Can You Register a Car Without a Title in MA?

You need to title your vehicle within ten days of purchasing it. Also, you need to learn about registering a car in Massachusetts from out of state when moving to the state. You can do this by transferring the car’s title and registration documents to the state. The good thing is that you can register the vehicle and get a title for it as long as you follow the set regulations as follows:

Application Process

Start by visiting the registry of motor vehicles where you will present a filled registration and title application. You will need to submit a certificate of title from the previous owner.

In some cases, your vehicle may be exempt from this owing to its age. Here, you can present the previous owner’s registration and bill of sale. If you bought a trailer that has a gross weight of less than three thousand pounds, you are in luck as you will enjoy a Massachusetts title exemption.

You need to accompany these documents with the applicable fees as per the Massachusetts car registration fee calculator. Generally, you will pay a registration and title fee plus a sales tax amounting to 6.25%. The fees you pay will depend on the type of plate. For example, when it comes to how to register a commercial vehicle in MA, you should note that the fees vary as per the weight of the car. Military plates generally don’t incur any fees, save for veteran and National Guard vehicles. All government vehicles run up costs of fifty dollars for the whole process.

What do you need to register a motorcycle in MA? You need pretty much the same documents outlined above, as well as proof of lawful presence. Fees applicable are twenty dollars for standard bikes and fort for reserved motorcycles. For limited use motorcycles, you can pay seventy dollars while those under vanity will set you back at least forty-five dollars.

You will then get a certificate of title, which should set you back seventy-five dollars per unit.

How to get a title for a car in MA

You can choose to do this in person.Do you need insurance to transfer a title? It depends on the state. In MA, you need to visit a licensed insurance agent where you can get an active insurance policy. The agent should stamp, sign, and complete the application form. Where there is a lien against the car, ensure that the information written down on the same is accurate.

Couple this document with the previous owner’s title or the equivalent of the same. The law requires that the seller should state the mileage of the car during the transfer of ownership. Also, both you and the seller should sign and write your names on the transfer document by hand. Where there is an allowance for the sale price, ensure that this is also in place. Where this is not possible, attach a bill of sales to show the price.

You can now take the application form as well as the other documents to the registry of motor vehicles. Where the sale took place in private, the sales tax amounts to 6.25% of the stated price. The tax could also be based on the trade-in value of the vehicle, where this is higher. You might be exempt from paying this tax where the car was a gift or where you obtained the vehicle from a family member. As such, it helps to look into your need or lack thereof to pay taxes as to the sale.

At the end of these processes, you will get new plates and a registration certificate. You should get the title in six to eight weeks. Where there is a lien on the vehicle, the title will go to the lienholder as per your agreement.

Bonded title MA

This title also goes by the name of an undocumented bonded title. It works like a regular title only that it implies that a surety bond existed before the issuing of a title. You can remove the bonded title part after three years if nobody makes a claim against the surety bond.

Do you need it? Yes, the DMV requires that you purchase a surety bond before they can issue you with a title. It acts as a confirmation that you own the car. If someone else comes forward stating that they own it, they can make a claim against the bond. Where they turn out to own the vehicle, the surety company will pay them, and you will have to repay the surety.

When do you need it? Many instances would call for the need for a bonded title. They include where you buy a car and don’t get a title, where you only have a bill of sale, where the title is not accurate and where you lost the title before transfer. Where you had a title in your name and lost it, you can get a duplicate title certificate.

Editorial Staff

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