Question re temporary plates when buying a car

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by Brian 162

See if you can get a temp. tag from Hawaii. Just ggive the seller a copy of your proof of insurance.
When I brought back a truck from North Carolina the dealer had a temp. tag waiting for me when I picked up the vehicle.
It may be cheaper and easier to ship the car home, and save the road trip for the summer.

It would be infinitely easier to ship it, but I am really excited to drive a car home, the further the better. In 1991 my dad drove across the US with my brother and I in an old ratty VW Rabbit convertible... 20 years later I'm taking my dad on the same trip. Well, kinda the same... We're doing it in January.

No possibly of doing a roadtrip in the summer... Just too busy with work. I have a 2-3 week window where the stars are perfectly aligned for me to take this trip with my old man. If I wait, instead of buying a 911 and getting a memorable roadtrip, I'll end up having to buy a truck locally. Not nearly as much fun!

Oh and hey, Merry Christmas everyone!!!

[duncan1437]

dealers are allowed to issue temporary plates, but private sales require a temporary plate, issued by the state where the car is currently registered, and issued only in person:

Where can I get an application for a temporary license plate? - DMV Answers

i've been told in the past that the temporary plate requires a personal visit by the purchaser to the DMV office. it would not be issued by mail or to an agent.

(a lot of states have outsourced the DMV vehicle/auto registration to the local state AAA club.)

if the car is going to be driven across the country without a hawaii temporay plate issued to you, which plates will be on the car? is the seller willing to leave his plates on the car? if not, putting false plates on the car seems really thin ice.

even if you are able to drive across the country without being stopped by a cop, i'm not sure what will happen at the US/canada border when the car has to be cleared to leave by US Border Patrol/Homeland Security, and the car isn't formally registered in your name. you might call them up and ask them.

don't like to sound like a killjoy, but i've been through this several times myself, and i think getting the temporary license plate is a real problem (unless you pick up the car yourself where it is currently registered, or you're buying from a dealership, or its being shipped).

when i was driving my porsche back from pennsylvania to canada, i got stopped by the new york state patrol (becuase the temporary license plate slid off the back shelf onto the rear seat) and they're pretty intimidating, and the Homeland security threatened not to allow the car to leave the US becuase the 1981 RoW VIN did not include the proper number of digits. i'd be cautious about bending the rules.

good luck whatever you decide!

[GWN7]

So your answer is easier than you think. If you go to:

Motor Vehicle Registration

and click on "APPLICATION FOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION" on the right side of the page it brings up a form for registration of the vehicle in NB.

This form is valid for 14 days (from reading another thread on the government web site). So fill it out, print yourself a copy, fly in and drive the car home.

Merry Christmas

[duncan1437]

hope it works that way in new brunswick. but i suspect the description assumes they are dealing with a NB or canadian car.

in ontario, the provincial DMV will only register a car imported from the USA if the document package submitted to the DMV includes the Govt of Canada form issued at the border confirming that the car has been properly imported, which will only be issued by the Govt of Canada if the USA Homeland Security has issued the form confirming that the car has been cleared to leave the USA. in other words, the car can be registered in ontario only AFTER it's arrived.

but the rules might vary by province. hope i'm wrong for NB

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by GWN7

So your answer is easier than you think. If you go to:

Motor Vehicle Registration

and click on "APPLICATION FOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION" on the right side of the page it brings up a form for registration of the vehicle in NB.

This form is valid for 14 days (from reading another thread on the government web site). So fill it out, print yourself a copy, fly in and drive the car home.

Merry Christmas

Thanks!

Cripes, I called Service NB and they didn't mention anything like this. I will drop in ther on tuesday to see what I need for this form... I imagine they want me to submit it and pay a fee for a temp registration? Where is the thread on SNB that led you to this?

Originally Posted by duncan1437

in ontario, the provincial DMV will only register a car imported from the USA if the document package submitted to the DMV includes the Govt of Canada form issued at the border confirming that the car has been properly imported, which will only be issued by the Govt of Canada if the USA Homeland Security has issued the form confirming that the car has been cleared to leave the USA. in other words, the car can be registered in ontario only AFTER it's arrived.

I think you're right, that's what they indicated when I called last week. Still, if I had the original Hawaii plates on the car, a bill of sale, my own insurance and then maybe printed off this form, then I'd probably just play dumb if I got pulled over

[GWN7]

Google is your friend....I typed in temp motor vehicle registration in the NB goverment search box. Several threads came up and I read a bunch of them....... your right about talking to them in person. Best to get the info from the horses butt (when dealing with government).