California SB100 Question

[mopargator]

I may be buying a partially completed FFR Cobra. The current owner has already been assigned a SB100 number and he let the temporary tag expire. My question is, will I be able to renew the temporary tag, and must the kit be completed and visit the CHP and BAR this current calendar year, or can I take my time completing the kit? Any help would be appreciated.

[dlang14]

Hello Mopar,

My understanding is that SB100 numbers do not expire, there was a thread on this recently and some discussion of a lady at the Las Gatos? DMV giving bad info and thus wasting SB100 numbers.

I have no idea if SB100 numbers that are assigned but not on a fully registered car can be transferred to a new owner. It seems like it should be OK, but....<shrug>

As far as TOP there are no guarantees. So far I've been fortunate enough to get a couple with no resistance from the DMV, but I'm not setting my expectation that this will continue through all of 2006.

Good luck with the FFR!

Daryl

[deseldr]

Who issues the SB100. DMV or does it have to come from the BAR? My DMV is clueless.

[RallySnake]

The DMV does.

Paul

[SCOBRAC]

There is language in the SB-100 legislation which prohibits transferring the number. Obviously the number is not transferrable to another car, but it also seems to prohibit it from being transferred to another owner. Has anyone tried this? The language is designed to prohibit dealers from buying / reselling cars and SB-100 numbers. You might want to really check into this (quietly) before comitting to the deal.

[SCOBRAC]

Bad news... You cannot use the SB-100 certificate that was issued to the car in the previous owners name...

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/spcns.htm

From the DMV website...

"What is an SPCNS Certificate of Sequence?

An SPCNS Certificate of Sequence identifies a vehicle as one for which the owner may choose emission control inspection based on the model-year of the engine used in the vehicle or the vehicle model-year. The certificate is issued by DMV Headquarters and will be mailed 7-10 working days after the application is accepted by your local DMV. The certificate must be presented to the BAR Referee Station at the time of inspection.

Per statute, only 500 certificates can be issued in a calendar year. Once the yearly allotment has been issued, applicants must wait until the following year to apply for a certificate.

SPCNS Certificates of Sequence cannot be transferred to a different vehicle or reissued in someone else's name. The seller of a vehicle must provide the buyer with the SPCNS Certificate of Sequence along with the bill of sale and any additional registration documents. In addition, fees deposited in one year cannot be held over for the next year's allocation of certificates.

Note: Due to the limited number of SPCNS Certificates of Sequence available, you may wish to submit your application for registration in person at a local DMV office. "

[ByronRACE]

I was issued two sb-100 numbers for the same car. One in 2004, and one in 2005. Why? Because the DMV said the number expired after 1yr...which I later found out was false.

When I recently went for my BAR appointment, I learned that my 2005 number was reassigned to another person 5 months after I obtained it on Jan 2, 2005.

The DMV realized I had a 2004 number, and made the 2005 number available to someone else some 5 months after I recieved my SPCNS certificate in the mail.

So, they most certainly CAN be reassigned, it happened to me. This doesn't mean you can easily get this done; but is it possible...yes.

[deseldr]

Does this mean, once ive completed and DMV accepts the 343 form, they will automatically send me a SB100#. Or is there a different form to turn in?
Paul

[deseldr]

Also once I recieve an SB100, Im to wait, till after the first of the year? then turn in all paper work? ---Because they only accept the first 500.

[ByronRACE]

You'd go down to the DMV on Jan 2nd at 6AM (or earlier) and wait til they open. Then, tell the clerk you are there to register a cobra replica under the SB-100 program. If you're lucky, they will know what that is. Then, they have to call Sacramento DMV and get Sac to issue the SB-100 number. Unless an act of god happens, the telephone number will be busy and one of many things could happen.

a) they may dedicate someone to keep redialing...
b) they may decide to try again in a few hours....
c) they may ask for all of your paperwork and call you when/if they get through)..
d) they may let you redial endlessly (I know of a dmv where this occurred).

Anyway, this becomes much like a radio contest dialing the Sac DMV. If they're not motivated and not dialing diligently, you probably wont' win. If you're lucky, you'll get a number. You'll be in competition with everyone that didn't get a number last year (they ran out Jan 3rd I think).

For reference, I left the DMV at 4:55 PM on Jan 2nd 2005 with a sequence number greater than 450. They had some unmotivated doofus in the back dialing the phone once every 5 minutes or so between nose-mining sessions. If it wasn't for my constant pulling of a new service number every 10 minutes just so I can go to the counter and ask how it's going, I wouldn't have gotten one at all. Also, compare my experience to a few friends that had a more helpful dmv...they got through in the first hour and were leaving for home by 9AM.

You know, to come think of it, it might even be worthwhile to go visit your DMV informally and have a word with the DMV manager PRIOR to Jan 2nd to get a game plan in order. Perhaps that will jog memories of the previous year and get them to have proper staff on hand or at least a proper plan so you get a fair shot at it. Half the problem last year was that they simply forgot the big "SB-100 Race" was happening and had no staff dedicated to handle that need.

[jdog]

Originally Posted by ByronRACE

You know, to come think of it, it might even be worthwhile to go visit your DMV informally and have a word with the DMV manager PRIOR to Jan 2nd to get a game plan in order. Perhaps that will jog memories of the previous year and get them to have proper staff on hand or at least a proper plan so you get a fair shot at it. Half the problem last year was that they simply forgot the big "SB-100 Race" was happening and had no staff dedicated to handle that need.

I just spend a couple of hours today in a meeting at the San Bernardino DMV. (They are currently closed for re-modeling)(with PIA furniture )

At the conclusion of the meeting I happened to "mention" to the office Manager, that I would be participating in the SB100 dial-a-thon, in Jan. She told me it was their worst day of the year because of it, she "Hate's it"!

I wouldn't go to San Berdu, in Jan!

jdog
P.S. I've scratched that one off of my list!

[ByronRACE]

All the DMVs hate it. I would too. Who likes the dial-a-thon process?

The last conversation I had with Sacramento, the lady let slip that they've informally considered a "lottery style" solution...now that would be even worse; roll the dice.

They should ebay the numbers to the highest bidder. ROTFL! Crap.

My recommendation is to grin-n-bear it and get it done ASAP.

Byron

[CoupedUp]

Originally Posted by ByronRACE

The last conversation I had with Sacramento, the lady let slip that they've informally Byron

It essentially is a lottery in its current form. All the offices dialing into six (?) numbers at the same time, each with a group of four to ten (or more) people trying to get sequence numbers - it's a crap shoot. I logged on to the DMV website at midnight 30 days in advance to ensure an 8:00 appointment. Didn't matter as they lumped me in with everyone else. It took until about 9:15 for them to get organized and start dialing. They had a group of people dialing on the autodialer (it was on speaker so we could hear). Finally got through at 11:35 AM. It was EXCRUTIATING!!! I'm wishing you all the best, jdog (and everyone else that has to get through this "process").

Doug, SPC088

[SCOBRAC]

I had a similar experience as Byron. I did mine in 2003 the first year "SB-100" numbers were avaliable to cars perviously registered. The demand that year wasn't the same as in 2004, 2005. I think the numbers lasted 45 days. Many, including my DMV had no idea existing cars were to be included. I spent 3 hours at the customer counter. Fortunately my DMV babe was tenacious and probably curious about the process and sat there in front of me on the phone after I spent 30 minutes showing her pages from the DMV website I had printed ahead of time and a copy of the legislation which created the requirements. It was fine in the end and not completely painful. It wouldn't hurt to go to the DMV and speak to a knowledgable person now. See if they interpret the passage above the way it seems to be written.

Best of Luck,

[deseldr]

Because my DMV is clueless
anyone have the phone numbers so I can keep in my hand when the time comes????

[Bill Kesner]

JDog.....

Does the DMV issue 1-time permits to move a vehicle. Need to get my car to the docks at Oakland, and wondered if they issue such a permit? Car is Hawaii bound, and will register it there.

PS> Glad to see you took delivery of your car. I might be a few posts behind. Did you get your motor in, and fire the beast up yet?

- Bill -

[Allan A]

Bill,

I have an enclosed trailer if you are worried about driving. Just let me know.

Allan

[Bill Kesner]

Allan....

Thanks for the generous offer! I'm hopefully looking to get the car shipped out within the next 30-days. If I can't get the DMV to issue a 1-day permit, I'll let you know.

PS> When's the next track event for 7034? Would like to see it before I head back to Honolulu.

[Allan A]

Bill,

Looks like Mini Nats in Sept since my application to the Monterey Historics was denied.

Allan

[iwantacobra427]

Bill:
When I built my chopper I thought I'd need to get one of those permits to take it for a brake and light inspection.. But I ended up not needing it.. I believe the permit you are asking about is called a "special moving permit". I'm sure DMV has a form for it..

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/reg_hdbk_pdf/ch25.pdf