Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with car and registration

My speeding citation has turned into a shit snowball.

desjardins — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:19:22 -0800

Please help me navigate a mess involving an expired car registration, a speeding ticket, a lost insurance card, a license held as bond and a omg I can't even think. This involves Illinois and Wisconsin. 1. My car is registered in Illinois and I have an Illinois driver's license. The registration expires today; the license is good for awhile.

2. However, I'm (technically?) a Wisconsin resident, in that I have a lease on an apartment there, but I work in Illinois and sleep half the week in Illinois and the other half in WI. This is meant to be as temporary as humanly possible until I can stay permanently in WI.

3. I did not renew the registration yet because I was planning to get my Wisconsin license & registration this coming Friday, and hopefully avoid getting caught for the next 3 days while it's expired. Before I can register it in IL I have to get an emissions test. Of course, there will now be a late fee.

4. I got stopped for speeding today in a suburb of Chicago, I could not find my insurance card, and so I received another citation for that & my license was taken as bond. My court date is at the end of December. My driving record is otherwise clean.

5. So, I can't register my car in WI or get my WI license until I have my IL license back, correct? It's my understanding that if you have a valid license in another state, you have to forfeit it to get a WI license. I don't know about registering the car.

6. What's the ABSOLUTE CHEAPEST yet legal way to handle this? I am broke, like really broke, and the thought of having to pay to register my car in Illinois and then re-register it in WI when I get my license back is really disheartening.

7. I am freaking out and not thinking clearly, see above about being broke.

How to drive home a car bought in another state?

HopperFan — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:01:41 -0800

So I bought a car from out of state...please help me with the logistics! I bought a Volvo on eBay for a good price, yay. It's about 6 hours away, though. (Ohio to Virginia)

I've read this question, and this, this, and several others - but I still have questions, because there seems to be some conflicting information.

Step 1 : Insure vehicle. I'll be doing that tomorrow, I have the VIN.

Step 2 : Go to Virginia, meet seller with car. Make sure VIN on car and title matches with what was posted on eBay.

Step 3-4-.... : ?

The questions I've thought of so far are:

1. Does the seller need to have access to a notary? Otherwise, how would signing the back of the title and the bill of sale be valid?

2. Is it true that with a signed over title and a bill of sale, I could drive this vehicle back to Ohio and placate any police officers that happen to stop me?

3. It seems like a very bad idea to fedex payment down without a title in hand, trusting he'll send me the title in exchange, just so that I could obtain temp tags here before driving down. He hasn't asked me to do that, anyway.

The car does not currently have plates. I checked auto shipping companies, but the cheapest quote is around $300. This may or may not be worth it, depending on what I learn about this registration process.

How ofter is my car going to get towed?

T.D. Strange — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:12:22 -0800

I just moved to Northern Virginia for a new job- how likely is it that my car with out of state plates will be ticketed or towed? The Virginia inspection law seems very onerous, and I've read horror stories of shady towing companies towing cars without inspection stickers from apartment parking lots even with valid parking passes. My car is registered out of state under my Dad's name and currently has a broken right front turn signal, so it certainly won't pass any kind of inspection at present.

I'm currently renting a room in a residential area about 90mins outside of DC and commuting in towards the city on a daily basis. I haven't had any problems yet and don't expect to get towed from the garage under my office building, but I plan on finding an apartment in one of the NoVa suburbs after the new year and I'm more concerned.

Assuming that I fix the turn signal, how likely is it that I will have problems driving my car around on a regular basis with out of state plates? I REALLY don't want to move into the city and walk out for work one morning to find my car towed by some shady towing company, so I'd like to give them a few reasons as possible.

How do you easily remove old accumulated registration stickers from a license plate?

pantufla_milagrosa — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:42:45 -0800

How do you easily remove old accumulated registration stickers from a license plate? You know, how every time you get a new sticker, you're supposed to remove the old one before sticking the new one? Except you never do because it's easy to just put it on top of the old one. Suppose that I wanted to remove all the old ones. What's a good trick for that? Last time I tried it seemed very hard. There must be around 15 of them piled up by now.

Out of state used car headache

zvs — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:44:26 -0800

I'm looking into buying a used car, and found a pretty good looking one from a colleague in New Jersey. I live in Brooklyn. How the heck does this work? Parking and title questions follow... I've never bought a car before, so it's all new to me. If I buy this car, the original owner has to take the plates off -- then I guess I'll need a NY in-state temporary plate to get it to my house.

Problem 1: Do I just leave it in NJ until I manage to get NY plates? Do I have to get title to get a transfer plate, or does that include title? The website is less than clear.

Problem 2: Where the heck do I keep it? Will I get ticketed if it's on the street? Will I get ticketed for moving an unplated car during street cleaning?

Problem 3: Where do I pay sales tax?

Anybody done this before?

Expired Registration Question.. looking for advice:

sandmanwv — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:21:02 -0800

What is the likelihood for being pulled over in a faraway state for expired tags and what are typical penalties? It would be one month overdue if that changes both answers. I went out of the country for three months and in the middle of the trip realized that my car registration would be set to expire 2/3rds the way through.

I am in the midst of a move from one state to the other (IL to NC); I will be registering my car there as soon as I arrive. But I have to drive through three states (and around 10 hours of driving) to get to NC. (My car is parked in Northern Virginia.. the states would be WV, VA and NC).

I see my four options:

A)When I visit IL (with another car), pay the $100 to re-register my car for 2 weeks. This would simply require me to come with the renewal and pay and I get a sticker.

B)Register my car in VA. This would require me to retitle my car and get it inspected. Total cost ~$80, though I could get ticketed on the 1/4 mile ride to the station. When I get to NC, simply retitle and reregister car there. Would this be viewed with suspicion by NC DMV?

C)Illegal: drive car as is to NC, hopefully not get stopped; if stopped, explain situation, expect the worst, hope for a warning.

D) Other less savory options?

Really I'm analyzing my risk. $100 seems to be steep to pay for a couple weeks of registration-- but a $150 fine is worse. Impoundment is even worse. But what are those chances?

Note: let me know if this past the bounds of the forum and I apologize if so.

Help us transfer our plates!

PhoBWanKenobi — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:19:24 -0800

Florida DMVFilter: what's the easiest (and cheapest) way to register Mr. WanKenobi's car in the state of Florida? Mr. WanKenobi just moved in. Yay! He brings with him a nice, newish RAV4, which he owns outright and is currently registered in the state of NJ.

Since I hardly use my own car, which is registered in Florida, and since we certainly don't need two cars, I've just sold it on craigslist. I have the plates and all of that.

Now we're trying to figure out the best way to register Mr. WanKenobi's car. I would just send him over to get his own plates, but the state of Florida charges you an extra hundred bucks the first time you register any vehicle in the state, whereas transferring the plates would only be four dollars. We have no problem sharing the ownership of the car--we'll both be using it, after all--but I can't find anything on the website about transferring the title to a new co-owner, if that makes any sense. Do any of your Florida mefites have any experience with this? We'd like to avoid paying that hundred dollar "initial registration fee" again if at all possible!

Car insurance coverage with expired tabs

mcstayinskool — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:30:27 -0800

Will car insurance still cover a car with expired tabs? asking this for a friend:

Am I covered by my car insurance if I drive with expired tabs? I recently moved from WA to MN. In the process my vehicle tabs expired and my vehicle title was lost. I can't re-register in WA because I don't have an address there. I can't register in MN because I haven't received the replacement title yet. I realize that by driving the vehicle I am risking a fine for tabs, but if I get in an accident will my insurance still cover me?

Where can/should I register my car?

Maia — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:18:19 -0800

From Washington state, but going to college in Massachusetts. What state should I register the car I just bought? I bought the car in Mass, and am currently there. However, it looks like I need a Mass driver's license to register the car here. Also, it probably doesn't make sense to register the car here since I am leaving as soon as I graduate.

However, if I want to register the car in Washington, it needs to be notarized in Washington state or done in person at a DoL office.

What to do? I want to be able to drive as soon as possible!

car registation nightmare

MillMan — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:37:57 -0800

Help me get my car registered in the state of California. I am at a loss. Here is the history:

Car was purchased new in the state of Minnesota.

Car loan was paid off while living in Massachusetts.

I now live in California, and am attempting to register the car here. The title was lost in the move (and I can't remember which state was listed on the title). According to the DMV here in CA the car can't be registered here without the title (if someone knows that to be false, let me know).

I applied for a duplicate title from the state of MA. They mailed the request back, saying "[loan company] must release the title." I called the loan company, and they said "all we can do is send you the lien release." I received that, but a rep from the state of MA on the phone still says the loan company has to "release" the title. I can't get anything beyond this conflicting info. Anyone have an idea of what to do here?

Two days of platelessness?

purplefiber — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:27:29 -0800

Bringing a car from British Columbia to California- complicated title transfer situation. I am being given a car by my parents who live in B.C. I live in California, and plan to fly up and then drive the car back down here.

The complicated part is- the car is currently registered and insured in BC in my parents' names. Ultimately it will be registered and insured in California, in my name. Where and when do I need to do the title transfer (or is there paperwork in both places)? How can I be covered for the in between time (during my trip down) for insurance and registration? Should I keep the BC plates on for the trip, or get some sort of temporary plates?

Thanks!

[WA,US] Overdue initial car registration?

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:57:00 -0800

Washington State: Embarrassingly overdue car registration, what do I need to know? I moved to Seattle two years ago, bringing my car with me with already-expired out of state tags. Early on, my job was within walking distance and I never drove recreationally, so I was content to let it sit in the garage gathering dust.

Now I'm commuting, I've been ticketed once for the expired tags, and I'm wondering if anyone knows what I should be prepared for as I register it.

For example, the form the DOL uses says the following:
"Private automobile was purchased and used by me in another state for a minimum of 90 days while I was a bonafide resident, before I entered Washington on _____"

Does this mean they're going to put me on the hook for two years' of taxes? That's fine, if that's the law, but if there's a way to legally avoid it I'd prefer to do so.

That, and any other advice from anyone who's been in a similar situation would be much appreciated. I was born without the part of the brain that makes one able to understand and navigate bureaucracy.

May I please pay you for new license plates?

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:04:04 -0800

The state DMV won'’t let me renew my registration on my current car because I owe property taxes on the old car. Is that legal? Can the state refuse to help me comply with one law if I am potentially violating another one? In 2007, I made a good-faith attempt to renew my registration after I noticed it had expired, and was told by the woman behind the DMV counter to drive off in my unregistered car because the DMV could not renew my registration until I sorted out property tax issues with the city where I live (this is in Virginia). My license plates were no longer even in the DMV’'s computer records because of how long I had waited to attempt to renew them. The woman behind the counter offered the example that if the police pulled me over and ran my plates, the plates would not turn up. Then she sent me on my way, refusing to take the money I wanted to pay for my renewed registration. The DMV seemed to be saying that my city's tax collectors' demands outweigh a state agency's driving regulations, which is surprising.

Fast forward to the present, where my car registration has now been expired for about two years. I understand some of you are lawyers but none of you are my lawyers. Is paying the property taxes I owe on the car I no longer own my only recourse, or is there some way I can bring my current car into compliance while I deal with the old car'’s property tax issues instead of after? I have been driving on expired tags for some time, yet with a valid driver’'s license, paid-up insurance policy and up-to-date state inspection on my car. The DMV has never sent notice that my license is suspended, and the state-approved inspection service operated by my car dealership has never had a problem with updating the inspection decal on my windshield. Why can't I put a new sticker on my license plates before I drive down to pay my tax bill?

selling vehicle without title

diode — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:07:49 -0800

I've got a vehicle whose title is in the process of being transferred to me. I've got to do the reregistration by mail from Oregon to California. I've had an offer on the vehicle. The potential purchasers say a bill of sale and them putting the vehicle on their insurance is sufficient to let them drive legally. They also mentioned a temporary registration, which I've never heard of. Is this a bad idea, or a practical one to get the car sold now. I've got a vehicle in my possession that belonged to a deceased relative. I'm a resident of Oregon, the car title is in California. I've sent the title and paperwork down to the California DMV in Sacramento and of course there is some glitch that means the paperwork will have to come back to me and then get resent down there.

In the meantime, a couple have made an offer on this vehicle, a good one. Since the title is in limbo at the moment, they are saying we can do a bill of sale, then they put the vehicle under their insurance and I transfer the title when I get the paperwork completed.

I'm not clear on the potential downsides of this. Given that they look like solid citizens and will pay with a cashier's check, so it's not an issue of money, what happens if they get into a wreck? The vehicle title is soon to be in my name, then I have to re-register it in Oregon, then sign it over to them. That's probably at least another three weeks minimum if nothing goes awry.

While the paperwork is getting completed, they'll have the vehicle. My worst fear would be that if they got into a smashup, the title would point to me and I'd be named in a suit. Is that a reasonable fear or am I just being too paranoid?

It would be nice to have the car sold now. It's a Pontiac Aztek, 2001, with only 18,121 miles on it. There's no problem waiting though until the title is completely clear before doing this if that's the best course of action.

Now serving number 948392038409301....

divka — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 12:32:35 -0800

Has any one used a title agent in Maryland instead of getting a title and registration at the Motor Vehicle Administration? I moved to Maryland last October and it took me several months to gather up the millions of pieces of paperwork needed to get a driver's license in Maryland. Now that I've finally got my car inspected--I really, really don't want to go back to deal with my title and registration.

And of course, you can only get title and registration done on a weekday--weekends are for driver's licenses only. Ugh.

Has anyone used a title agent and found it a pleasant experience? I'm willing to pay more if I don't have to take a day off from work to languish at the MVA.

My car just got impounded for expired, out of state registration, what now?

jaybeans — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 10:44:53 -0800

My car just got impounded for expired, out of state registration. What now? After we moved to California, my mother-in-law in Tennessee gave us a car. When my brother-in-law drove it out here, it already had expired tags. Due to very strained financial circumstances as a result of unemployment which are just now abating, we postponed registering the car (in favor of not getting evicted).

Inevitably, today I got pulled over.

The officer said I'd get something in the mail, but I'd like to get this taken care of ASAP. How do I simultaneously get the car out and get it registered as quickly as possible? And does the fact that I still have a Tennessee license affect what I do next?

The car wants to be mine, but...

Smarson — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 06:17:26 -0800

How do I register my vehicle in a new state without a title or a bill of sale? I was fortunate enough to inherit my uncle's less-than-new/ better-than-scrap-metal car when he moved overseas earlier this year. My problem is that I've relocated to a different state and now need to register said junk heap. I don't have the title or even a bill of sale and I'm seriously doubting my uncle saved either when he left the country. So how do I go about obtaining a new title for the car in order to transfer it to my name and register it in a new state? The car is insured in my name, but in the previous state and on a 6 month pre-paid term. I'm hoping to insure it with a different company once the 6 month term is up, but again, I'm guessing things like a title and bill of sale will be needed. What are my options?

Why must automobile registrations be renewed?

bryanjbusch — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 08:53:30 -0800

Why must automobile registrations be renewed? I suspect that each U.S. state has their own reasons (though I could find none online), and that the actual reason is unwaveringly "to generate revenue," what is the purpose of paying to register my car for a second, third, etc. time?

The only thing I can think of is to confirm once every two years that the owner still possesses the car, and that it hasn't been stolen. But then, isn't that implied every time you don't call to report your car was stolen?

And if the real purpose is just to generate revenue, why not just raise taxes by $40 a year?

Mayor Rudy Guiliani, are you behind this? Go back to your Mayor's Marinara Sauce.

barnone — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 11:47:19 -0800

I just received a bill for taxes on a car I sold in 2001. The taxes are for 2001, 2002, 2003. I have the VIN - but I've moved about 8 times since then, and am not hopeful that I can find a copy of the bill of sale or transfer of title. How can I prove that I didn't own the car during that time? How can I prove that I sold this car? I'll gladly pay the taxes for the first half of 2001 -- I sold the car in the summer. And I can afford to pay the taxes/interest for the remainder of the bill (1/2 of 2001, all of 2002, all of 2003). But I don't particularly want to be on record as 'owning' or having registered the car during that time -- what if it was involved in an accident, or some other situation where having my name attached to the car wouldn't be particularly appealing.

Given the VIN and the plates but little else (I don't have my insurance from that time, nor are any kind of bank records in my immediate location), what can I do? Will a Carfax check prove it was sold during this time? Any other kind of registration search?

The taxes are for RI Motor Vehicle Excise Tax, I suppose for the actual tags on the car. I called the tax collector's office and they will waive the taxes if I can provide proof of sale. Any suggestions?

Help with Boston car registration

Viomeda — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 12:33:55 -0800

I'm trying to register my van in Boston Mass. and the insurance laws are crazy. I have insurance already with my car in Colorado but it won't due in Boston. I really don't want to pay an arm and leg to insure and register this van because I will probably sell it in the next year or so. What is the most inexpensive way to go about this?

Bumper Sticker Mystery

gyc — Thu, 19 Aug 2004 20:21:30 -0800

I've seen a number of cars with a sticker of a white number eight on a red background on their back window. Does anyone know what that signifies? I don't think it's a Dale Earnhardt Jr. sticker since the font of the sticker is different. I'm just curious as to what it signifies.