Moved in August, didn't register/insure car in new state (which requires one does in 30 days). Currently have former state's driver's license, car registration/plate, and insurance. Insurance company has my new state's address, but I've told them this move is temporary (which might be true, see below) and that we're keeping the car garaged in the old state at my family's house (which is not true).
I normally wouldn't do this, but:
- To re-register, re-plate, re-insure, re-inspect, and re-license in the new state will cost us about $500 (and about $80/year more insurance) and probably take up 10 hours of my life.
- We are totally unsure if we are going to keep our current jobs/apartment beyond June.
- Then, if we move out of this state, to re-register in whatever state we next move to will probably cost us about $500 there as well and another 10 hours of tedium.
- If we happen to move back to the previous state (which we very well might--family is there), there would be no cost and nothing to do except update our address in that state with the DMV.
I've already risked it for ~3 months, but I was barely on the road during that time and never during commuting hours. Now, on 12/31, my first state's registration is due (~$50). I can probably get my car "legaled up" in my current state this week if I start tomorrow, but I'm not sure if I should try to just ride this out until we know what we're doing--either staying in this state or leaving. It could be $1000 spent on just preventing the probably very low risk of a problem were we to get into an accident (I am a very slow, very careful driver, but I am also now driving in urban traffic in the NE in the winter, so I can only control so much). Of course, if something does happen, and my insurance decides I wasn't covered, I could be in a world of hurt.
I know people will do this sometimes for years. I am not actively looking to do that, but just given how wasteful $500 to $1000 (and the hassle of paperwork, time, etc) is for a really low probability event, I'm wondering if I should just pay the registration in the original state and hold my breath until June or so when we know what we're doing. Or, if I should just eat the $500 to $1000 and the time/tedium and legal up. If it were for a few weeks and I was barely driving, I would definitely do the former. 6 months and M-F commuting, less clear.
December 17, 2017 at 10:47AM
