What to do after you buy a used car from a private seller

Hey guys, welcome to our channel blog, where we cover all kinds of car maintenance and repair tips, how-to, and buyer guides on everything auto-related. In today’s post topic, we are looking at what to do after you buy a used car from a private seller. First of all, congratulations on your new ride! You and I will agree that buying a used car from a private seller can be a great way to save some money, unlike getting the same car from a dealership, but, however, it’s important to make sure you take care of all the necessary paperwork and legal requirements, and that is where this article comes in handy to take you through all the necessary steps you need to consider or take after you buy a used car from a private seller.

And I will go through these steps with you, by discussing the following questions we get asked all the time by new, used car buyers:

1. when I buy a car from a private seller, can I drive it home
2. do I need to go to the DMV after buying a used car
3. paperwork for buying a used car from a private seller
4. what to do when you buy a used car from a private seller
5. what to do about license plates when buying a used car

So, with that,  let’s dive in fully.

When I buy a car from a private seller can I drive it home?

So first of all, we always get asked the question, “when I buy a car from a private seller can I drive it home?”

And my response is usually yes, but this depends on the country or state you live in. for instance, some stateshere in the US requires that you have temporary plates or temporary registration in order to drive a car off thecar lot, whereas a few other do not. So, make sure you check your state’s laws before you hit the road.

Here are a few examples of states here in the US that require you to have a temporary plate or temporary registration before you can drive a car off the car lot:

1. California: In California, all vehicles must display temporary operating permits or have their registration transferred before driving off the dealer’s lot.
2. Colorado: In Colorado, buyers of new or used vehicles must obtain a temporary registration permit before they can drive the car off the lot.
3. Florida: In Florida, drivers must obtain a temporary license plate or paper tag to drive their newly purchased vehicle off the dealer’s lot.
4. Texas: In Texas, drivers must obtain a temporary permit to transport an unregistered vehicle, which can be purchased from the county tax office.
5. Virginia: In Virginia, drivers must obtain temporary tags or register the vehicle before driving it off the lot.

And here are states that really do not require or compel you to have a temporary plate or registration before you drive a car off the car lot:

1. Arizona: In Arizona, drivers can use their existing license plates or obtain new ones from the DMV after purchasing a new or used vehicle.
2. Georgia: Here, drivers have seven days to register their newly purchased vehicle.
3. Michigan: In Michigan, drivers can use their existing license plates or obtain new ones from the Secretary of State after purchasing a vehicle.
4. Oregon: Oregon law allows drivers 30 days to register their newly purchased vehicle.
5. Pennsylvania: In Pennsylvania, drivers can use their existing license plates or obtain new ones from the DMV after purchasing a vehicle.

Do you need to go to the DMV after buying a used car?

The next question that comes up a lot is, “Do I need to go to the DMV after buying a used car?” Again, this will depend on the state you’re living in. In some states, you’ll need to visit the DMV to register the car and get new plates. In other states, you can handle all the paperwork online. Check your state’s DMV website for more information.

Sure, here are examples of  some states in the US that require you to go to the DMV to register your car and get new plates:

1. California: In California, drivers must visit a DMV field office to register their vehicle and obtain new plates.
2. New York: In New York, drivers must visit a DMV office to register their vehicle and obtain new plates.
3. Texas: In Texas, drivers must visit a county tax office to register their vehicle and obtain new plates.
4. Virginia: In Virginia, drivers must visit a DMV customer service center to register their vehicle and obtain new plates.
5. Massachusetts: In Massachusetts, drivers must visit a Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) service center to register their vehicle and obtain new plates.

And here are some of  the states that allow you to complete the registration process online:

1. Arizona: if you live in Arizona, then know that, drivers can register their vehicles and obtain new plates online through the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) website.
2. Georgia: In Georgia, drivers can register their vehicle and obtain new plates online through the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) website.
3. Illinois: In Illinois, drivers can register their vehicle and obtain new plates online through the Illinois Secretary of State (SOS) website.
4. Ohio: In Ohio, you can register your vehicles and obtain new plates online through the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) website.
5. Pennsylvania: In Pennsylvania, drivers can register their vehicles and obtain new plates online through the PennDOT website.

Paperwork for buying a used car from a private seller

Let’s now look at the required Paperwork for buying a used car from a private seller

When you talk about the paperwork you’ll need when you buy a used car from a private seller, first and foremost, you’ll need a bill of sale. This will be required for any form of registration you will make for the car to prove ownership. Usually, the bill of sale will show that you’ve purchased the car from the seller and will include important information like the make, model, year, and VIN number of the vehicle. Also, you have to also get a copy of the seller’s title and make sure the title document is signed over to you.

Now, what should you do after you buy a used car from a private seller?

Here is what to do after you buy a used car from a private seller.

So, once you have all the necessary ownership paperwork completed, it’s time to take care of the car insurance. You have to make sure you have insurance for your newly bought used car. You need this because most states will require that you have at least a liability car insurance to be driving legally.  And secondly, you also have to get the car inspected by a mechanic to make sure everything in the car is in good working condition. And finally, though we talked about this before, but this is when you need to register the car with your state’s DMV and get new plates as per the state regulations.

What to do about license plates when buying a used car?

Speaking of license plates, what should you do about them when buying a used car?  The thing is, when buying a used car, the seller may offer to transfer their license plates to you or decide to keep it. However, when you are being offered the seller’s license plates, you should be careful with this option because it may not be legal in some states.  So, it is important to check with your state’s DMV to determine whether you can transfer the plates or if you need to obtain new ones.

And If you find out that it is legal for the seller to give you their plates, then make sure you transfer them to your name.

Conclusion 

Basically, buying a used car from a private seller can be a great way to save money. However, it’s vital you do your due diligence by researching the state’s laws and be prepared with the necessary paperwork to make the process smooth and easy, and  I am sure that, by following this guide, you should be able to do that. 

A quick recap, when buying a car from a private seller, you should inspect the car thoroughly, obtain the necessary documents, such as the title and bill of sale, and register the vehicle at the DMV within the required timeframe.