How To Register A Grey Market Car In California

Registering gray market cars are very problematic here in ca.

How to register a grey market car in california. I m just worried they re going to send me to a smog ref and i m going to be under the microscope. If the car is currently here in the states and registered to another state it may only be slightly less nightmarish. I tried to register it at the auto club today but when it came up as a grey market car the said it needed a dmv managers code and they told me i have to go into the dmv to complete registration. The epa normally covers direct import vehicles under the ici program but if a vehicle is going to be registered in california it needs to meet the. It s an original ca blue plate car imported into ca at the height of the gray market era shipped from the dealer in ge direct to the gray market importer in so cal i have original window sticker.

Registering grey market car car in california post by expeditionimports mon may 11 2015 4 26 pm so far everyone lmtv we have had was completely legal for ca. Vehicles which have been returned to the manufacturer under california s lemon law. Grey market cars are illegally imported vehicles that don t meet u s. They re the forbidden fruit of the car world. Warranty return or lemon law buyback.

Vehicles originally manufactured for sale and use outside the united states but which have been converted to meet federal and california safety and emissions standards. Safety and emissions standards. Federal motor vehicle safety standards and or california emissions standards and is not intended by the manufacturer to be used or sold in the u s. If you live in california or hawaii the 25 year rule likely does not apply. A grey market vehicle i e direct import is not manufactured to meet u s.

These vehicles have different smog check inspection requirements. Direct import or gray market vehicles are vehicles that were manufactured outside the united states for which the original manufacturer did not obtain california or federal certification. Releasing it from the port is a long task and registering it with the dmv is no picnic. If it s coming straight in from another country good luck. Registering the vehicle is straightforward.