Many people make the mistake of not registering the car in their own names very lightly. However, according to legal experts and law enforcement officers, registering is one of the most important things that car owners need to do.
It does not matter whether you are buying a completely new automobile or a second-hand car from a dealership. You need to fill in the paperwork, register the vehicle in your name, and ensure that all the legal processes and stipulations are complete and foolproof.
While buying a new car makes the process easier (as you do not have an option), most people tend to skim on the registration process after they purchase a second-hand vehicle.
In this article, we are going to help individuals understand how they can register their car. We will help with five tips that are going to help with the registration process.
List of 5 Tips to Bear in Mind When Getting Your Car Registered
Want to get your car registered but wondering about the right process? Well, this article will help you with that. Here are some of the most reliable tips that you need to follow in order to get your car registered. Here we Go!
1. Different States Have Different Registration Rules
No two states have the same formalities when it comes to car registrations. If you are buying a second-hand car from a different state, ensure that you are following the rules and regulations of that state. You need to understand that the filing of the paperwork is quite different. The guidelines and the way the government professionals handle the same is radically different. This is primarily because each state comes with a different regulation and
2. Check in with the DMV for Assistance and Guidance
Every vehicle that is registered in the United States has to go for checking and assessment to the DMV, or the Department of Motor Vehicles. In most states, DMVs accept walk-ins for vehicle registration. However, there might be times when you would be required to seek a prior appointment before getting your car over for the registration formalities.
3. Gather All The Information About the Vehicle Beforehand
If you are purchasing a second-hand vehicle you need to gather all the information about the vehicle before proceeding with your visit to the DMV. Some important pieces of paperwork that you need to carry include the VIN or the Vehicle Identification Number, the Chassis Number, original purchase receipt, and paperwork from the first registration process.
3. Registering & Assessing The Vehicle
Once you have been able to book an appointment with the DMV and have all the paperwork in place, you can go ahead to the assessment and registration stage.
Here, the officials from the DMV will inspect the Vehicle, see whether the VIN matches up, and check for prior records of the Vehicle, such as whether it has been involved in fines, legal cases, and so on.
Following this, you will be asked to sign and get the Vehicle registered in your name. This is a crucial process that needs to be executed carefully and without any hassle.
4. Getting The Vehicle Assessed and Registered
Once you have been able to book an appointment with the DMV, have all the paperwork in place, you can go ahead to the assessment and registration stage. Here, the officials from the DMV will inspect the vehicle, see whether the VIN matches up, and check for prior records of the vehicle if it has been involved in fines, legal cases, and so on. Following this, you will be asked to sign and get the vehicle registered in your name.
5. Make The Payment to Complete The Formalities-
As the new owner of the vehicle, you will be required to pay the DMV a legal fee and commission. You do not need to worry about the DMV accepting payment methods. In fact, they accept everything from debit cards to credit cards and even cash. You would also be required to pay the registration fee for the next three to five years of the vehicle, which you have gotten registered.
Complete Checklist of Registering Your Car
We have already looked at some tips that can help you register your Vehicle. However, just knowing these five tips would not help you; you need to know more. A detailed understanding of the process is crucial.
Here is a complete and detailed list of all the things that you need to do in order to register your car.
- Bring your car down to the nearest RTO. This would enable you to start the process of registering your vehicle.
- Once you bring your vehicle to the RTO, start filling out applications like Application 20. Once you have filled out the form, you can submit it.
- The RTO superintendent will go through your filled application. Necessary officials would scrutinize your application closely.
- During the scrutinizing, you might have to pay a nominal processing fee. This can be paid at the cash kiosk in the office. This fee includes registration tax and processing fees.
- The Vehicle would again go through another series of inspections. The Inspector of Motor Vehicles (IMV) conducts this series of inspections.
- All the necessary details will be recorded by the IMV. This data would then be recorded by the RTO.
- The RTO Superintendent will again check your Vehicle and the recorded data. This is to ascertain the quality of the recorded data.
- The car will receive approval if the data is without any form of discrepancies. The ARTO or the Assistant Regional Transport Officer usually gives out this approval.
- Once the whole procedure is complete, you will receive an email regarding the car’s registration process.
Documents Needed
Registering your car with the RTO is a document-driven process. This means every step requires a document to move ahead. Here are all the documents that you will need in order to register your Vehicle:
Invoice: This includes the retail invoice and the car manufacturing invoice at the same time.
- Application Form 21: This is a certificate of sale.
- Application Form 22: This form assesses the roadworthiness of the vehicle.
- Application Form 34: You need to present this form if you have bought the car on loan.
- Application Form, 20. This is the actual application form for vehicle registration.
The Final Word
Following the above five points can make your vehicle registration process easier. If you wish to know any important details about the vehicle registration process, let us know in the comments section below. If you have more than one car for your business, car transport companies such as ACERTUS can also help with fleet title and registration.
Then if you need more assistance on the topic, you can reach out to us, and we will effectively try to help you with the overall understanding of registering your vehicle with the RTO or DMV. Till then, take care.
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