How do I buy a car in NJ and drive it back to PA?...legally.

[daisy1234]

Hi we may buy a car in a private sale in NJ. What is the easiest way to drive it back legally to PA. Do I have to go all the way home and register the car first ...then back to NJ to pick the car up and drive it home? OR can I just grab the plates from one of my cars here and use them to drive it back....but the registration won't match...so I am guessing...no easy way for me to do this????? I just hate doing an extra trip if I dont have to! Please advise?

 

[RichNKatHolly]

oops

 

[rflorek]

I'm not sure about the registration part, but make sure that you have insurance on the new car before you pick it up (get a temporary insurance card from your local agent).

 

[AnnaS]

While getting your insurance, ask your travel agent and they should be able to answer/help you.

I have no clue either - sorry.

 

[eliza61]

Hi we may buy a car in a private sale in NJ. What is the easiest way to drive it back legally to PA. Do I have to go all the way home and register the car first ...then back to NJ to pick the car up and drive it home? OR can I just grab the plates from one of my cars here and use them to drive it back....but the registration won't match...so I am guessing...no easy way for me to do this????? I just hate doing an extra trip if I dont have to! Please advise?

Most times the you and the seller can transfer insurance from the date of purchase, if one of you has insurance with a major company (allstate, state farm etc). Call and the agent will do all the work for you. You will usually also have a 24 or 48 hour window (with a copy of sales agreement) with the tags. Not sure about PA but call dmv there and I'm sure they will help.

 

[Helene]

We, too, are from PA and buying a car in NJ this Friday. I had the same question.

We are getting ours from a dealer & he indicated that they will issue temorary tags and we have 20 days to register the car in PA and pay the sales tax here.

I would imagine with a private seller, you would be handling it the same way, except a notary would be handling the paperwork for you.

Hope that helps!

BTW, I'm very excited about my car, I hope you have good luck with yours!!

 

[Jaklackus]

Generally speaking an insurance company will cover you and the new car for about 30 days from purchase without being notified of the new vehicle. Depending on the contract there is probably wiggle room on that 30 day rule as well. As far as getting the vehicle registered? I don't know the only state to state transfer of ownership that I have done was a gift from my in-laws and we had bodies on either side running around to the DMV, insurance agent, inspection and actually were able to have the vehicle registered in our home state before driving it home

 

[daisy1234]

The insurance is the easy parrt...I'll just call USAA...they are great! It's just the whole...transfer of plates and registration! It would be sooo easy if it was a dealer deal! I'll try to call the DMV. Thanks

 

[Irin997]

Can you go to your local DMV and request a temp tag to take with you? Better yet, go to the local DMV and ask them...they are the experts!!

 

[seashoreCM]

The problem is with the timing.

1. In a private sale you want to take possession of and title to the car no later than the instant you pay the seller.

2. While the seller might (long shot) let you drive off with his plates and mail the plates back to him, the instant the seller signs over the title, the registration becomes invalid (in some states).

3. While you may be able to get your own registration in advance, your actual purchase and taking possession is not guaranteed until after you have reported to the seller and (made final negotiations and) paid for the car.

4. The same dilemma exists when buying a car locally and privately although the driving distance where you are taking a chance driving an unregistered car is less.

5. I believe that the only legal way to time everything right is for the seller to drive the car to a place under your control where you complete the transaction and he takes away his plates and there the car sits until you (drive him back home and) get your own registration and plates.

5. Grabbing plates from another car is definitely illegal. It is easier to explain away the situation to a police officer if there is no plate at all on the car.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[disgohere]

From the NJ DMV site.....



Temporary registration
If you purchase a vehicle in New Jersey and are not a resident of the state and plan to transport and register it in your home state, you must get temporary registration to transfer the vehicle out of New Jersey state lines.

Visit an MVC Agency to complete an application for temporary vehicle registration (Form BA-49). You will need to provide the title verifying the out-of-state address and proof of insurance. A $5 fee will be applied.

You will be issued a 20-day temporary non-resident registration that cannot be renewed.

 

[sbell111]

I would simply drive the car to PA and register it. In fact, that's exactly what I did last summer when I bought my Allante in Indiana, but live in Tennessee.

You will have the title and bill of sale with you (usually one document). You will also have your proof of insurance (most insurance companies cover a newly purchased car for teh first month without it being listed on your policy). If you get pulled over, explain to the LEO that you just purchased the vehicle and are taking it home to register.

I also wouldn't hesitate to stick a plate from your other car on the new one for the trip. Sure, it's illegal, but it will likely cause you to not get pulled over and have to tell the story. Either way, you'll run a small risk of getting and paying for a ticket. Life has risks, but fortune favors the bold.