When you're planning a car purchase, some deals are just too good to pass up, even if they require you to travel out of state (and possibly thousands of miles from home). If you've found a dealer or private seller offering the pricing you were looking for in another state, you could hire a professional transporter, or you could choose to drive your newly purchased vehicle back to your home state. Driving might save you money, and it could be a great excuse for a fun road trip. Driving a car home after buying it out of state, however, requires proper preparation. All kinds of things can differ from state to state, including emissions requirements, safety inspection standards, titling procedures, and, of course, local sales tax. If you’re wondering how to buy a car out of state, simply follow these tips to avoid potential issues. With the right preparation, your out-of-state vehicle purchase can be hassle-free.
How To Bring Home a Car You Bought Out of State
- Consider CarGurus Delivery
- Consult Your State’s Department of Motor Vehicles
- Insure the Vehicle
- Get Transit Plates or Temporary Registration
- Prepare for Your Trip Home
- The Bottom Line
Consider CarGurus Delivery
Any vehicle listed for sale on CarGurus with a box truck icon is eligible for delivery. Shopping for vehicles using CarGurus Delivery allows you to expand your search, potentially nationwide, increasing the chances you’ll find the perfect car at the perfect price.
After connecting with the dealership on CarGurus, you’ll be able to negotiate from the comfort of your home and have the vehicle transported to your house. In situations where you’re not satisfied with the vehicle, you can coordinate with the dealership regarding a return, pending their policy.
Delivery charges vary based on dealership location and the pricing formula determined by the dealership. Some sellers opt for a flat fee, while others base their fees on distance (per mile). In any case, all delivery fees (if any) are displayed on the vehicle’s listing price.
The best part (besides vastly expanding your available search inventory)? Dealerships are generally equipped to handle out-of-state vehicle transfers, from taxes to car titles, meaning you’ll have to worry less about the paperwork and more about finding your dream car.
Consult Your State’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
If you’ve found that special vehicle, and it’s not eligible for delivery, your next step should be to contact your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), either by visiting or calling a local office or by visiting the department’s website. The DMV will be your best resource for answering a host of questions and will provide guidance regarding your state’s requirements for transporting an out-of-state vehicle home. In some cases, those answers will direct you to contact the DMV of the state from which you’re purchasing the vehicle for additional information about legally driving the vehicle home. Keep in mind that the process often varies by state, so figuring this out may take a bit of time, but it all starts by reaching out to your local DMV.
Insure the Vehicle
Regardless of your state of residence or the current location of your new vehicle, you’ll want to get the car insured before hitting the road. Usually, with just the vehicle identification number (VIN), you can contact your insurance company and have the car added to your existing policy.
Car insurance is for more than just protection in the unfortunate case of a collision or theft. It’s required to legally drive the vehicle home. Requirements vary by state, so you’ll need to determine what level of insurance coverage is required and whether proof of insurance should be in the form of an insurance card or insurance binder.
Get Transit Plates or Temporary Registration
After money has changed hands and all the necessary paperwork has been signed, that vehicle you’ve traveled so far to buy is now legally yours. If you’re in a state like California, you’ll soon realize that the license plates—or tags, as some call them—remain with the vehicle (which confuses out-of-staters who see used-car lots full of plated vehicles).
In most states, however, the plates are assigned to the registered owner and should be removed when the car gets sold. As the new owner, you’ll need a transit permit to drive the car home. This will be in the form of a paper plate in place of the permanent plate or a sticker often affixed to one of the lower corners of the windshield. It will be valid for a limited amount of time, ranging from a few days to several weeks.
That broad time window is attributable to the states’ differing requirements, which carry over into the types of permits issued. There are interstate (transporting between different states) and intrastate (transporting within a single state) permits, transit permits, temporary registrations, movement permits, and various other names that apply, but they all relate to the topic of driving your new car home. The Maine DMV, for example, will issue a transit plate that allows you to drive the purchased car back to Maine from another state. That sounds simple enough until you learn that the state from which you’re buying the vehicle may have its own rules, requiring you to visit one of its DMV branches to get one of its transit plates. Muddying the waters even more are states like New York, which issues transit tags that work as a temporary registration, obtained only after providing proof of purchase, proof of insurance, and proof that you’ve paid the state's sales tax. Essentially, driving the car home puts you on the hook for everything except the full registration fee.
Not to be outdone, Massachusetts takes the level of difficulty up a few notches. Massachusetts won’t issue any type of temporary registration or transit tag. In fact, it is illegal for Massachusetts residents to drive within the state using a temporary tag issued by another state. Non-residents, on the other hand, are allowed to travel within the state on a temporary tag. So, if you hail from that northeastern commonwealth and are doing your car buying out-of-state, you can drive the car as far as the Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, or Vermont border, but will then need to park the car and call a cab to take you the rest of the way. That’s not a great solution, so in the unusual case of Massachusetts, we suggest towing the vehicle home from a neighboring state (if possible) or utilizing a service such as CarGurus Delivery.
Again, consulting with the state’s DMV will be priority number one. That’s where you’ll receive your permits (where applicable), determine what paperwork is necessary, and, in some cases, learn if documents such as a title transfer or bill of sale must be notarized.
Prepare for Your Trip Home
As with any road trip, you’ll want to work off a checklist to ensure you’ve crossed all your t’s and dotted the i’s. Perhaps most importantly, make sure all your documentation is in order, including the transit plate or sticker with valid operating dates, proper proof of insurance, signed (and, in some cases, notarized) purchase paperwork consisting of a title and/or bill of sale, completed smog or emissions tests (if necessary), and your valid driver’s license.
If you’ve made it this far, we’ll assume you've conducted a test drive, checked the car yourself, and had it inspected by an independent local mechanic prior to finalizing the purchase. Even so, give the car a final once-over, as you would with any vehicle before striking out on a long trip. Focus on the condition of the fluids, lights, tires, belts, hoses, and battery. Note how much gas the previous owner left in the tank. Any check engine lights, leaks, or other problems should be addressed before heading home.
If you're buying an especially used vehicle or one with a higher odometer reading, consider getting some sort of roadside assistance coverage (such as AAA) as a safety net in the event of a breakdown or if you run out of fuel.
You may also find it beneficial to map out a route home ahead of time. If your new car doesn’t have a functional navigation system, you can download a GPS app on your phone. Also, an old-school road atlas—if you can find one—is very handy in rural areas without strong cell service or with outdated GPS information.
Finally, we suggest sharing your travel plan with someone and scheduling check-in times. If they don’t hear from you, they’ll know you’ve run into some type of trouble. Granted, this may seem to be overkill, but overkill is fine when you’re talking about driving a car with unknown reliability on what will likely be unfamiliar roads.
The Bottom Line
You may very well find your perfect car at a compelling purchase price across state lines. Don’t let that deter you from making the purchase, but do keep in mind that buying a car out of state requires more than catching a quick flight and pointing the headlights homeward. Just like you’d invest in a vehicle history report before buying a used car, a bit of planning and preparation can ensure a fun and safe experience, whether you’re buying from a dealership or a private seller.
Related Topics
Who to Expect at a Car Dealership
Where Should I Buy My Next Car?
How To Tell Real Damage from Superficial Damage