4-22-2011 at 07:12 AM

Aren't certain aged vehicles exempt from the "smog" laws in Arizona?

rhintransit - 4-22-2011 at 07:27 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Phil S
Aren't certain aged vehicles exempt from the "smog" laws in Arizona?


they may be, I really don't know. but smogging is the least expensive hassle involved.

Phil S - 4-22-2011 at 07:35 AM

Your right about that. Whats wrong with getting plates from the state your from? The south Dakota suggestion was a good one. I used to see tons of So. Dakota over all the years I'd been driving down & back. Must be easy to get them.

rts551 - 4-22-2011 at 07:44 AM

You don't say where your residence is. Assuming Arizona, you can but you will need a certificate of non-operation (or pay a fine), proof of insurance and a smog certification.

bajalou - 4-22-2011 at 06:09 PM

If you get SD plates you can forget all about penalties from AZ, but you have to register the transfer within a certain time or have penalties. You do NOT have to have a address in SD. It can all be handled by phone and mail with a US social security number and a US address to show and to receive the plates/registration/title. No SD address required or wanted - no mail service. I have 3 vehicles registered there now - that stay always or mostly in Baja. I've been doing this for about 12 years now and it's great.

Get the real answers - visit the website and then call the Treasurers office of Clay County for all the correct info.

www.claycountysd.org gets you the county website, click on Treasurer's office and they have links to forms etc. But you have to call to get prices.

rhintransit - 4-23-2011 at 06:39 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajalou
If you get SD plates you can forget all about penalties from AZ, but you have to register the transfer within a certain time or have penalties. You do NOT have to have a address in SD. It can all be handled by phone and mail with a US social security number and a US address to show and to receive the plates/registration/title. No SD address required or wanted - no mail service. I have 3 vehicles registered there now - that stay always or mostly in Baja. I've been doing this for about 12 years now and it's great.

Get the real answers - visit the website and then call the Treasurers office of Clay County for all the correct info.

www.claycountysd.org gets you the county website, click on Treasurer's office and they have links to forms etc. But you have to call to get prices.


thanks, I've not heard that you can deal direct. that would make it a whole lot more reasonable. I can say that my information on AZ is correct, I just went through the hoops up in Phoenix with my Mexico car, see above post.

[Edited on 4-23-2011 by rhintransit]

bajalou - 4-23-2011 at 08:20 AM

Been doing it this way for years.

Lou is 100% correct

beercan - 4-23-2011 at 09:34 AM

I went thru a bunch of crap with Arizona a few years ago-- did the South Dakota thing and never looked back. Have 3 vehicles reg. there . People are great to deal with !