What's the correct order of operations concerning insurance and registration after buying a car from a private seller in Illinois?

December 6, 2008 12:12 PM

I've agreed on a price for a used car with a private seller in Illinois. I know I need to A. get the signed title, B. register the car with the DMV, and C. get insurance. But what's the correct order of operations, and which steps must be completed before driving the car at all?

I understand that C must be completed before driving the car at all. I can't find any conclusive information online about whether B is required before driving the car (such as driving it to the DMV), and the information telephone lines are closed on the weekend. Assuming it is required, is the following the right order of operations?

1. Obtain insurance in advance.
2. Buy car, getting signed title then. I understand the seller must remove their plates at this time.
3. Leave the car (presently not driveable by anyone!) where it is.
4. Visit DMV (in some other car or a taxi), pay sales tax and obtain registration.
5. Return to car and affix (temporary) plates.

Should 1 and 2 be swapped? Can they be without delaying the overall process? Must they be, perhaps because one must be the owner to obtain insurance for a particular car? Is this rest of this order correct?

posted by hAndrew to Travel & Transportation around Illinois (9 answers total)

You can drive the car for a short period (probably up to seven days or so; it depends on the state) before registering it. But you should carry the transfer title and the bill of sale with you just in case you get stopped. (And yes, get a bill of sale!)

You don't say which state you'll be registering the car in, but call the DMV/SoS office in that state (or check their website) to get the definite details. In any event, I'm not aware of any state that prohibits driving a car immediately after a private sale pending registration. (Also, in some states, you'll need to physically present the car to complete registration, making it impractical to leave it behind).

Also, you definitely want the insurance before you buy the car. You can give the details (including the VIN) to the insurance company and get provisional insurance pending their other requirements.
posted by j-dawg at 12:58 PM on December 6, 2008

When we bought a used car from a private individual last year we did it either A-B-C or A-C-B as you describe above (I'm sorry, I can't remember exactly). If you currently have auto insurance, you may be able to call them, describe the situation, and ask their advice. We did this, and they gave us something like a 15 or 30 day period after purchasing the car by which time we needed to call them back to get it insured properly. Your auto insurance company deals with this all the time and will be able to advise. If you do not currently have auto insurance, I'm not sure what you should do.

Also, we just drove the car with the old plates to the DMV, and when we got new plates, mailed them back to the first owner. It was no biggie at all.
posted by jay dee bee at 1:02 PM on December 6, 2008

Best answer: You absolutely want insurance *before* you even own the vehicle. You want for your insurance to be active from the first millisecond that the car belongs to you.

So, that's first. Then, when you've got the car home, go register it.

There're grace periods with registration... there's none with insurance.
posted by Netzapper at 1:03 PM on December 6, 2008 [1 favorite]

I'm with netzapper: C A B.
posted by rhizome at 1:18 PM on December 6, 2008

Response by poster: I'd like to register it in Illinois. I don't already have a car or car insurance.

I agree it seems to make sense that one should be able to drive around with the car unregistered (assuming you have Title and Bill of Sale) for a few days. I'm just surprised I can't find that written anywhere (even in places I would really expect to find it, like the Secretary of State's guide to the process of registering a used car you just bought).

Re. Bill of Sale: My understanding is that you are to roll your own Bill of Sale. I assume that means write a sentence describing who sold what to who and for how much, and have everyone sign it?
posted by hAndrew at 1:36 PM on December 6, 2008

Response by poster: Is this to be believed, stating that no separate Bill of Sale is needed in Illinois?
posted by hAndrew at 1:46 PM on December 6, 2008

You can roll your own bill of sale, but you should have both parties sign it. I don't know if a Bill of Sale is required in IL, but it's an extra layer of documentation, particularly if something happens before you're able to properly register the car. (Also, I just think it's prudent to have documentation like that when dealing with the sums of money involved in buying or selling a car. Maybe it's overcautious, but it won't hurt you either.)
posted by j-dawg at 2:10 PM on December 6, 2008

Best answer: From Illinois: I was never asked for my bill of sale for any reason, though we did make one out and it obviously never hurts. You might want to call the DMV and check, but two years ago I believe I was told I had a 24 hour grace period for registration.
posted by odragul at 7:38 PM on December 6, 2008

Response by poster: Conclusion: C A B worked nicely, and there's a grace period.
posted by hAndrew at 7:46 PM on December 10, 2008