California registration for out of state purchase

[Gunner]

One of the things that the various SB100 checklists (such as the one elsewhere here in the forum) don't quite seem to cover is the time between first registration and then re-registration or completing registration under SB-100.

If I get my new baby sometime in the next few weeks, am I better off NOT registering it until I'm ready to go get in line on January 4? Will registering it without any smog compliance on the immediate horizon screw up the SB-100 process and registration? Or am I fine registering it, requesting whatever TOP or TOPs they'll give me to let it get inspected etc., and then returning to DMV on 01/04 to fix things up?

BTW, this vehicle will be an import with a title from another state. The SB-100 process seems to expect that vehicles are "first time rollers." As long as it comes with a clean, accurate (2006) title, does the former title help or hurt in the registration and SB-100 process? Or does it change it at all?

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by Gunner

One of the things that the various SB100 checklists (such as the one elsewhere here in the forum) don't quite seem to cover is the time between first registration and then re-registration or completing registration under SB-100.

If I get my new baby sometime in the next few weeks, am I better off NOT registering it until I'm ready to go get in line on January 4? Will registering it without any smog compliance on the immediate horizon screw up the SB-100 process and registration? Or am I fine registering it, requesting whatever TOP or TOPs they'll give me to let it get inspected etc., and then returning to DMV on 01/04 to fix things up?

BTW, this vehicle will be an import with a title from another state. The SB-100 process seems to expect that vehicles are "first time rollers." As long as it comes with a clean, accurate (2006) title, does the former title help or hurt in the registration and SB-100 process? Or does it change it at all?

Your best bet is to start the process with DMV and pay your fees. You don't want to show up on 1/4/10 and mess around with the DMV trying to pay your sales tax and fees. Getting your car in the system will have no impact on your ability to register it under SB100.

Prior title from another state (as long as it clean/correct for that state) won't create any problems under SB100.