Anonymous wrote:+1 to others that if he wants to live like an adult, he has to adult and figure out options and do the legwork. You can provide input and guidance. He might want to ask his car-owning classmates about the residency question, and also his university might have some guidance on this point.

+2. He’s an adult. If he can’t figure this out then he doesn’t get a car. Stop helicoptering a grown man.

Since kids his age are at the highest risk for fatal crashes, be careful about making a wise choice of vehicle:

https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/consumer-reports-iihs-issue-list-of-new-vehicles-recommended-for-teens

https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/vehicle-choice-can-exacerbate-teen-drivers-risk

I agree he should buy a car out there. It would need to be tagged as CA within a month or he'd be fined.

The cost of transporting a car from MD to CA is $1000. We did it (refunded by employer or would never have done so).

He will also need a California state license. He will need to do their 50 question written test and pass it in order to get that license. You can only get 1-2 questions wrong, or you fail. When I took it there was a guy who failed, in his 60's he was like "I've been driving over 40 years" and they were like "we don't care, you need to know current code"

~ Someone who moved from MD to CA to MD.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you go visit, please don’t call it Cali.

+1. Former CA resident

Lol +1. Like nails on a chalkboard.

+3 Native Californian here. “Cali” is not a thing.

+1 to others that if he wants to live like an adult, he has to adult and figure out options and do the legwork. You can provide input and guidance. He might want to ask his car-owning classmates about the residency question, and also his university might have some guidance on this point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you go visit, please don’t call it Cali.

+1. Former CA resident

Lol +1. Like nails on a chalkboard.

Transfer the money to his account and leave it up to him. He should buy it in California under his name.

CA has very strict emission standards. If you are buying a used car I would definitely buy it in CA. But to echo what others have said your adult son needs to do this research and then present his plan to you if you are going to help him with the $$.

Where does your student claim residency? If it is MD, then they will likely need to get a car in Maryland, title it, get the safety/emissions inspection (for which the car must be physically present) and then get it to California either by driving it or by having it transported.

We have two kids out of state with cars. We notified our insurance company about the cars at college and in both cases Geico tried to have us register the cars in the state of the college but that is impossible without the kids switching their residency and drivers' licenses etc (which is impossible to do when your address is a dorm room). In the end, Geico agreed with us and allowed the kids to be insured in MD but with the car out of state.

Anonymous wrote:So, kid tells me he wants to (more like needs to) have a car in San Diego next year (fall semester of 2021). Without getting into discussion of whether this is wise or not, if I were to do it, what would be the best way to do this? One option is transport our car (we are in MD) and have him use it even though I am not sure if he can drive remaining two years with MD tagged car. Another option is to buy him a car there (used one maybe). I have never done this before so I am looking for any insights - insurance (he is in early 20s), tag, license...etc. TIA

I thought you were talking about a 17/18yo college freshman, but a man in his early 20s? He should be arranging this himself.

Anonymous wrote:When you go visit, please don’t call it Cali.

+1. Former CA resident

When you go visit, please don’t call it Cali.

Friends have had good luck (price, durability) buying decommissioned rental cars from Avis for their kids.

Your child is an adult. Tell him to research it. If it were me, I’d buy the car out there. He will have to get it titled and tagged. Put it in his name so if he hurts someone they can’t sue you. He’s not a child. He will need his own insurance.

So, kid tells me he wants to (more like needs to) have a car in San Diego next year (fall semester of 2021). Without getting into discussion of whether this is wise or not, if I were to do it, what would be the best way to do this? One option is transport our car (we are in MD) and have him use it even though I am not sure if he can drive remaining two years with MD tagged car. Another option is to buy him a car there (used one maybe). I have never done this before so I am looking for any insights - insurance (he is in early 20s), tag, license...etc. TIA