My 2nd Worst DMV Experience

marshg246

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In 2021 I bought two 69S Commandos. One half-way converted to a Roadster and the other just needing a service and ready to ride and show. I've mentioned things about the "ready" one before. Things like the wrong crankshaft, rear hub only having one bearing installed, highly polished stainless all over the place but no anti-seize anywhere and so on. Right now, I'm fighting the exhaust pipes and left side panel touching.

Due to COVID, Virginia started allowing titling and/or registration by mail. So, I did all the paperwork to title but not register as I wanted to register as antique, and it appeared that you had to do a separate transaction for that. A month later I got the titles. Along with them came the plates I did not request or pay for and a bill for the plates. I called the DMV the same day. They made it clear that their error was my problem. So, I paid for the plates I didn't need, certified them destroyed, did the paperwork for antique plates and sent the money for them. I've been waiting almost a year for the refund on the first plates prorated to the day I certified them destroyed. I checked the county records and they already had them in queue for personal property tax. When registered antique, the state does not mention it to the county, but they do when registered normally. I explained what the DMV did and was promised that it was fixed with the county. That seemed like enough of a PITA.

Today, I got a personal property tax bill for those two bikes from the county. So, I called the county. When the guy was off trying to resolve it (he had a record of my last call and their promise), I checked the rest of my bikes. My 850 rider was shown as sold out of state! When he came back on, he said that he had it fixed the 69s for the future, but I had to pay and get a refund and to get the refund I needed to email the county tax people – did that. Then he checked on my 850 and found that the Virginia DMV reported is to the national database as sold in Michigan.

OK, call the DMV in Richmond. Stay on hold for 93 minutes then a nice lady came on and once I answered her ten or so identification questions, I explained the situation. She asked if I was sure I didn't sell it in Michigan. I told her that it has been on a lift for over a year in my garage getting some maintenance, that I had my original title in my hand, that I had my registration in my had, I had my insurance card in my hand, and it has not been out of Virginia since 2015 and that I bought it in PA. So, she has turned it over to some "titling workgroup" to see if it is a mistake! I'll get their judgement within two business days, in theory.
 
WTF

Your worst DMV experience must be a doosey
Bought my Triumph 500 basket case in 1971. Other than rides to MD to the Triumph dealer, it never left VA. It went into storage in 93 when I moved to Germany. When I came back in 2000 I got it out of storage but didn't do anything with it until my wide died in 2012. Searched everywhere for the title to it and the cars - never found. Replacement titles for the cars was easy as they had stayed registered. VA does not keep titles long-term for vehicles that are not registered. When I asked for a replacement title for the bike I was denied. I had the title number, Fairfax Country Registration and later Prince William County registration, State registration, and plates. The only way to re-title it was to provide the entry to the country documentation as well as the chain of ownership - of course, impossible.

I finally got an appointment with my state rep and he put a staffer on it to help me. After a couple of months the DMV in Richmond relented. I had to provide originals of all the documents I had and pay the sales tax, titling fee, lost title fee, registration fee and then about a month later they sent the title and stickers for my plates. Of course, they typo'ed the VIN on the title and registration so I had to send it all back with an written explanation and proof of the VIN (that they already had) along with a re-title fee and in about a month they send a correct title and registration.
 
I learned the hard way to keep my mouth shut at the tax/title office. I am such a Chatty Cathy when it comes to bikes. I talk about what I have been doing and the work I have done. It turns out that bikes that are assembled (the is Texas so your misery may vary) are categorize different than bike that are fully assembled when sold. I almost talked myself into a stack of paperwork and an unneeded VIN inspection. It seems like every time I have to do title work on a bike the procedures change.

A typo'ed VIN is harsh.
 
I was given a 53 BSA with a title out of NM. It was a mess that needed a lot of sorting out. The trouble is that the title was signed off back in the 70's.
I'm the first "owner" to register it in 50 years. They don't do inspections in the county I live in here in Texas. I have to take it up to Ft. Worth to have it inspected. I'm sure this won't be a pleasant experience.
 
I was given a 53 BSA with a title out of NM. It was a mess that needed a lot of sorting out. The trouble is that the title was signed off back in the 70's.
I'm the first "owner" to register it in 50 years. They don't do inspections in the county I live in here in Texas. I have to take it up to Ft. Worth to have it inspected. I'm sure this won't be a pleasant experience.
In my state (VA), historic/vintage tags do not require inspection. I am limited to venturing no more than 500 miles
 
Bought my Triumph 500 basket case in 1971. Other than rides to MD to the Triumph dealer, it never left VA. It went into storage in 93 when I moved to Germany. When I came back in 2000 I got it out of storage but didn't do anything with it until my wide died in 2012. Searched everywhere for the title to it and the cars - never found. Replacement titles for the cars was easy as they had stayed registered. VA does not keep titles long-term for vehicles that are not registered. When I asked for a replacement title for the bike I was denied. I had the title number, Fairfax Country Registration and later Prince William County registration, State registration, and plates. The only way to re-title it was to provide the entry to the country documentation as well as the chain of ownership - of course, impossible.

I finally got an appointment with my state rep and he put a staffer on it to help me. After a couple of months the DMV in Richmond relented. I had to provide originals of all the documents I had and pay the sales tax, titling fee, lost title fee, registration fee and then about a month later they sent the title and stickers for my plates. Of course, they typo'ed the VIN on the title and registration so I had to send it all back with an written explanation and proof of the VIN (that they already had) along with a re-title fee and in about a month they send a correct title and registration.

You are dealing with the results of state personnel hirings based on anything and everything except capability, linear thinking, or a decent education.
Got me beat with your horror stories...but not by much. You got a representative involved, I only had to go as far as the chief of state police, and a state judge.
 
There is a 4 month wait for an appointment to get a Driver's License or Learner's permit anywhere near here. Only 2 months if we drive 35 miles away, so we signed up for that...

BAD joke.

Our tax dollars NOT at work.
 
There is a 4 month wait for an appointment to get a Driver's License or Learner's permit anywhere near here. Only 2 months if we drive 35 miles away, so we signed up for that...

BAD joke.

Our tax dollars NOT at work.
Not required to drive, if you've just arrived.
 
In 2021 I bought two 69S Commandos. One half-way converted to a Roadster and the other just needing a service and ready to ride and show. I've mentioned things about the "ready" one before. Things like the wrong crankshaft, rear hub only having one bearing installed, highly polished stainless all over the place but no anti-seize anywhere and so on. Right now, I'm fighting the exhaust pipes and left side panel touching.

Due to COVID, Virginia started allowing titling and/or registration by mail. So, I did all the paperwork to title but not register as I wanted to register as antique, and it appeared that you had to do a separate transaction for that. A month later I got the titles. Along with them came the plates I did not request or pay for and a bill for the plates. I called the DMV the same day. They made it clear that their error was my problem. So, I paid for the plates I didn't need, certified them destroyed, did the paperwork for antique plates and sent the money for them. I've been waiting almost a year for the refund on the first plates prorated to the day I certified them destroyed. I checked the county records and they already had them in queue for personal property tax. When registered antique, the state does not mention it to the county, but they do when registered normally. I explained what the DMV did and was promised that it was fixed with the county. That seemed like enough of a PITA.

Today, I got a personal property tax bill for those two bikes from the county. So, I called the county. When the guy was off trying to resolve it (he had a record of my last call and their promise), I checked the rest of my bikes. My 850 rider was shown as sold out of state! When he came back on, he said that he had it fixed the 69s for the future, but I had to pay and get a refund and to get the refund I needed to email the county tax people – did that. Then he checked on my 850 and found that the Virginia DMV reported is to the national database as sold in Michigan.

OK, call the DMV in Richmond. Stay on hold for 93 minutes then a nice lady came on and once I answered her ten or so identification questions, I explained the situation. She asked if I was sure I didn't sell it in Michigan. I told her that it has been on a lift for over a year in my garage getting some maintenance, that I had my original title in my hand, that I had my registration in my had, I had my insurance card in my hand, and it has not been out of Virginia since 2015 and that I bought it in PA. So, she has turned it over to some "titling workgroup" to see if it is a mistake! I'll get their judgement within two business days, in theory.
I got a title this week on a Suzuki that they were supposed to send me in 2020. Also, I registered a v7sport I bought from an estate in 2020. They gave me the registration, explained that they could not issue the title because of a question and would mail the title to me. Finally back in June of 2024 I called and spend 30 minutes on hold to find that the title was still sitting at the dmv unprocessed. Three weeks later I got the title but it probably would have never come if I had not called. I think the VA gov is fairly squared away but the dmv drops the ball a lot. I feel your pain.
 
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