Just to further babble a bit about CA DMV the place where people REALLY get screwed is when they go to tow yard auctions (in Los Angeles operated by OPGLA.org) and buy a car that has been towed. If you have a car that is 5 years old the registration per year is going to be WAY higher than a car that is 30 years old. So it is very common for the back fees on a car at a police auction to be WAY higher than the value of the car or the selling price. In this case, smart buyers avoid the car and a dismantler will buy the car for $500 and scrap it or sell it with a (now) salvage title. Buyers who are making a big mistake will buy a car and try to register it and then find out what it will cost and they lose.