I may have, umm, errr, done something while visiting the in-laws in Florida.
Fortunately it didn't involve bail money, paternity tests or anything that would be recounted at family reunions in the future, but either way, I've got to get "it" home in the next few weeks. Poking around the web suggests that in order to get a temp tag in FLa, I'd need to pay sales tax in Florida, which I won't get credit for in WV. I don't mind paying taxes, but not twice...
Did I read this right? Do I have to make alternative arrangements (ie, fly down with a WV plate or arrange for transport)?
If any GRMer has trailer space for car going from the Melbourne area to the DC area, please hit me up.
It used to be a piece of cake to get a temp tag until 20 or so years ago. Nowadays you have to almost get into a fight to get one.
Last one I got was for a car I bought in Ohio. I did have to pay taxes right there and then.
I would register it in WV and come pick it up with your plate. Alternatively, I would insure it and drive it up with NO plates. If you get pulled over tell them you just bought it, you have 30 days to register a car.
DO NOT put a plate registered to another car on it.
See my shipper recommendation in this thread. You too seem to need about a 960 mile delivery
Can you get a transit "plate" in West Virginia online? I have done that when I lived in Virginia and bought a car or 2 out-of-state. Printed it out and was instructed to tape it inside the rear window.
I just tried setting up an account with WV and it looks like you can get temp tags no matter where your address is. I did not finalize it but it looks like you can do it.
No temp tags or transit plates in WV, at least not for a private sale. At least that was my understanding until I saw Dean’s post.
In reply to dean1484 :
I’ll have to double check that then, my understanding was that I can’t get a temp tag unless I’m a dealer.
I did not complete the transaction so it could kick it at the very end but it is intesting that they let me set up an account with an out of state address.
Rules vary but in general when buying a car from another state, don't you only have to title and tag a car in the state where you reside?
SEMA has registration and title information for all 50 states on their website: https://www.semasan.com/resources/everything-you-need-register-and-title-your-hobby-car-all-50-states
I can see WV taking the $$$$ for temp tags no mater where you are from or purchasing the vehicle. They are temp tags so when some one runs them they show up as legit tags to that vehicle. Insurance tax's and what not are a whole different matter. WV could just be collecting a temp tag fee and all the other stuff is not there problem. Basically a revenue stream for them with no liability that I can see.
I may have to actually try this with one of my non registered cars and see if I can get a tag for it.
You were in Melbourne over the weekend? Welcome to my home town!
We had some rough weather here this weekend.
In reply to jstein77 :
Tell me about it. We seem to have driven through a lot of it. Been a while since we had been in a storm like this.
E36 M3 is about to get real.
So after a whole bunch of phone calls and other assorted phun stuff, it looks like the simplest, most legal way of doing this is to either tow the car, or ignore the fact that WV won't give me a refund on the Florida sales tax.
I'm not comfortable running down to Fla with my truck and trailer (plus I don't have the time), and after talking to Penske Truck rental, a one-way for a truck and trailer is almost an exact match in cost for the Florida sales tax. Before fuel costs, that is.
A helpful clerk at the tax collector's office in Vero Beach FL assures me that they're happy to exchange money for a temp tag as long as I have proof of out of state residence, out of state insurance for the car and the title and bill of sale.
Road trip, here I come.
As long as you have the title and/or a bill of sale for the vehicle with you, you should be able to drive it home no problem without a tag. I drove from Missouri to Atlanta with no tag at all, never was stopped, even with several LEOs passing me on the highway. Done this a few times without issue, even know a few who were stopped but just showed the title/bos and were on their merry way.
In reply to 81cpcamaro :
Agreed. I flew to WPB a few weeks ago to drive my GS300 home to Atlanta. Plenty of cops behind me, and none that cared.
In reply to 81cpcamaro :
Call me a wretched European, but I'm just not comfortable doing that. Apparently Virginia really likes to pull people over on I95 and I81 for a ticket writing exercise, err, public safety. And TBH, as a legal immigrant into the US I still prefer to have not that much interaction with the police in the current climate.
BoxheadTim said:
In reply to 81cpcamaro :
Call me a wretched European, but I'm just not comfortable doing that. Apparently Virginia really likes to pull people over on I95 and I81 for a ticket writing exercise, err, public safety. And TBH, as a legal immigrant into the US I still prefer to have not that much interaction with the police in the current climate.
I fully understand. Sorry for the situation.
Can't you title and register it in WV and bring the WV plate with you to FL? I was born in the US and I still want no interaction with the LEOs.
TurnerX19 said:
Can't you title and register it in WV and bring the WV plate with you to FL? I was born in the US and I still want no interaction with the LEOs.
That was the original plan b), but it has two flaws:
- I don't have the title yet - I put down a substantial amount of money, but the deal was I either wire the rest and he'll send me the title, or we'll just meet at a bank down in Vero Beach and do the deed there. Unfortunately the seller had to travel during the week this was supposed to happen, and I have to pick the car up by next Monday.
- The seller appears to be genuine enough, but I also don't want to get into any discussions about a tree falling onto the garage the car is stored and me suddenly owning the title to an S2000 and a bent hunk of metal.
Originally I was hoping to get the car shipped, but car shipping season from Florida is over, so nobody was willing to guarantee they'd be able to pick the car up and get it here when I needed it. And TBH, the additional highway robbery, err, sales tax is less than it would've cost me to get it transported.
Once you, a non-Floridian, purchase the car it becomes none of their concern and you have to meet the rules of your state. I have on many occasions used that plus the bill of sale, signed title, and insurance paperwork to drive across most of the country.
Option B has always been to leave the sellers plates on it for the drive, essentially borrowing the car, and mail them back once you get home.
In your case specifically, is the Amtrak autotrain an option? $150 or so and the car rides up to VA, then you can dash home from there.
In reply to BoxheadTim :
“I sent him a bunch of money but don’t have the title, but he needs it gone while he’s out of town” is some Judge-Judy level red-flag E36 M3.
IF you had the title, all you’d need to do is INSURE it and have the proof of insurance and title if the man stops you. Bonus points if it already has a current FL tag and dude trusts you to either destroy it or ship it to him when you get home.
Regardless: No title? NFW I’d take delivery of the car without it, unless there was never a title to begin with. Thank gawd BOTH of my brothers got burned on this kind of deal and gave me the wisdom not to get burned myself. My oldest brother almost went to jail over some E36 M3 like this when the seller said “Oh sure, I’ll get you the title next week. Just gotta find it.” Then reported the car STOLEN.
Be careful, man. Title + insurance + no tag = NO PROBLEM for 30 days after purchase.
No tag + no title could equal JAIL.
PS: In case I didn’t put it in all caps before: INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE
PPS: Is the “meeting at the bank” part because the bank holds the title? If so, I hope you didn’t just pay for homeboy’s vacation with your deposit.
poopshovel again said:
In reply to BoxheadTim :
“I sent him a bunch of money but don’t have the title, but he needs it gone while he’s out of town” is some Judge-Judy level red-flag E36 M3.
Sorry, that came out bad from my end. I've checked out the car in person, and left a deposit in person. That's "deposit I can stomach walking away from", not "so much money I need to get my New Jersey Strip Club owner friend Tony to help me get the money back".
The title thing was on me - in order to make the title vs wire work out timing wise, I would've had to receive the title last Saturday, which is hard to do when the owner isn't in town. And the timing is also kinda on me - I'm on vacation right now, and that's pretty much the only time I have to do a trip like this.
IF you had the title, all you’d need to do is INSURE it and have the proof of insurance and title if the man stops you. Bonus points if it already has a current FL tag and dude trusts you to either destroy it or ship it to him when you get home.
Regardless: No title? NFW I’d take delivery of the car without it, unless there was never a title to begin with. Thank gawd BOTH of my brothers got burned on this kind of deal and gave me the wisdom not to get burned myself. My oldest brother almost went to jail over some E36 M3 like this when the seller said “Oh sure, I’ll get you the title next week. Just gotta find it.” Then reported the car STOLEN.
No title under my nose means no cashiers check for the seller. No funny business like "I'll get you the title as soon as my ex's brother in law's pawn broker releases it".
Be careful, man.
I'm trying to be 
.
poopshovel again said:
PPS: Is the “meeting at the bank” part because the bank holds the title? If so, I hope you didn’t just pay for homeboy’s vacation with your deposit.
No, it's because I don't want to carry that much cash on me (like, well over $10k) in case someone decides that I'm carrying drug money (see "civil asset forfeiture") or wants to check if I have change for a .45. I would not expect the seller to accept a cashiers check he hasn't seen printed by my bank right under his nose. I know I wouldn't because there are too many fake ones around.
We're actually meeting at my bank, not his, so he can present me the title and a bill of sale, then watch the check being printed so he knows it's good.
