california: The car is currently registered to an extended family member who is giving me the car for school. He lives in North Carolina, I live in California, and I go to college in Pennsylvania. Is there any way for the car to be registered in California without it ever being in California? Or am I going to have to register the car in Pennsylvania (and surrender my California ID)|||Nope! To register a car in California it MUST pass a California emissions test, and that can ONLY be done in California. Be aware that Pennsylvania requires periodic vehicle inspections unlike California. It will also have to pass the Pennsylvania inspection.|||No. Any state would have to do a physical inspection of the VIN before registering a vehicle for the first time, and CA will require a smog certificate before you could register the vehicle. Just register it in PA and be done with it.