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California Department of Motor Vehicles [CA DMV]

California Department of Motor Vehicles [CA DMV] review: Registration renewal 8

S
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5:13 am EST
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Recently my husband and I received a very ambiguous letter from the CA DMV regarding our truck. I needed to go to the DMV for some unrelated business and brought the letter with me. I went into the DMV and to make a (very) long story short, the letter was a Delinquency Notice for the registration of his truck. I always pay our bills on time - a delinquency notice is not common practice in our home. The clerk told me it was the "fourth" notice they had sent and told me I owed $305 immediately. It was really upsetting and ruined our Christmas gift giving plans.

Now this isn't some sappy, bleeding heart story. There's a reason submitting this complaint: today we received a Notice of Delinquency for my car! The State is charging us $108 in delinquency fees and it's only a month late (due 11/22). Since my first car at 18, I have always received a notice from the DMV at least a month BEFORE my registration was due. Apparently California is attempting to bridge the severe budget gaps by screwing over hard working Californians by "sending" registration renewal notices (that you never receive), then sending a delinquency notice with penalty fees (that you, ironically, receive just fine). I am so disgusted I could spit.

I made notes in my 2011 bill calendar two months ahead of our vehicle registration dates. I won't let this happen to us again. I find it very questionable that this would happen to us for both our vehicles (and within months of each other).

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The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

8 comments
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Rogerthat2
US
Jan 05, 2011 1:15 am EST

There is a sticker right on your license plate that shows the month your registration expires... if that month is upon you, its YOUR responsibility to make sure your fees are paid.. Don't sit around and wait for a bill to come in the mail then cry when you get late fees.

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(0MpL@!n
US
Mar 17, 2011 9:55 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I also got a Deliquent Renewal Notice today for one of my cars. It has never happened in the past. I always pay bills on time for all three cars. It is definitely the state is trying to punish citizens by creating inguenine ways for making up the budget shortfall. It is really shameful how governments are punishing citizens by made-up penalties.

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(0MpL@!n
US
Mar 17, 2011 10:07 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Even if a citizen wants to proactively go ahead and pay the bill, how does he know the amount that needs to be paid? and if a Smog test is needed? And how to know the amount of renewal fees for DL?

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(0MpL@!n
US
Mar 17, 2011 10:11 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

gkenigmatic,
Can you tell me how I can know the amount of renewal fees for Car registration or DL without getting a notice from DMV? And if a Smog test is needed and any reference numbers that DMV generally send in their notices?

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JoJoJoJoJo
US
May 03, 2011 3:49 am EDT

Same thing happened to me (in California). I noted that, unlike in ALL past years, I'd not received notice of renewal in the mail even though the date of expiration was approaching. Not knowing how much to pay or what exact address to send it to, I called the DMV and was put on hold for 25 minutes while musak played until my call was disconnected by the DMV. I called back and managed to leave MY number so they could call ME at their leisure. When called I got the amount owed and address so I can send my (now higher) renewal fees to them immediately so I don't get penalized for being late since I discovered I have only one week left. This is just one more example of how the state has become the a predator and an enemy of the people here in sunny Cal.

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Ray Chandler
US
Feb 10, 2018 9:03 pm EST

I RENEWED MY CA REGIUSTRATION DEC 3, 2017 - THIS FOR A VEHICLE WHSE REGISTRATIO WOULD NOT EXPIREUNTIL FEB 9, 2018. DMV GLADLY TOOK MY MONEY OVER 2 MONTHS AGO BUT NOW INSISTS THAT I HAVE NOT PROVIDED PROOF OF INSURANCE. NOT SO. I PROVIDED PROOF TWICE BYMAIL AND AGAIN IN PERSON WHEN THEY STILL DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT. NOW I GOTA NOTICE IN THE MAIL TODA 2/10/2018 THAT MY REGISTRATION EXPIRED 2 DAYS AGO AND I MUST NO REMI 414 REINSTATEMENT FEE ALONG WITH ARE YOU REAY FOR THIS --- PROOF OF INSURANCE. WHAT ARE THEY SMOKING? AND WHAT MORE CAN I DO?

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fort4spark
US
Mar 17, 2018 3:12 am EDT

It is obvious that each and every one of the people posting complaints has a computer and knows how to use one. Go to www.dmv.ca.gov and you will find a link within the site that helps you calculate your registration renewal fees. There is also a link to www.bar.ca.gov so you can find out if you need a smog or not.

On the back of your registration it instructs you to take your registration to your nearest DMV if you do not receive your renewal notice by the renewal date. In some areas you can take your registration to a kiosk in grocery stores and find out what your fees are and pay for your tags there.

If you send your proof of insurance to DMV and get a second notice a few weeks later then you need to call your insurance company and ask THEM why they haven't provided the info to DMV. Those letters are sent because they have not done what they are supposed to do. Unless you haven't paid your insurance bill. Then it's on you to get the bill paid.

Finally, the suggestion that DMV delays sending out bills in order to reduce the budget deficit is just plain silly. It costs money to process them and send them out. The state cuts employees hours and lays people off when they need to balance budgets.

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Stf#9415
Campo, US
Sep 19, 2022 11:25 pm EDT

I would like to read the resolution for the couples complaint

  1. California Department of Motor Vehicles [CA DMV] Contacts

  2. California Department of Motor Vehicles [CA DMV] phone numbers
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  3. California Department of Motor Vehicles [CA DMV] emails
  4. California Department of Motor Vehicles [CA DMV] address
    2415 1st Ave., Mail Station C271, Sacramento, California, 95818-2606, United States
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