Cruisinfanatic

Not in NY. New registration by new owner always gets new plates and requires insurance on the car to get them.

Mr. Peabody

Well as we are seeing; the rules are different in many states. In both CA and here in WA the plate stays with the vehicle. The title and/or bill-of-sale determines ownership of the vehicle not the plate.

What I did when I bought my 95 1000 miles away was to call the DMV in both my state and the seller's state and explain that I was buying a used car from a private party in state A and then driving the car 1000 miles home to state B. The DMV people in both states were actually very helpful in explaining their rules and about how to handle the registration, title transfer and plate issue. I was able to then explain all this to the seller and he checked with his DMV after which there was no trouble driving the car away with his plate. He had vanity plates and wanted them back so that he could hang them in his garage so I mailed them back to him once I received my plates from the state of WA.

As far as the exchange of funds I utilized what is called a "bank check" the funds are first pulled out of my account and placed in a restricted account owned by "the bank". I had my banker write a short business letter to the seller explaining the check and providing her contact information. I then emailed a photo copy of both sides of the bank check along with the letter from my banker. The seller took those documents to his bank. His banker spent 3 minutes on the phone with my banker, assured him that the check was good.
My son and I flew down to get the car. I gave the seller the bank check and we began our drive home.

The other thing that I did was to call my insurance agent before we flew down to buy the car and tell him what I was doing and provide him with the vin of the car I was buying. This way I was insured with full coverage for the drive home.

How you do it is of course up to you wand will be dictated somewhat by the rules of the two states you are working with. If the seller insists on cash and only cash then you need to take that into account in your negotiations. No flippen way am I going to carry that kind of cash around to buy a car out of state.

Best of luck. Be sure to tell us how it all works out!

1985 Corvette

Thanks for the responses, everyone. Lots of good info and I'll be making some time to try and call both state DMVs up tomorrow. Pologreen1, the car is a ZR-1.

Bajaholic

I personally would not worry about the tag. Option A: Just run it home w/o tag. Option B: Pull a tag off one of your other cars, put on car for ride home. if you get stopped, explain you just purchased car, show officer the paperwork. I have NEVER heard of a cop giving a person a ticket for that. I am not saying it wouldn't happen, but it would be virtually 0%. Most states have laws where it must be registered w/in so many days, so there is generally the "Grey area" anyway...

Cruisinfanatic

So you're saying in some states I can buy a car and drive it home with sellers plates. Who's insurance? Who is responsible if I kill someone on the way home?

Need A Vette

Here in Georgia, the seller retains the plate, and it gets turned back into the Vehicle Registrar which is on the county level here. You have 30 days in order to register the car in your name, as far as insurance, when I have purchased a vehicle, I call the insurance company telling them I've just bought a xxxx, they tell me you're covered, and then provide them the vehicle information a few days later. You have to have insurance in place prior to getting your tag. Since there is a Lien on the car, I would do everything at the bank holding the title, and ensure that you get a notarized Bill of Sale, you will be good, and will be able to request the title.

D.

cv67

x2

You pay the bank, not him. ( he can meet you threre)They have you sign the paperwork and get you your title wether its that day or more than likely mail. You get a bill of sale from him.

You dont know this guy, whats to keep him from walking off with your cash? Call the bank its financed through talk to them..you may or may not have to take a day off work.
Could be wrong but anytime Ive bought a car that someone financed thats how it was done.
Dont.....all you need is your paperwork. Could get your new ride impounded

Bajaholic

Where did it say anything about the sellers plates or insurance?

It says no plate or one off of the new owners other vehicles to transfer should they choose.

Insurance is ALWAYS on the new buyer and must be in place to leave period. The tags and insurance have nothing to do with each other.

arbee

This may be true where you come from, but that is not the case everywhere. Where I come from, your plate IS your insurance. No plate - no insurance. Get in an accident or get stopped for anything and you have a plate from another vehicle and you are in deep ka-ka.

Cruisinfanatic

I was referring to post 23 where they said plate stays with vehicle

Cruisinfanatic

Same in NY. When you buy a car here, you have to bring signed title (with lien release from lender if there is one) with proof of insurance to MV and they issue you plates and registration. Then you can put your car on the road.
When I buy, I try to get the seller to drive the car to my house to make it easier. Never had anyone refuse. I do the same when selling.
I would never sell a car and let them drive it away with my plate on it. Don't care what the state law is

QCVette

In some states you do not need a plate on a new purchase because it is legal to drive it for some period (maybe a week) with proof of purchase like a bill of sale.

You might check out if this is the case with the two states involved.

Good luck.

bb62

You've been talking about purchasing a ZR-1 for quite a while - congratulations with the purchase! You will love the power!

Bajaholic

Ahhhh, Canada

Here in the US, tags and Insurance are separate. Now that does not mean you can get tags w/o insurance but it is 2 separate actions, i from the insurance company, the other from the state department that issues tags. Here in Missouri, they add in that you also have to have a certificate that your personal property taxes are up to date to register a vehicle.

Seems like every state has their own way of doing things, that is why in my earlier response, in the US, I would not worry about driving home w/o a tag, just have the purchase paperwork with you.

arbee

The difference here is that you don't pre-buy your insurance and then produce the document as proof. I go to the plate issuers, produce bill of sale, pay my money and they issue a plate. NOW I am insured when I have the plate in my hand - not before. Any additional coverage is purchased subsequent to obtaining plates.

1985 Corvette

hope2

First, find out where the title is and when you can have it after car paid off. This is important as some big banks have titles in central office and take their sweet time.

ask seller to agree to; you pay off the car and give him the difference in cash. can't see why that would be an issue.

get a preferably notarized bill of sale in detail from seller.

I would risk driving with no tag, if you don't want to get car trucked.

Cruisinfanatic

How insured? By who?

Cruisinfanatic

I guarantee that won't work out for you in NY. And on top, if you can't produce an insurance card for that vehicle, it will be towed and you'll lose your license for awhile starting at that time when the PEO confiscates it.

hope2

this is in response to arbee post.

Not true. Lots of times the title is way behind the purchase. Cars are bought every day like this, and they are insured.