How to register bus in complicated (abuse) situation?

[booknerd]

Hi there! I need to be a bit vague for safety reasons, but I left an abusive relationship earlier this year and pretty much just had to flee and leave a lot of my belongings behind. I can't be too specific because my abuser stalked me and is a dangerous person.

I have a school bus in NJ. I am a CA resident. I have the title and bill of sale in hand. Unfortunately, my abuser held onto the keys so I cannot drive it myself. He does not have access to the bus. It is in a secured lot which I pay monthly rent for.

I tried making an appointment at the NJ MVC a few months back to officially transfer the title to my name, but unfortunately they require me to have a NJ driver's license. I asked the CA DMV if I could get temporary plates and drive it to CA to be registered and they said no because they don't do that for out of state vehicles coming in--only for CA vehicles leaving the state. So I'm stuck in limbo and getting disheartened.

How the heck do I get this thing road legal? I have heard about VT registration by mail, but don't I need the title officially in my name? I bought the bus from a dealership and tried asking them but they could not help me. The bus was paid in cash by me and has no liens. The seats are removed. It just needs to be painted.

I had new keys made for the bus by using the part number (I called the manufacturer and they gave me the info) but the keys did not work so I think that means that the ignition was changed out at some point in the bus's career. I thought about ordering a new ignition cylinder and having someone install it. Any tips for that?

I don't necessarily have to have the bus in CA. I would just prefer it there. I am looking at land for sale in NM, AZ, and CA where I can work on the bus and park it (I might like to take it on a long road trip one day but for now I just want a stationary tiny home).

I considered just forking over the money to have it towed cross country and worrying about registration later, but I don't want to pay more than $2,000 for that and I have a feeling it will be a lot more than that.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated! I am doing so much better after leaving that scary relationship and I am motivated to start working on my dream

[musigenesis]

If you have the title and BOS, you can register/retitle the bus in Vermont entirely by mail (VT only gives out titles for vehicles 15 years old or newer; for older you get a transferrable registration which functions much the same way). CA will not let you keep the vehicle registered in VT, though, so you'd have to quickly transfer it or keep the vehicle in a different state.

I don't know how to do this myself, but you can pretty easily start a bus without the ignition key, so that part shouldn't be a huge problem for you.

I'm in Philly, let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

[somewhereinusa]

If the key lock is on the steering column with a steering wheel lock a competent locksmith should be able to change the key cylinder. If the key is on the dash just buy a new switch and change it yourself.