Bought a Used Car w/the Temp Registration on Window got a ticket for no registration?
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Bought a Used Car w/the Temp Registration on Window got a ticket for no registration?
I purchased a used car in Southern California that had the Temp Operating Sticker on the Front Window but did have expired tags that’s how it was sold. I paid the dealership for registration on my behalf. They told me they had 90 days to turn in the registration to the DMV. Then, 40 days after buying the car, I got pulled over. The officer cited me for not having valid registration. He pulled up my record and that’s when I realized the dealership was still sitting on my paperwork. They had not yet filed it with the DMV. The officer said that he had no way to prove I was the new owner or when I purchased the car, even when I pointed to the Temp Operating Sticker on my window which clearly stated that information. He refused to look at it. I proceeded to file a DMV investigations with the dealership and in the end got them to finally file so I could get my sticker registration. The DMV told me I was in my 90 day window and should not have been cited by the Sheriff and I should fight the ticket. Is this worth contesting in court?
Asked on May 21, 2019 under General Practice, California
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 4 years ago | Contributor
Yes, it is worth contesting. If you can show up in court with paperwork showing that it is now registered to you and the date it was changed from dealership registration to your registration, you can show that this was not your fault but was due to the dealership dropping the ball on their responsibilities. While that does not guaranty that the ticket will be dropped, it makes it very likely that it will be.
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