CA/OK DMV DPS FUBAR

[overdrive148]

Okay... I may have screwed myself (and not in a good way).

The situation:

• New car in my name last year, 100% paid for. Bought in CA, registered in CA.

• I'm in Oklahoma. License (until today) was CA, registration is still CA.

• The car and I have been back and forth and between the two states and I'm settling here for now so I proceeded with registering my car/getting my license in OK.

• Car was broken into, a bunch of stuff (including title) disappeared late last year

So, never having done the registration process (dad did it when the car was purchased, etc etc), I went to the tag agency, which pointed me to the department of public safety, which gave me paperwork, which pointed me back to the tag agency.

In order to get my registration changed over, I needed to have my license changed over. The agency did that, and I'm the proud owner of a pretty bad picture and a shiny new OK drivers license. I then asked to change my registration for my car over to OK as well, and she asked for my title. At this point, I realized it wasn't in the glove box and was stolen with about 1300 other things late late last year. I don't know much about car paperwork and didn't know what was supposed to be in there and what wasn't.

I was told I couldn't get the registration for OK unless I had the title from CA. Unless I wanted to go ahead and get the registration for OK by giving the tag agency my registration for CA, at which point they would put a lien against it until they got my CA title. I declined this because I had a stinging suspicion that things involving the DMV are almost always going to be a clusterf*ck.

Imagine my surprise when I look up the process for getting a copy of the title as per the CA DMV and find out that I can mail it in and get a copy sent to me. Huh. That was ea--

Oh, and if your address is different than what they have on record, you'll need to be in person. Well, crap, that's bad... but it could be wor--

And you'll need to bring your CA Drivers license. You know, the one that the tag agency took and nullified automatically after being awarded my new shiny OK drivers license?

I remember the good old times of spending hours in line at the DMV in CA thinking "how could this get any worse?". For years I thought smugly to myself that nothing in life could possibly be worse and that it was all uphill from there. Turns out, in all my wiseness, there is something worse; having to fly halfway across the country to go stand in line at the DMV.

And that's not all, from what I'm finding on google, there might be a requirement that I have to bring my car to CA for verification. So instead of an expensive flight, it'd be a thrilling and tactical 2 day drive there. And back.

So, anyone feel like giving me some reassurance on how bad this is gonna be to handle or am I blowing it out of proportion? I work during their hours of 11:59 to 12:01 this weekend so I have to call Monday. And I'd like to at least have a semblance of what I need to do or how screwed I am.

 

[KyleT]

Maybe try changing your address with ca dmv online, then requesting title to that address? It will be on file then.

 

[Shawn]

I have dealt with the CA DMV on all kinds of warped issues. At face value they are a pain in the arse with all the bureaucracy as you are finding out. Once you get past that fist layer of BS and can get to a person with a brain...then you can get things done and fairly easily.

I agree with first submit a simple change of address for your car registration. Once that goes through, apply for the duplicate title. With the title application, submit a "statement of facts". There you can detail your case of why you need the duplicate and how you got to where you are now. The change of address gets through the first layer of BS and allow you to submit the application without appearing in person. The Statement of Facts with the title application will hopefully be read by someone with a brain and push it through.

Or could ya simply have the title sent to your old registered address which is on file?

 

[Jeff Oslick]

If you have a police or insurance record of the break-in, that should help too.

An like an airplane logbook, a car title should only be in the vehicle when *absolutely* necessary.

 

[overdrive148]

Sounds like solid advice, I'll give it a shot. Thanks guys

 

[3393RP]

I have a few friends in CA, and they have always said dealing with AAA in CA will help solve DMV issues. Dunno if that's true but you could try it.

 

[Zeldman]

Yes it could be worse. You could have moved to Gallup, NM and tried to do all that here. You not only have to deal with the bureaucracy, you have to deal with an all woman office that all crave power and all will give you very much different answers to the same question. Unless you are a woman or illegal alien, then go to the front of the line and no questions asked.

I found it easier to drive 61 miles to the next office and get it all done in one afternoon.


Ok, I'll admt that I am not the easiest person to get along with when I am dealing with stupid. 40 rolls of duct tape can't fix stupid here.

 

[overdrive148]

Funny you say that! While I was at DPS getting my license paperwork, there was a rather generously sized and, uh... culturally challenged lady at the desk next to me. She was telling the DPS lady that she needed _____ paperwork because she couldn't withdraw money to feed her "keeyds" and other various things.

The DPS lady calmly told her that she couldn't take a copy of her birth certificate because it was the law and even pointed out the closest place to get it and the lady absolutely lost it. She went off about how if she was Mexican that it wouldn't be a problem and how it's unfair and began lobbing insults at the DPS worker. Then she was begging her to just take it and the DPS worker calmly told her it's the law and that she can't do anything about it.

I looked at the worker helping me and we both made the face. After she left, I asked her how often that happens - she told me that if it wasn't happening in person, it was happening on the phone.