Buying a Vehicle Out of State

Looks like Florida will issue you a 30-day in transit tag to ge the vehicle back to your home state. As others have noted, it appears you will have to pay sales tax in order to obtain that tag.

When we bought our new explorer in Illinois, they issued a 30 day tag, and notarized a form that stated the vehicle was not being titled in Illinois so no sales tax was due. We did then have to pay the Tax here when we applied for title...
I did something similar, bought in Indiana and was taking to Illinois to register. I had the option to have the dealer collect the tax or pay it on my own when I registered the car in IL - I did the latter. I also received a temporary Indiana tag for the trip to IL.
 
Yes 10 days
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20211014-171455.jpg
    Screenshot_20211014-171455.jpg
    73.6 KB · Views: 5
But he is buying in Florida. And I never understood why some states have the plates stay with the car. What if there is a year left on the tags and the buyer keeps driving on them without ever registering it? What if he causes a wreck and it's still in the last owners name?
At least in California, when you sell a car you have 5 days to fill out a REG 138 which “relieves you of responsibility for parking and/or traffic violations and civil or criminal actions involving the vehicle after your date of sale.”
 
Florida requires the plates stay with the seller, so unless the seller is agreeable that’s not an option.

I once sold a truck to a guy in Canada (Alberta I think) who really wanted to drive it all the way there, he was older and trustworthy so I let him make the trip with my registration. He mailed the tag back when he got home.
 
Everytime one of these questions comes up, it is crystal clear that you need to know what the regulations are in the state you are buying in and the state you are bringing it to.

I live in a state where the plates stay with the car. When I sold my last one out of state, I was surprised when they pulled the plates off the car and handed them to me, but they explained that the plates belonged to the person, not the vehicle in that state. An advantge of plates belonging to the car is the new owner gets the rest of the year left on the tags as "paid for". You still need to transfer the plate and pay the fees (including sales tax), but the registration is paid for.

Sounds like the plate belongs to the owner in Florida, so the leave the plate on option isn't an option...
 
An advantge of plates belonging to the car is the new owner gets the rest of the year left on the tags as "paid for".
Still a bizarre concept to me. What's to stop a less than scrupulous buyer to keep driving on those tags without ever registering it or even getting insurance? At least in states that have the owner keep the tags, the new owner is forced to get their own tags.
 
States like Calif is trying to encourage buyer and seller both come to DMV to take care of the transaction. Once done with DMV, buyer keeps the plate and the remainder of tag.

5 days to file "notice of release of liability" to DMV won't release the seller of any responsibility.
 
i just checked vt dmv website and i’m still unclear: can one buy a car in state x, drive it to state y, have absolutely no connection to, or make no transit through, vt and qualify for an online vt temporary tag?
You have to attest that you're planning to eventually obtain a permanent VT registration. But, I mean, what happens if the car blows up in the interim? Are the super troopers going to come looking for you?

VT does not require VT residency or driver's license to register a car there. Maine is pretty lax too but VT is ahead (and I'm jealous.) VT also lets you register a 15+ year old car without a title, because, I guess, they figure it's probably mostly rusted through at that point and worth nothing.
 
Still a bizarre concept to me. What's to stop a less than scrupulous buyer to keep driving on those tags without ever registering it or even getting insurance? At least in states that have the owner keep the tags, the new owner is forced to get their own tags.

Nothing, until they get pulled over. As the seller, you can report that you sold the vehicle (and to who).

Ever wonder why most states recommend you close the sale at the DMV/license location? That's why...
 
i just checked vt dmv website and i’m still unclear: can one buy a car in state x, drive it to state y, have absolutely no connection to, or make no transit through, vt and qualify for an online vt temporary tag?
If possible start the online plate process once you posses the car.
As long as you have insurance on the car F the legal aspect and bring it back, keep bill of sale and insurance papers and obey all normal traffic laws. If a LEO decides to pull you over have the paperwork ready and a pdf on your phone that you started the application process.

When no legal method is available to live your life normally
Normal people become criminals, most officers will understand the situation as I’ve been in the same boat and no reasonable method exists to comply the officer may hem and haw but you will be let go once they determine you aren’t some sort of mob boss or drug peddler.
 
Back
Top