Going to buy used car out of state, what do I do about the tag?

[dmorrow]

Flying to Boston on Thursday (points), see car on Friday, drive back (hotel points). Haven't seen car in person and won't pay until I do (or get title until I pay). Having PPI done tomorrow.

Buying car from an individual, Massachusets doesn't have temporary tags (called Mass. RMV). I called Ohio BMV and I can't get temp. tags here without the title. They said if I am caught with no tag in Ohio car will be impounded and if I use a tag from the wrong car (my daily driver) same thing.

In Mass. you evidently have 7 days to run car with tags from car you are getting rid of but if you aren't getting rid of it then you you really aren't supposed to switch tags (tough to figure out when pulled over).

I asked Ohio DMV what I should do and they said send the title back next day air to my wife, have her go and get a temp. tag (can't get a permanent without them looking at the car), then her next day air me the temp. tag. Problem with this is I would send the title to her on Friday and then get the temp. tag back in Boston on Tuesday and get home Wed. night instead of Saturday night.

Suggestions???? Probably going to have to take the wrong tag with me and hope for the best.

[vasillalov]

Suggestions???? .

Ship it?

[Justin_Eshelman]

Bought my car out of state from a trusted guy. I used his tag on the car until I got back to my home state. Then I just took it off. In Alabama I can run with no tags for 30 days as long as I have the bill of sale. As soon as I got home I just mailed his plate back to him.

[SVTDanny]

I just flew to Tennessee to get my Mustang last week. I went on Virginia's DMV site, and bought a 3 day trip permit for $5. It's good for 3 days after the bill of sale is signed, and allows you to get from point A to point B without having the car registered. I took an old set of tags that I had and threw them on the car, since driving without tags would draw unneeded attention.

[dmorrow]

Shipping it is definately an option but it would add a lot to the cost. I would have to fly back home (using up more miles) and instead of about $150 in gas it would be around $1000 for shipping. Also, shipping companies don't come and get them when you call so the car I just bought would need to be stored somewhere (in downtown Boston) for a couple of weeks, then have the previous owner help me handle getting it from where it is to on a truck, in downtown Boston.

Too bad Ohio doesn't have the temp. option that Virginia has and when I go to their site it requires your licence number as part of the process.

[TDIBUGMAN]

Check with MA DMW.

When I bought my car from PA, I had to go to the DMV store, get a non-resident 30 day temp for $15, and drove it home.

[SVTDanny]

Too bad Ohio doesn't have the temp. option that Virginia has and when I go to their site it requires your licence number as part of the process.

You don't have a license?

Just search the site for a transit permit. They should have something of the sort.

[MRVW00]

I'm near you, and a dealer.
PM me, and I'll help you out.

I have extra tags

[dmorrow]

You don't have a license?

Just search the site for a transit permit. They should have something of the sort.

I live in Ohio and tried going to the VA site and getting a transit permit from them. You print it yourself and I thought it would be better than having nothing on the car. They of course want a VA license.

As far as I can tell neither Ohio or Mass. have a transit permit (internet search and called both of them).

[dmorrow]

I'm near you, and a dealer.
PM me, and I'll help you out.

I have extra tags

PM'd. This would be the best solution of them all. Willing to pay a small fee if needed.

[BostonB6]

Simplest solution is to make sure your insurance is in place, use the OH tag you have, & don't get caught.

[shadow2132]

Had the same issue with NY dmv, absolutely ridiculous with what they think should go on when purchasing a car out of state. Decided to get insurance and take my plates off my current car at the time and chance it. Figured with proper insurance to name/plate etc it would be easier to explain to an officer and hope for leniency.

Didn't drive crazy or anything and got home without a hitch. Then handled things at the DMV.

Also found out nail clippers were a danger to others if brought in carry on to a plane, yet two large metal plates weren't even looked at funny. Who knew

[MRVW00]

PM'd. This would be the best solution of them all. Willing to pay a small fee if needed.

PM'd back with my number. Call me anytime, CL'er!

[GLI Dan]

Awesome if MRVW00 takes care of you.

If not all you need to do is go to the DMV w/ the bill of sale or title. They will then issue you a temp tag; just tell them you aren't registering it in their state and they should know what to do.

Then once back home go through the regular registration process.

[bikerboy]

Awesome if MRVW00 takes care of you.

If not all you need to do is go to the DMV w/ the bill of sale or title. They will then issue you a temp tag; just tell them you aren't registering it in their state and they should know what to do.

Then once back home go through the regular registration process.

Unfortunately that won't work for him, as MA does not issue temp registration for any purpose. We have the 7-Day Transfer Law, which states you can attach tags and registration to a newly acquired vehicle for 7 days, though technically you have "lose" possession of your current vehicle first. I did that when I brought my Forester home 2 weeks ago. Obviously it's only good for MA registration.

Seems like your best bet is either to borrow the set of plates being offered, or to drive home on the current owners registration and mail it back when you get home.

[Slayer]

just slap a plate on it and don't drive like an *******. that's how everyone usually does it

[IdontOwnAVW]

just slap a plate on it and don't drive like an *******. that's how everyone usually does it

Felony.

[patrickvr6]

Felony.

Where?

I've bought 5 cars out of state and either drive home one the previous owners plate or just use one of my plates and risk it. In my case there was no possible way to satisfy the laws in very state that I passed through and I wasn't about to pay to ship them. As long as you have some current bill of sale paperwork most bacon will let you slide.

[dtrain88]

Felony.

Not in every state, I can put the tag off of my car on any vehicle I buy and then have 30 days to go to the DMV and officially have it transferred.

While all states vary, I'd like to know where that would be a felony

[IdontOwnAVW]

While I understand the states laws may change, I was more focusing on slapping a random plate on a car you just bought.

Knowingly putting fictitious plates on a vehicle (ala plates for a car that you are not driving) can get you into some big trouble....at least in Delaware.

I wasn't mentioning using the PO's plate, as that is perfectly fine since the vehicle is registered to that tag.

I've had 30 cars (pathetic, I know) and any used car I bought I either rocked no plate but made sure I had a signed bill of sale + up to date insurance cards in case something were to happen. Just sucks that both states involved in the OP does not offer a transit tag...which is another tool I've used here in DE.

Should have been a little more clear, my apologies.

[vwgtiIII]

Bought my car out of state from a trusted guy. I used his tag on the car until I got back to my home state. Then I just took it off. In Alabama I can run with no tags for 30 days as long as I have the bill of sale. As soon as I got home I just mailed his plate back to him.

This. My neighbor bought a car in Tennessee, drove it back to Minnesota, then mailed the license plates back. Do that and just suck it up & drive the speed limit to limit the chances of being pulled over.

[dmorrow]

PM'd back with my number. Call me anytime, CL'er!

I talked to MRVW00 last night and he offered to let me borrow a Dealer plate for a couple of days so it looks like problem is solved. Great guy to offer and doing it because he is a nice guy.

It is odd that it is extremely difficult to do it by following the law, virtually impossible to fly somewhere over a couple of states and drive it back immediately (depending on where you live). Yes, I could probably take my tag off my DD but the problem is if they stop me they can (probably won't) impound the car and I could be in some small town in Eastern Ohio on Friday night waiting for Monday to come arround so I can work the problem out (impound fees, no car, getting tag, ticket). Also searching for a solution there were a few people that had been stopped and the first thing the cop thinks is it is a stolen car and treats you that way. Didn't want to be face down on the highway while the cop figures it out.

Current owner really didn't want to deal with this as he just bought the same car I am buying (but 1 of 1 color) and he wants to drive it. In Mass. you do switch the plates from old car to new for up to 7 days.

[SVTDanny]

This. My neighbor bought a car in Tennessee, drove it back to Minnesota, then mailed the license plates back. Do that and just suck it up & drive the speed limit to limit the chances of being pulled over.

If I was the seller I'd tell you hell no, anything you get caught doing on my tags comes right back to me. Bring your own or figure something out.

[dmorrow]

If I was the seller I'd tell you hell no, anything you get caught doing on my tags comes right back to me. Bring your own or figure something out.

When I called my insurance agent to find out what insurance would cost I also asked him about my problem with the tags. He thought the same thing, if I were to run over someone or rob a bank he thought the previous owner would also end up with a lot of problems when the law is very clear that the seller is supposed to remove the plates.

[clutchrider]

I bought my last car CPO Matrix from Mass and it was a PITA to get it to CT. One state over you would think would be simple. For whatever reason the dealer had to drive the car to CT to a DMV for inspection before the car could be registered. It was a complete joke because I had to take MORE time off to go meet up with them and inspect the car myself. It was a disaster from what it was when I bought it, the windshield had a crack (granted below the wiper so they may not have saw it), the wiper blades were beyond used up, and the car was barely detailed.

I got a new windshield, topped coolant (that was low too), new wipers, all from another dealer at the other dealers cost. Then I personally spent 20 hours getting the paint back to my liking. I'll never buy another car from Massachusetts again, way to much hassle.

[robr2]

I asked Ohio DMV what I should do and they said send the title back next day air to my wife, have her go and get a temp. tag (can't get a permanent without them looking at the car), then her next day air me the temp. tag. Problem with this is I would send the title to her on Friday and then get the temp. tag back in Boston on Tuesday and get home Wed. night instead of Saturday night.

Suggestions???? Probably going to have to take the wrong tag with me and hope for the best.

I'm late to the party but she could've sent it back USPS Express Mail that delivers on Saturday and UPS and FedEx offer Next Day Air Saturday for about $10 more than regular overniter service.

And yes - MA does not offer temp tags nor do they recognize temp tags from any other state.

[dmorrow]

I'm late to the party but she could've sent it back USPS Express Mail that delivers on Saturday and UPS and FedEx offer Next Day Air Saturday for about $10 more than regular overniter service.

And yes - MA does not offer temp tags nor do they recognize temp tags from any other state.

Even then I would have sent it on Friday, she wouldn't be able to do anything with it until Monday as the Title section of Ohio BMV isn't open on Saturday so she couldn't have gotten it processed until Monday and then I would have gotten it on Tuesday.

[s.pavel6]

what car are you getting that you're spending this much trouble on??

[Art Vandelay]

This topic comes up about once a month. I drive home without plates, no matter where it is and how far I have to go. I've never been pulled over, but I'd bet good money that the first time it happens, they let me go after I show the bill of sale and title.

[gr8shandini]

I'm with Art. I think you'd have to do something really serious (like DUI), or be an unbelievable d!ck to the cop for them to actually write you up for no-plate if you're obviously on your way home from buying it.

[vdubdave]

I ran into this same issue when I bought my last vehicle. The state it came from requires the seller to keep their plates and my state doesn't have any sort of temporary provision (unless you buy it from a dealer, go figure). So I just found an official looking yellow document, cut it to the approx size that the temporary permits look like around here, and taped it onto my back window. I also made sure to not drive like an idiot.

It kinda pisses me off that my state has such harsh penalties if I were to get caught doing something like this, but they have absolutely no provisions to do it legally.

[saron81]

This topic comes up about once a month. I drive home without plates, no matter where it is and how far I have to go. I've never been pulled over, but I'd bet good money that the first time it happens, they let me go after I show the bill of sale and title.

As someone who's been pulled over in that exact situation (less than a mile from my house) I can tell you that you are dead wrong. I got hit with multiple citations for driving an unregistered, uninsured car. It's the only time I've been pulled over in close to a decade.

[patrickvr6]

It kinda pisses me off that my state has such harsh penalties if I were to get caught doing something like this, but they have absolutely no provisions to do it legally.

There are so many laws on the books than nearly everyone is a criminal in one way or another.

[Art Vandelay]

As someone who's been pulled over in that exact situation (less than a mile from my house) I can tell you that you are dead wrong. I got hit with multiple citations for driving an unregistered, uninsured car. It's the only time I've been pulled over in close to a decade.

Most insurance companies do not need to know about the car beforehand. It's automagically insured if you're already a customer.

Were you driving an XR4Ti? Maybe the cop saw it and concluded you were definitely up to no good.

[patrickvr6]

As someone who's been pulled over in that exact situation (less than a mile from my house) I can tell you that you are dead wrong. I got hit with multiple citations for driving an unregistered, uninsured car. It's the only time I've been pulled over in close to a decade.

So you were pulled over a mile from home in a car you just bought with a current bill of sale with you?