Expired registration out of country!?
 

I'm on a year long motorcycle trip through Central and South America and curious if I have to do anything once my registration expires in November of this year. Bike is registered in California, and I'll most likely be in Argentina or Chile when it expires. I hear/read lot of different opinions. DO I need to renew it, and if so how complicated it is? What are the risks if I'm required to renew it but don't do it? I'm sure there's bunch of people here that have been in the same situation.

Thank for the reply Warin but this post doesn't apply much to my situation. It's very much different situation for that guy and different countries. And unfortunately there was bunch of different opinions, so I don't know what to make of it. If anyone has bit more info that can relate to my situation, I would appreciate some input.

If you're keeping a California address (to which a Cal DMV renewal notice would be mailed) while you're away, what prevents you from simply renewing online:
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/online/vrir/vr_top2.htm

Hi Renimus,

We are in the same situation here. I've been looking for information all over but I can't find anything specific.

Motorcycle registered in CA (good until Feb 2015), heading south in a week and not planning to come back permanently (neither myself nor the bike). I'm actually planning on keeping the bike around the world for the next 5 years and ride a couple of months every summer.

I'm keeping a US address on file with my in-laws but I am still not sure what to do with registration. Went to 3 DMV and i get the usual form for export form but no real useful informations. To my knowledge (and I might be wrong) the possible scenarios are 3:

-PERMANENT EXPORT: According to DMV you fill up form REG32 and file it, make an appointment with CBP 72 hrs before crossing the border, they inspect the VIN and title and basically write it off the books.
PROS: cleaner procedure, no taxes or registration to pay in the future
CONS: bike is now "homeless", where do I register it in a year? possible marking/voiding of the title.

-TEMPORARY EXPORT: Also on DMV form REG32 is offered the option of "temporary exportation". Nobody at the DMVs could tell me what is advantage/disadvantage of this option. The form ask for an "anticipated date of return", which I guess it is not an obligation to bring the bike back.
PROS: could potentially allow to register the bike without having it in the country. Leaves the door open to bringing it back without having to re-register. (not really useful in my case, but always an option)
CONS: it is not clear what is the juridical status of the bike

-DO NOTHING: Just drive south and leave the bike registered in the US. This seems the easiest and most common, but opens up a series of problems that I am not sure how to tackle in the future.
PROS: easiest solution, gives you the possibility to keep registering the bike
CONS:you are stuck with the bike for good (?)
Also, you'll probably stop insurance coverage after you cross the border, and insurance company communicate it right away to DMV. Your registration is going to be suspended at this point. You can file an ANU (affidavit of non use) and get away with it for one year, but what happen in the next years?
I guess the solution could be that every year, at time of renewal, you get a cheap insurance, register the bike online, then file another ANU and then cancel the insurance. In these way you retain a valid registration without having to pay for insurance..But how many times can you do the trick before they'll figure it out (assuming they even care). PNO (planned non operation) is really not an option as it is not a valid registration (although officers around the world might not catch the difference).
The big disadvantage of this approach is that CA fees (either registration+insurance or PNO) will always be due for a bike that is not even in the country any more! What happen if you want to sell it in 5 years?

Another alternative is to submit a statement of fact explaining the situation and hoping they will let you keep registering a bike that is not in the country, but the risk is that DMV will write it off the books like in the first scenario.

Bottom line, I am not really sure what to do! These are some of the conclusions I came to and if anybody has some experience or has done it please suggest what the best approach would be! jeiger

Thanks!

GM

Thanks GM for this elaborate info. I most likely won't do anything once it expires unless I hear/read something concrete that will make me do otherwise.
Good luck on your travels. I'm bit ahead of you (in Guatemala now) so feel free to contact me if you have any questions about border crossings or whatever else. Best way to contact me if through my blog that needs be updated;
Moto Trip South - Home

Hi everyone,
Am hoping someone can provide a thought or two on the below situation as it seems to follow a similar theme.
I'm in Argentina and will buy a KLR650 from another venturer who is heading home. The bike was registered in California but the rego has just expired.
We were thinking of filling out the Application for Duplicate Title reg227 and trying to combine that with renewing the registration.
I've still got some work to do to figure this one in its entirety but seems the easiest option.
Does anyone else have alternative suggestions however?
I would rather transfer it into my name alone but that seems fraught with complexity; due to the need to confirm the odometer reading on a form that needs to be mailed to a Cali address.
Thanks very much!
Andrew