Buying an out of state car questions

BigClay

BigClay

Knower of useless ZJ things
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Location
Winston-Salem
If you buy a car from someone that lives in SC, how do you go about titling the car in NC? Also I have never bought a car that far away before, how do I drive it back to NC (meaning do you drive it that far without a license plate)?
 
As far a titling, you and the seller sign the title at the time of purchase, and then you go to the DMV and get your NC tags and title.

As far a getting it home, I have taken another tag to put on the vehicle to keep from being obvious (it helps that everything I own is Dodge) and I keep the title and usually a bill of sale with me and a copy of the POs registration if possible.

Duane
 
Take tag from another vehicle. Generally you've got 30 days to get it switched.
 
Your insurance company will insure anythign with a VIN, regardless of owner, title, registration...just call them up.

i brought my truck in Mass., drove it home. I must have brought another NC tag, but honestly can't remember...I know I didnt get the Masshole's tag, and did not prepare with a temp tag @NCDMV. My story if I got pulled was I would be transferring the tag when I got back to NC.

Always get a bill of sale, even though NC doesnt require it. As long as the title is good, seller's sig. matches the printed name, you should be good. Unlinke NC, a lot of states do not require a notary on the signatures to transfer a title.
 
I will tell you from experience that I don't think you can not put an existing tag on a vehicle you are purchasing.I put the tag from my BMW on my Monte Carlo when I bought it and on my short drive (no more than 2 miles)home I got pulled.I explained to the State Trooper I had just bought the car and that I was planning to transfer this tag to it.He said there is no grace period for getting a tag transferred anymore.He wrote me a ticket for a fictitious tag and I think got me for an inspection infraction too.He then told me to leave the vehicle on the side of the road and either get it towed home or legally registered.I won't comment how I got it home ,but I got it legally registered and inspected the next week.I got both tickets dropped but still had to pay the $85 cost of court and deal with the hassle.
 
retroedaddy said:
I will tell you from experience that I don't think you can not put an existing tag on a vehicle you are purchasing.I put the tag from my BMW on my Monte Carlo when I bought it and on my short drive (no more than 2 miles)home I got pulled.I explained to the State Trooper I had just bought the car and that I was planning to transfer this tag to it.He said there is no grace period for getting a tag transferred anymore.He wrote me a ticket for a fictitious tag and I think got me for an inspection infraction too.He then told me to leave the vehicle on the side of the road and either get it towed home or legally registered.I won't comment how I got it home ,but I got it legally registered and inspected the next week.I got both tickets dropped but still had to pay the $85 cost of court and deal with the hassle.
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Actually you can, IF the old vehicle has been"disposed." from the nc DOT website:


Transferring a License Plate

When the vehicle for which a plate is issued is disposed of, the owner, if insured, can attach the plate to another vehicle of like vehicle category and operate such vehicle for period of 20 days while he is in the process of having such record transferred with the Division of Motor Vehicles. If the vehicle has not been disposed of, then the plate transfer to another vehicle must be recorded with the division and a new registration card obtained in advance of operation.
 
cj777 said:
Actually you can, IF the old vehicle has been"disposed." from the nc DOT website:
Transferring a License Plate
When the vehicle for which a plate is issued is disposed of, the owner, if insured, can attach the plate to another vehicle of like vehicle category and operate such vehicle for period of 20 days while he is in the process of having such record transferred with the Division of Motor Vehicles. If the vehicle has not been disposed of, then the plate transfer to another vehicle must be recorded with the division and a new registration card obtained in advance of operation.
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So from that,you would have to sell a vehicle,and just keep the plate at your house,then assuming the plate was still within it's year of being valid,you could use it for 20 days on a new vehicle?I also imagine the only way for a vehicle to be "Disposed" would be that it was sold and already transferred to a new title holder for the DMV to have a record of it?
 
retroedaddy said:
I also imagine the only way for a vehicle to be "Disposed" would be that it was sold and already transferred to a new title holder for the DMV to have a record of it?
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Or totalled in a wreck.

We just went through thsi w/ the Maryland MVA.
My wife totalled her car. Swiped the tags off it before it was towed away.
10 days later, we bought a new car, transerred those tags.

2 months later, we get a fine from the MVA... for "uninsured vehicle". E.g. our insurance on the first car ended the day it was totalled, but the MVA was never told. So they thought we had the car uninsured.

I had to provide proof of it being totalled (letter from the insurance company), they dropped the fine.
 
So if I were to go get a temp tag in NC before I went to SC to get the vehicle, then what would I need to bring to the NC DMV? Also does anyone know if you have to have a titled notarized in SC?
 
retroedaddy said:
I will tell you from experience that I don't think you can put an existing tag on a vehicle you are purchasing.
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yep, that's the law.
And IME, it's like most laws - up to the LEO's discretion whether it is worth his time to ticket for or not...
 
retroedaddy said:
So from that,you would have to sell a vehicle,and just keep the plate at your house,then assuming the plate was still within it's year of being valid,you could use it for 20 days on a new vehicle?I also imagine the only way for a vehicle to be "Disposed" would be that it was sold and already transferred to a new title holder for the DMV to have a record of it?
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Just went through alot of this crap so i'll see if I can help.

There is a 15-20 grace period.

After you sale a car, if you dont turn the tag in after a month or so they will start sending letters tryin to get it back.

SC title just needs to be signed (make sure its done right, had one done wrong then the guy refused to resign it. It was hell gettin it worked out)

depending on the distance and route i'd make sure I have insurance and just drive it home *this may or may not be legal and NC4x4 does not condone illegal activity! NC does have the grace period, idk about sc but its always officers discression. and your gonna most likely get in more trouble with another tag then with out.
 
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