California Registration 2023
Registering Factory Five near Monterey, CA in Fall 2023
Paperwork needed before anything can be done in person:
1. Form Reg 343
2. Form Reg 5036
3. Certificate of Origin from Factory Five (I only showed them the original once)
4. Receipts for kit from Factory Five and receipts for engine and transmission
5. Some photos of build (I only had photos of go kart, body off in different paint stages, body back on without doors, hood, trunk, window)
September 6, Wednesday:
1. Showed up to Seaside, CA DMV without an appointment at 12:15
2. Got to a window around 1:00
3. Presented all the paperwork above and paid taxes, registration fee, license fee (over $2000)
4. Left at 1:35 with Form Reg 124 partially filled out and three moving passes for CHP, brake and lamp, and BAR visits
5. Called CHP to make an appointment
September 12, Tuesday:
1. Took my packet of paperwork, now including DMV receipts, to Aptos CHP station
2. Appointment was at 10:30, but the officer came out and took my paperwork bundle around 10:10 and went inside
3. Officer completed Form Reg 124 and gave me a copy and the rest of my papers
4. Left CHP station around 10:30
September 13, Wednesday:
1. Back to the Seaside DMV with all my paperwork and without an appointment at 11:45
2. Waited until about 12:45 to get to the window
3. They asked if I had Brake and Light certificates and I said no, I was waiting for the SPCNS# but two staff guys didn’t seem to believe it
4. I said they need to call Sacramento to get the SPCNS# and then I get the brake and lights and BAR Referee done
5. He called Sacramento and finally got the SPCNS# around 1:25
6. I left with all my paperwork, plus the SPCNS# written down
September 25, Monday:
1. Official SPCNS# finally arrives in the mail
2. I call BAR Referee at 1-800-622-7733 to make my appointment since you need the official paper to see them
3. Next appointment isn’t until October 3 and is a phone appointment
September 27, Wednesday:
1. Go to a local shop to get my Brake and Lamp Inspection done, no appointment necessary (use this to find a shop https://www.bar.ca.gov/locator)
2. $190 and 15 minutes later I have two certificates
3. No need for high beams or reverse lights since pre-1968 or 69 cars didn’t need them
4. Just visually inspected brakes and had me turn the lights on, blinkers, brake lights
October 3, Tuesday:
1. 8:00 appointment but at 7:40 I got an email asking me to send them my paperwork bundle including the official SPCNS#, plus photos of the completed car and close ups of the engine/PCV system
2. Luckily, I had all the stuff uploaded/scanned already so when the referee called at 8:00 I already emailed everything – including DMV paperwork showing fees you paid
3. Phone appointment was literally 5 minutes and all the paperwork and photos were good, but he said to make sure the PCV system was good
4. PCV system needs line from valve cover to base of carb and line from other valve cover oil cap to air cleaner using fuel/PCV rated hoses
October 11, Wednesday:
1. After not hearing back for a week (they said it takes 3-5 business days to process everything) I emailed to see what’s up and I got an email right away saying to call back to set up an in person appointment
October 16, Monday:
1. In person appointment 9:15 at Monterey Peninsula College with BAR Referee
2. Visual inspection only, PCV system was correct
3. He placed BAR sticker tucked in on the firewall
4. Took 5 minutes to look at the engine and 45 minutes to do the online paperwork
5. He gave me Smog Check VIR paperwork and said not to let the DMV keep it, that I may need it in the future
October 16, Monday:
1. Went to Seaside DMV right after BAR, about 10:20 but it was too crowded
2. Went to Watsonville DMV at 11:22, got to the front desk at 12:15
3. Gave the lady my paperwork and she didn’t know what to do, but within 20 minutes I left with license plates! She kept my entire paperwork bundle but I made sure to get the Smog Check VIR papers. The bundle had all the DMV receipts and forms, copies of FFR and Blueprint receipts, copy of FFR Certificate of Origin, photos of car, brake and lamp originals (I never got copies of those but I made my own)
