Washington vehicle registration question

I'm probably going to have to speak with the Washington DOL to get an official answer on this, but thought I'd try here first in case someone has experience.

My father has a C4 Corvette convertible (triple black/6-sp) that he hasn't been driving much and he's offered to let me use it while I have an open garage space after selling a weekend toy. I am a WA state resident, my father is an Arizona resident with AZ driver's license, and this car is kept with some of his other cars at one of his California homes. The car is currently on non-operational status with the CA DMV (he was a full-time CA resident at time of purchase) and is on a collector-car insurance policy in CA. It's currently driven a few times a year with temp moving permits when he's in CA.

The plan would be for my parents to road trip the car from CA on a temp permit, leaving the car with me after their visit and flying back home. Again, this is not a gift -- I would eventually return the car after I've found my next weekend toy. I doubt that I would be using this car much longer than a year or so.

Options as I see them seem to be:

1) My father registers the car on collector plates in WA, using my address as if this were a secondary home. (My parents do spend a couple weeks a year with me at my home and I assume my father would not need a WA driver's license?) He'd open a new collector car insurance policy in WA and add me as a driver.

2) We do a title transfer where he gifts the car to me in WA. According to the DOL website, I would not have to pay sales tax, just a title transfer fee plus the one-time $50 collector car license plate fee. I'd also have to add it to my collector car insurance policy, which wouldn't cost much -- it's not an expensive car. California has a similar no-tax policy for transferring cars between family members, so when the car goes back to him, it shouldn't cost much. Two things with this: I'm not sure he's willing to let the car out of his ownership and he's the original owner, so this method would also add owners to the car's history. He may also lose use of the car's original period-correct license plate which probably isn't a huge deal, but some Californians like seeing original CA plates.

Does anyone have experience with a similar issue and have a different option? If not, any thoughts on the options above?

If it's too complicated or expensive we'll just forget it, but this is a somewhat sentimental car to me (I was 10 years old when he bought it and have fond memories). I'll likely never own a Corvette and I'd enjoy spending some time with it. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Unfortunately some of them are conflicting with what the DOL has just told me.

The clerk I spoke with said you cannot register a car in Washington without having a drivers license here. The single exception is called a "dual registration." In my case, this would require paying registration in both CA and WA, plus WA sales tax. Below is the info she sent me in email after the phone call. I know I don't always get the right answer from the DOL the first time, so I may just have to try again. It seems like this shouldn't be such a big hassle and expense just to use a car in another state for a year.

DUAL REGISTRATION

If you have a primary residence outside of Washington State, and vehicle registration is required in that state, and have a residence in Washington and use your vehicle in a manner that requires Washington registration, then your vehicle must be licensed in both states at the same time.

You will not be required to have a driver license in Washington State, unless Washington is your primary residence.

In order to dual register your vehicle in Washington, the following is required:

1)Fill out and have notarized/certified, by all registered owners, a Vehicle Title Application.
2)A Primary Residence Address Exception form.
3)A copy of the current valid out of state registration.
4)A copy of the out of state title (front and back).
5)If you do not have proof of sales or use tax paid in Washington State, then you will need to contact the Department of Revenue at 800-647-7706, for a determination of use tax liability.
6)U.S. Customs documents, if the vehicle is registered outside of the United States.
You must have customs documents or Department of Defense forms. These documents must:
Include the year, make, and VIN of the vehicle.
Be From U.S. Customs, not from a brokerage or foreign customs office.
Be signed and stamped by Customs.
7)Complete an Odometer Disclosure Statement (if the vehicle is 2011 or newer and less than 20 years old) on the title. If the title is lost, an odometer disclosure form can be picked up from any Vehicle Licensing Office or car dealership.

This paperwork can be mailed or brought to any Vehicle Licensing Office in Washington to register the vehicle. You will need to contact the licensing office for the fees

 

Thanks, this sounds pretty much like what my father is already doing in CA since he doesn't drive the car much. Could be an option, but does add some hassle.

 

Are you asked for your driver's license info when you register here? I wonder why DOL is giving me such a runaround?

 

Correct, no emissions or inspections anywhere in Washington. And a one-time $50 collector car registration fee for plates -- so much better than my CA days and just one of the reasons I love living here.

Looks like this form may be the secret: https://www.dol.wa.gov/forms/420004.html

It allows for not having a primary WA residence (and presumably license) for legitimate reasons. I'll try to remember to post the resolution here, if I'm able to make this happen. I am disappointed that Washington doesn't make this easier. Why wouldn't they want my title and registration money? Who cares if the car's owner doesn't have a license here as long as it's insured here and tagged to a valid address?

 

The end result of this was simply keeping the car registered in CA after all. WA DOL would not issue a plate to a non-WA resident, despite the existence of a non-resident exemption form. You would think they'd just take our money, but nope!

I don't plan on having the car here more than a year, it isn't a daily driver, and I'm not the owner, so I don't foresee any issues running around on CA plates.

 

Actually, it won't be an issue because the state won't allow WA plates on it.