On Buying a New Vehicle

I bought a new vehicle last week.

Not “new” new, because new vehicle depreciation bro, but it’s new to me. A new, used vehicle.

I always forget the rigmarole that you have to go through to get these things registered. As a result of my short memory, I had to go back to the DMV…

Three times.

Grr.

For some reason no one told me the full requirements up front, and there were no clear instructions on the DMV website.

Why was this not clearly spelled out on the state’s website? Well… It’s the government.

But I learned from my experience this time. I created a note in Obsidian, called “Registering a New Vehicle”, which spells it out clearly for myself next time around.

Because I cherish clear communication, I will also give this note to you. Your state might be different, but this is at least a better starting place than I had. If you try to navigate the quagmire that is your state’s website to figure this out, I wish you the best of luck!

Registering a New Vehicle #

Congratulations on the acquisition of your new vehicle. Here are the hoops you need to jump through sometime in the next 30 days:

• When you buy the vehicle, make sure the seller fills out the title transfer form, and a Bill of Sale.
• The Bill of Sale should say “I, seller, sell vehicle to buyer on date for dollar amount.” It needs to be signed and dated, with the vin number of the vehicle. MAKE SURE it is signed.
• After purchasing, contact insurance and add the vehicle to insurance. Wait for the new insurance card.
• When going to the DMV, take the title, bill of sale, and proof of insurance (and plenty of cash for tax and registration fees)

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