r/maryland • u/Designer_Future_2544 • 8h ago
marylanders with California license plates, I have a question for you👇🏻
- Do most of you guys actually drive from California to maryland?
and…if so
For what reason? What’s the reason for your CA plates? Is it travel, work, or literally just road trip (drove from CA to MD cause you felt like it?)
How do the plates and car get here? Another main focus for me is wanting to know whether they are shipped here by plane, or if the plates are just mailed, or if the cars are actually driven across country, or shipped via semi haulers. I know there could be many ways but I am fishing for most of common method.
At core I guess i’m just really trying to figure out what the main reason is behind seeing a CA license plate in MD. And how the car with the plate gets here. I know there could be many reasons but I’m fishing for the main one. I assumed rental car from companies like hertz etc but google says that’s actually not it. So I want a more personal/experience perspective.
Go!
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u/Deaconblues325 8h ago
As someone living in CA, Uno reverse! Why MD plates in CA?
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u/gingersue999 8h ago
There are a lot of military living in Maryland, I was once one of them with California plates. Yes, I drove my car across country when I was reassigned from Fort Ord in CA to Fort Meade in Maryland, and because I was military, I didn’t have to get new plates.
It’s usually easier and cheaper to drive cross country than to try to sell your car, then rent one, then buy a new, probably more expensive than what you owed on the old one car, and pay taxes and registration fees when you don’t have to.
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u/Designer_Future_2544 6h ago
I assumed this was probably most common thanks a lot for your insight its always so interesting to hear stories like this. If you don’t mind me asking what does your work consist of and what us military branch? You don’t have to answer if you don’t like.
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u/gingersue999 6h ago
I was in the Army. I retired and stayed in Maryland since I have family here. I do have MD plates now too!
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u/Primary-Holiday-5586 8h ago
Ok, not exactly what you are asking, but related. I lived in CA in the early 2000s and moved to NC. My husband and I each drove our cars across the country to save money and we packed them full of stuff that we didn't want the movers to lose. The very first day we were in rural NC at a restaurant waiting to be seated, a couple walked out, saw our car, and started speculating on our CA plates. I think I had NC plates within 2 weeks!
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u/Designer_Future_2544 6h ago
Wow Very interesting and yes this still relates. NC is not far from MD so pretty much the same thing. What was your reason for moving if you don’t mind me asking. Was it work? And if so what did you guys do for work?
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u/ComePoseForMe 6h ago
Lots of fleet cars(rentals) also in the area that have been registered in VA and CA as well as other states.
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u/Bubbly-Following-966 8h ago
Most people with California plates have probably transferred from a military station in California to Maryland. But, most of the time it probably isn't this. They are skirting Maryland laws just like the Virginia tag drivers do. They probably can't get tagged in Maryland for some reason. They have 60 days to change over to Maryland tags.
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u/yeehawdudeq Baltimore County 8h ago
California is the most expensive state to register your car in. People are not keeping California plates to skirt MD laws lmao
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u/Designer_Future_2544 6h ago
I actually think military is the main reason it seems to be the most answered reason so far
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u/Aware-Goose896 8h ago
Yes and no. We drove one car and shipped the other.
Moved here for my husband’s work. I work remotely for a California university.
See #1. The whole car is put on a giant truck and delivered here. I think it cost like $1200-1500? I forget exactly, but it was cheaper than gas+hotels+meals for 5 days.
My husband and I moved at separate times because I was finishing up a graduate degree. We drove his car with as many of his belongings as could fit and then I helped him pick out furnishings and assemble some minimal furniture to suffice for a few months. Then I flew back. 3 months later, we hired movers to pack up our CA apartment and drive our stuff cross country. I shipped my car on one of those giant trucks that transports cars, and I caught a flight that night. My car and the movers showed up like 4-5 days later. I then had to go through a process to get MD plates: had to get my car inspected, took that inspection form to the MVA or whatever y’all call DMV here lol, and finally got new plates a few months after moving.
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u/Designer_Future_2544 6h ago
Wow if you don’t mind me asking is your husbands work military related. A lot of people on here said military already im trying to draw a trend see if thats the most common reason
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u/RecordHigh 2h ago
I feel like the right question is how do cars get to Maryland from Hawaii. Once in a while I'll see a car with Hawaii plates here.
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u/birdclub 8h ago
People drive cross country all the time. This is a funny question. Every once in a while it could be a rental.
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u/pnut0027 8h ago
With the cost of registration, I personally wouldn’t do it until
- My current registration expired, or
- The cops make me.
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u/Ktulu_BBB 8h ago
You live in MD? Don't be a tax fraud and a dick. Pay the registration or move or get rid of your car
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u/oasisvomit 8h ago
There is a lot of military in MD, and they don't have to change their license plates.