Power of Attorney

NEW RESIDENT GUIDE FOR STATE OF CALIFORNIA

U.S. Legal Forms, Inc.
http://www.uslegalforms.com

Becoming a new resident of a new home state often involves the reorganization of your legal affairs. This form is a guide to help you in meeting various requirements, such as residency, voting, driver's license, identification card and vehicle registration requirements.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS-

You may establish residency in the state of California by voting in a California election, paying resident tuition, filing for a homeowner's property tax exemption, or receiving any other privilege or benefit not ordinarily extended to nonresidents.

VOTING REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS-

You may register to vote in California if you meet the following requirements:

• You are a U.S. citizen.
• You are a resident of California.
• You are at least 18 years of age (or will be by the date of the next election).
• You are not in prison or on parole for conviction of a felony.
• You have not been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent to register and vote.
• You must obtain and complete a Voter Registration Form by one of the following methods:
  • You may call your local county elections official and request a form.
  • You may obtain a Voter Registration Form Online at https://ovr.ss.ca.gov/votereg/OnlineVoterReg and the Secretary of State Office will mail a typed registration form to you in approximately 7 to 14 days. You must sign, date and return by mail the pre-typed form you will receive to the county elections official on the return address side of the voter registration card. You should use this service at least one month prior to election day. Full on-line voter registration is not yet available in California.
  • You may call California's toll-free voter registration hotline at 1-800-345-VOTE and request a form.
  • You may download and return by mail to your county elections official a Voter Registration Form at http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/national_vrc_notice.htm.
• You must register to vote 15 days before each local and statewide election day. Your polling place location will be printed on the Sample Ballot you receive from your local county elections official prior to an election. You may also contact your local county elections office for polling place information.

DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENTS-

If you take a job in or become a resident of California, you must get a California driver license within 10 days.

If you are over the age of 18 and are applying for an original driver's license, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• You must visit a Department of Motor Vehicles office to complete an application form DL 44, give a thumb print and have your picture taken.
• You must provide your social security number by presenting an original social security card, Medicare card, U.S. Armed Forces Identification Card or Military Separation Document, unless you are legally present in the US, but ineligible for a social security number.
• You must verify your birth date and legal presence by presenting the original or a certified copy of one of the following documents:
  • US Birth Certificate
  • US Certificate or Report of Birth Abroad
  • Federal Proof of Indian Blood Degree
  • INS American Indian Card
  • Birth Certificate or passport issued from a US Territory
  • US Passport
  • US Military Identification Cards (Active or reserve duty, dependent, retired member, discharged from service, medical/religious personnel)
  • Common Access Card (only if designated as Active military or Active Reserve or Active Selected Reserve)
  • Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship
  • Northern Mariana Card
  • INS US Citizen ID Card
  • Permanent Resident Card
  • Temporary Resident Identification Card
  • Canadian Passport/Birth Certificate
  • Non-resident Alien Canadian Border Crossing Card
  • Valid foreign passport with a valid Record of Arrival/Departure (form I-94)
  • Certification from California Department of Corrections or California Youth Authority
  • Employment Authorization Card
  • Permanent Resident Re-entry Permit
  • Refugee travel document
  • "Processed for I-551" stamped in a valid foreign passport
  • Valid I-94 stamped "Refugee," "Parole or Parolee," "Asylee," or Section 207, Section 208, Section 209, Section 212d(2), HP or PIP
  • Immigration judge's order granting asylum
  • Certified court order or judgment issued from a court of competent jurisdiction.
  • Valid I-94 with attached photo stamped "Processed for I-551 temporary evidence of lawful admission for permanent residence"
  • Notice of Action (I-797 Approved Petition)
  • Mexican Border Crossing Card with valid I-94
• You must provide your true full name. If you change your name, you must provide an original or certified copy of either adoption documents that contain your legal name as a result of the adoption, a name change document that contains your legal name both before and after the name change, a marriage certificate (issued from a local or state Office of Vital Statistics), or a dissolution of marriage document that contains your legal name as a result of the court action.
• You must pay the application fee of $26.00.
• You must pass a vision exam and pass a traffic laws and sign test. If you have a license from another country, you will be required to take a driving test. If you have a license from another state, the driving test can be waived.
• You will be issued a permit if you have never been licensed before. When you practice, you must be accompanied by an adult who is 18 years of age or older, with a valid California license. This person must be close enough to you to take control of the vehicle if necessary.
• You must carry liability insurance in the amounts of $15,000 for injury or death of 1 person per accident, $30,000 for injury or death of 2 or more persons per accident and $5,000 for property damage per accident. You must carry evidence of insurance at all times in your vehicle.

IDENTIFICATION CARD REQUIREMENTS-

You may apply to receive a California Identification Card regardless of your age. The identification card looks like a driver's license, but is used for identification purposes only.

In order to apply for an identification card you will need to meet the following requirements:

• You must visit a Department of Motor Vehicles Office, complete an application form DL 44, give a thumb print and have your picture taken.
• You must provide your social security number. (See acceptable documents listed above.)
• You must verify your birth date and legal presence. (See acceptable documents listed above.)
• You must pay the application fee of $21.00, unless you are a senior citizen age 62 or older.

VEHICLE TITLE AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS-

Residents of states other than California may operate their vehicles with current registration in their names from their residence state for up to six months or until they accept gainful employment in California, become a California resident, claim a homeowner's exemption in California, rent or lease a residence in California, enroll in an institution of higher learning as a California resident, enroll their dependents in school (K-12), or intend to live or be located in California on a permanent basis.

As a California resident, you must register commercial vehicles and any vehicle you own immediately upon entry into California unless you obtain a special permit.

In order to register a non-resident vehicle, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must complete an Application for Title or Registration signed by all registered owners, showing the name and address of the lienholder (legal owner), if any.
• You must present the last issued out-of-state title, unless held by the lienholder/legal owner.
• You must present your last issued registration certificate, if you are the registered owner shown on the out-of-state title and the vehicle entered California with valid out-of-state registration, or if the title has been lost.
• You must present a Bill of Sale, Vehicle/ Vessel Transfer and Reassignment Form, if you purchased the vehicle from someone other than the registered owner shown on the title.
• You must present an odometer disclosure statement, signed by the seller and buyer, if your vehicle is less than ten model years old.
• You must have your vehicle inspected by an authorized Department of Motor Vehicles employee, law enforcement officer, or a licensed vehicle verifier employed by a registration service or dealership.
• You must obtain a smog certification, if applicable.
• You must surrender the valid out-of-state license plates if they do not have to be returned to the home state.
• You must obtain a weight certificate, if you have a commercial vehicle, from a moving and storage company for a nominal fee. A weight certificate is not required for commercial vehicles with empty or unladen weight of 6,000 pounds or less where the weight is marked as unladen or empty on the out-of-state title or registration or trailers.
• You must pay the appropriate fees, including registration ($31.00) and vehicle license fees and any use tax due within 20 days of entry or residency to avoid penalties.
• You must provide evidence of valid liability insurance when renewing your vehicle registration. Acceptable proof is a current identification card, issued to you by your insurance company. An alternative to meet this requirement is that you may post a bond as proof of insurance.
• You may receive a disabled person parking placard or plate if you have impaired mobility as certified by your doctor, or you have heart or circulatory disease, lung disease, a diagnosed disease or disorder that significantly limits the use of lower extremities, specific, documented visual problems, including low-vision or partial-sightedness or the loss, or loss of the use, of one or both lower extremities or both hands. You do not need a doctor's certification if you have lost a lower extremity or both hands, and you appear in person at a local Department of Motor Vehicles office. You must complete and sign an application, have your doctor sign the disability certification, pay a fee of $6.00 for a temporary placard and mail the original application to the address on the form. You will receive your parking placard approximately two weeks after you submit the completed form.

Please see the California Department of Motor Vehicles website at http://www.dmv.ca.gov/newtoca/newtoca.htm and the California Secretary of State Office website at http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm for further new resident and contact information.

Website source: April 26, 2006.