How Do I Register My Car In Massachusetts From A Used Car Dealer

Updated on: October 25, 2021

When you're planning a car purchase, some deals are just too skilful to pass up, even if they require you to travel out of country (and possibly thousands of miles from abode). If you've constitute a dealer or private seller offering the pricing you were looking for in another land, you could hire a professional person transporter, or you could choose to drive your newly purchased vehicle back to your dwelling country. Driving might save y'all money, and information technology could be a not bad excuse for a fun road trip. Driving a car dwelling house after buying it out of state, however, requires proper grooming. All kinds of things can differ from state to state, including emissions requirements, prophylactic inspection standards, titling procedures, and, of course, local sales tax. Follow these tips to avoid potential issues and brand your out-of-state vehicle purchase as hassle-costless as possible.

Consult Your State's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

One time you've found that special vehicle, your next step should be to contact your state's Section of Motor Vehicles (DMV), either by visiting or calling a local office or by visiting the department's website. The DMV volition exist your all-time resources for answering a host of questions and will provide guidance regarding your state'southward requirements for transporting an out-of-state vehicle home. In some cases, those answers will direct you to contact the DMV of the state from which you lot're purchasing the vehicle for additional information about legally driving the vehicle home. Keep in mind that the procedure ofttimes varies by state, and then figuring this out may take a bit of time, but it all starts past reaching out to your local DMV.

Insure the Vehicle

Regardless of your country of residence or the current location of your new vehicle, you'll want to go the car insured before hitting the road. Normally, with only the vehicle identification number (VIN), y'all tin contact your insurance company and take the car added to your existing policy.

Car insurance is for more than just protection in the unfortunate example of a collision or theft. It'due south required to legally bulldoze the vehicle dwelling house. Requirements vary by state, and then yous'll need to determine what level of insurance coverage is required and whether proof of insurance should exist in the course of an insurance carte or insurance binder.

Get Transit Plates or Temporary Registration

After money has inverse hands and all the necessary paperwork has been signed, that vehicle you've traveled then far to buy is now legally yours. If y'all're in a state like California, you'll soon realize that the license plates—or tags, equally some phone call them—remain with the vehicle (which confuses out-of-staters who see used-car lots full of plated vehicles).

In virtually states, however, the plates are assigned to the registered owner and should be removed when the car gets sold. Equally the new owner, you'll demand a transit permit to drive the car home. This will exist in the grade of a paper plate in identify of the permanent plate or a sticker ofttimes affixed to one of the lower corners of the windshield. It volition be valid for a limited corporeality of fourth dimension, ranging from a few days to several weeks.

That broad fourth dimension window is attributable to the states' differing requirements, which bear over into the types of permits issued. There are interstate (transporting between dissimilar states) and intrastate (transporting inside a unmarried state) permits, transit permits, temporary registrations, movement permits, and various other names that apply, just they all relate to the topic of driving your new car domicile. The Maine DMV, for example, will issue a transit plate that allows you lot to bulldoze the purchased machine dorsum to Maine from another state. That sounds simple plenty until you larn that the state from which you're buying the vehicle may have its own rules, requiring yous to visit i of its DMV branches to get one of its transit plates. Muddying the waters even more are states like New York, which problems transit tags that work as a temporary registration, obtained only after providing proof of purchase, proof of insurance, and proof that you've paid the state's sales taxation. Substantially, driving the automobile habitation puts you on the hook for everything except the full registration fee.

Non to be outdone, Massachusetts takes the level of difficulty up a few notches. Massachusetts won't event whatever type of temporary registration or transit tag. In fact, it is illegal for Massachusetts residents to drive inside the state using a temporary tag issued by another land. Not-residents, on the other mitt, are immune to travel within the state on a temporary tag. So, if you lot hail from that northeastern commonwealth and are doing your auto buying out-of-country, y'all tin can drive the auto as far as the Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, or Vermont border, but will so need to park the car and call a cab to take you the rest of the style. That'due south not a great solution, so in the unusual instance of Massachusetts, we suggest towing the vehicle home from a neighboring state (if possible) or utilizing a service such equally CarGurus Delivery.

Again, consulting with the state'due south DMV volition exist priority number 1. That's where y'all'll receive your permits (where applicable), determine what paperwork is necessary, and, in some cases, learn if documents such equally a championship or bill of sale must be notarized.

Prepare for Your Trip Home

Equally with any road trip, y'all'll want to work off a checklist to ensure you've crossed all your t'southward and dotted the i's. Possibly most importantly, make sure all your documentation is in order, including the transit plate or sticker with valid operating dates, proper proof of insurance, signed (and, in some cases, notarized) purchase paperwork consisting of a championship and/or pecker of sale, and your valid driver's license.

If you've made information technology this far, we'll assume you've conducted a test drive, checked the motorcar yourself, and had it inspected past an independent local mechanic prior to finalizing the purchase. Even so, give the car a last once-over, every bit you would with whatsoever vehicle before hit out on a long trip. Focus on the condition of the fluids, lights, tires, belts, hoses, and battery. Notation how much gas the previous owner left in the tank. Any bank check engine lights, leaks, or other problems should exist addressed earlier heading home.

If you're buying an especially used vehicle or i with a higher odometer reading, consider getting some sort of roadside assistance coverage (such as AAA) as a safety net in the event of a breakdown or if you run out of fuel.

You may besides discover it beneficial to map out a road domicile ahead of time. If your new car doesn't have a functional navigation system, you can download a GPS app on your phone. Also, an old-school road atlas—if you lot tin find 1—is very handy in rural areas without strong prison cell service or with outdated GPS information.

Finally, we suggest sharing your travel plan with someone and scheduling bank check-in times. If they don't hear from you, they'll know you lot've run into some type of trouble. Granted, this may seem to be overkill, but overkill is fine when you're talking about driving a automobile with unknown reliability on what will likely be unfamiliar roads.

The Lesser Line

You may very well observe your perfect car at a compelling purchase price across state lines. Don't allow that deter yous from making the purchase, but do go along in mind that buying a automobile out of state requires more communicable a quick flight and pointing the headlights homeward. Whether yous're buying from a dealer or a private party, with a bit of planning and training, y'all tin ensure a fun and safe trip.