bringing previously titled SB100 car back to California

Does anyone know if I move to another state and register/re-title my SB100 California car there, then move back to California at a later date, will I get my SB100 status back automatically?
 
No, you won't. You'll have to re-apply. As soon as the car is registered elsewhere, it loses it's sb100 exemption.
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
I'm not moving to CA, so this won't apply to me....but I am curious about something.

Is it still as hard to get the sb100 "exemption"? I had heard that the rush has diminished and that there were sb100 exemptions still available much later in the year (that was 2016).

Cheers!

Doug
 
I think the sb100 follows the car. But the safest thing to do is just call the DMV & ask.

Is it still as hard to get the sb100 "exemption"?
Doug no I don't think so. A friend of mine went through the SB100 process last year & had little trouble. Fewer people are building "kit cars" these days. There are so many fewer companies making them. The ones that are available now certainly don't fall under the old VW based economical banner. Fewer people seem to know how to even work on cars these day too. If you go to car events, besides the import "drifter" crowd of young people. Most of the owners are old farts like me (50+)LOL Only the empty nester/retirees have the time/money & knowledge to build cars. So no I don't think the SB100 limit is much of a problem anymore. However that being said. That's why I've been looking for a body or modifying a Lotus Europa I had. Also I bought a Triumph Spitfire to put my Devin body one. Just to avoid any hassle in getting an SB100 & expense too. They want all the receipts & figure up what it cost you. Then tax/fee you based on that. So it can be quite a chunk on top of what you payed out to build the car.
 
Does anyone know if I move to another state and register/re-title my SB100 California car there, then move back to California at a later date, will I get my SB100 status back automatically?

No wonder people are leaving Cali in droves.

I wonder if this statement applies...

"Full faith and credit ought to be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings, of every other state; and the legislature shall, by general laws, prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings, shall be proved, and the effect which judgments, obtained in one state, shall have in another."

I believe they have to honor your states registration.

But that's just an opinion:drunk:
 

Howard Jones

Supporter
The important question to ask is do you have to pay the use tax again. Also it might even be possible that SB100 is a one shot deal. It is meant to register a newly completed self built car for the first time.

Now it's a given that Calif will register a car coming in from a different state. The question is do you still enjoy the smog exemption requirements after bringing it back to California.

Sooooooooooooooooo.....call the DMV and let us know what you find out.
 
I'll check into it and report back. Situation is that I may be moving out of state for a job, but probably not permanently, so if it turns out to put my hard earned SB100 status at risk, I'll just leave the car in CA.
 
I am virtually certain that once a car leaves the state, the SB100 is gone. The process for bringing a car in from another state is a little different than the typical "SB100" hoop-jumping, but not much.

From those that have applied in the last few years, it appears that there is much less demand for SB100 exemptions, and numbers have been available even at the end of the year.
 

Julian

Lifetime Supporter
The process for bringing a car in from another state is a little different than the typical "SB100" hoop-jumping, but not much.

Is the process of bringing in an already titled kit and obtaining SB100 documented anywhere?

Thanks,
Julian
 
I don't have time to look myself, but this has been discussed ad nauseam on clubcobra.com. I'm sure if you do a quick search, you can find what you're looking for.
 

Julian

Lifetime Supporter
Thanks, I didn't think to look there, got some good info and like everything with CA it isn't necessarily straight forward.
 

Howard Jones

Supporter
You cannot do "SB100" on a car that has already been titled. SB100 is a process for creating a title, VIN and registration process for a FIRST TIME JUST COMPLETED SELF BUILT CAR. It cannot have EVER be titled before.

The question is once a car has been done with the SB100 process in California and subsequently moved to another state and re registered and/or titled there can it return to California and enjoy the benefits of SB100 status after reregistering back in California again.
 

Howard Jones

Supporter
BUT.....................it does look like it may be possible to reinstate a prior SB100 car.

From the Calif DMV website;

Some nonresident vehicle registration applicants
may be issued an SPCNS certificate of
sequence when the out-of-state title identifies
the vehicle make as SPCNS, homemade,
assembled, etc. and the vehicle meets the
SPCNS definition per CVC §580.
 
Haven't checked back here in a while, but that quote from the CA DMV would appear to answer my question.
Not that DMV is known for being logical, but it would only make sense. I do remember on a regular car that I moved from CA to WA and back to CA a number of years ago, when I went to re-register on return 5 years later, they still had all the details of the car on their system.
 
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I just went through this with a Cobra, and wanted to share my experience for the benefit of others since this post comes up in Google searches.

My car was issued an SB100 exemption when it was built. Some time later, it left CA for a few years before I brought it back. When I submitted my registration paperwork to the DMV, they accepted my paperwork and fee payment, and gave me an incomplete registration. The paperwork did say smog was required, so they told me to make an appointment with a BAR referee to sort out the SB100 issue. I did a phone call with the referee, who requested pics of the SB100 sticker and VIN. He then submitted that info and they put the smog exemption back on my VIN within the DMV system. Went back to the DMV and got my plates and stickers.

So it sounds like the smog exemption does drop off your VIN when the car leaves the state, but the good news is you do not have to start over from scratch with a brand new SB100 application. It appears that proving that you have an SB100 sequence number associated with your VIN is sufficient to renew the exemption.
 
Once a car is titled in Ca as SPCN SB100 it is forever that. Regardless of whether it moves out of state and comes back or not. The DMVs computer system continues to ask for a smog and a manual override must be conducted to remove that requirement. As stated, this has been discussed on the Cobra forum quite a bit.

A replica brought into Ca which was never SB100 must begin the process anew. Receipts from the build must be provided by the owner.
 
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