can i drive a recently bought used car?
Posted by adrian-xxc@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 51 comments
My dad recently got me a used car on July 2nd but he says I can’t legally drive it. I have my license but he said something about the title not being in our name yet? Also something about it not having insurance yet. Does anyone know a rough estimate for how long these things take? I figured it would have been good to drive by now since it’s almost been a full month of the car basically just sitting in our driveway.
375InStroke@reddit
In my state, just possessing the car without having it in your name is illegal. By that, I mean they only give you a few days to transfer it over, and if you don't, there's a penalty. If you bought a car, they signed over the title to you, you can drive it home, you can drive it anywhere. You can drive without insurance. These aren't crimes, but are infractions, and I don't recommend you drive without insurance unless you can afford to pay for any damage and harm you may be responsible for committing while driving. Go to the DMV, do the paperwork, get insurance, and that's it. You don't have to wait for the title in the mail.
ethnicman1971@reddit
I am in NYC and rest assured that if you are caught driving without insurance and/or an unregistered vehicle you will get arrested.
Commercial_Couple178@reddit
Depends on cop,some cops just give you a ticket and tow the vehicle not arrest you,I'm from East New York Brooklyn
375InStroke@reddit
There are other legal ways besides insurance. Still not the point.
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
So what you’re saying is basically i’ve been waiting and checking the mail daily for nothing…?
375InStroke@reddit
Did you go to the DMV, pay the money, transfer it, and get registration? If so, then yes, you're waiting for nothing.
ethnicman1971@reddit
If OP still has the title and it is still in the previous owner's name then they did NOT register the car. If the car is bought free and clear DMV will take the old title and reissue it with the new owner's information. (if it is financed it will include the lienholder's name but usually the title does not go to the customer)
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
Yea so that’s what it’s looking like rn, we have the old title with the previous owners name still on it and the new one with our name is coming in the mail i guess. Car was not financed
piglet72@reddit
DMV does not allow you to retain the old title with the previous owners information on it. They take it and issue a new one, and you get a registration paper as proof of ownership/registration.
If you still have the old title in hand, your dad has not done the proper paperwork.
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
yea i don’t which is why i was asking, idk the whole process of buying used cars from private sellers but thanks for clearing some stuff up.
Illustrious-Lie8431@reddit
My son just bought a car he says he's going to the DMV to get the tag on it today I don't think that's going to happen I'm afraid that he's going to be put in jail for not having a driver's license or something like that what was you supposed to do?
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
he wouldn’t go to jail but he’ll probably receive a fine, I ended up just getting my license, getting insurance on the car, and begged my dad daily until he registered it and i was able to drive it until the new registration came in the mail. Pretty sure if i would’ve been pulled over I would’ve been fine since the car would be registered in our name in the system.
Mostly-Useless_4007@reddit
The vast majority of cars sold today, new or used, are done so without the title. The title goes to a leinholder (the bank) because most people finance cars. It's not true that you can't drive a car without the title, as (something like) 90+% of people on the road would be illegal. You get the title in your name when the car is paid off and the leinholder releases the title. If he paid cash for the car, he needs to get the title from the dealer, and usually, this is handled when the check is cleared. Still, I'm not aware of any law that states that you have the title in hand in order to drive it. If he needs to get the title because he paid cash and the dealer is holding it, he needs to go to the DMV with the paperwork to get it reissued under his name.
In general, you are given a short grace period to get insurance on the car. If the car is financed, the leinholder will require you to insure it. The dealer's insurance will cover it for a day or two if purchased on the weekend, but you have to provide your own policy and add it to that upon taking delivery. If your father is being cheap and not adding the car to the insurance policy, then the leinholder will repo the car because he is in violation of the terms of the financing. If he paid cash for the car, he can opt to not insure it (essentially become self-insured). That's a bit silly, because a good part of the insurance is paying others when you hit them. Without insurance, he'll be out of pocket entirely. And no, you don't need the title to put insurance on it, just the VIN number. I put insurance on a car I was buying 4 days before I actually bought it. This process takes a few moments with the insurer and a credit card # to pay the bill.
Otherwise, what's going on is that he's terrified of you driving it and is stalling as much as humanly possible.
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
The car was bought from a random guy not a dealership. We have a title but it’s under that guys name. Idk if this affects anything but from what it sounds like he probably just stalling so I don’t drive it. Sounds like something he would do lol. My main concern is just that the car is on a full tank and has been sitting for so long it has a coat of dirt on it already and we don’t even live in the country…
Mostly-Useless_4007@reddit
Did the guy sign the title transferring it to your dad? If so, just take it to DMV for a new title with his name on it. That does not affect anything as long as you have the paperwork for the sale, especially a cashed/cancelled check showing he got paid.
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
I think so where do i find that paper that the guy might’ve signed? I feel like i remember seeing them sign something but idk. Am I able to take it to the dmv myself without my dad being present?
Mostly-Useless_4007@reddit
I don't recall seeing your age. If you're not 18, you can't do this, as the DMV needs an adult signature. If you ARE 18 and YOU take it, you need to be very careful, because technically, you would be stealing the car from your dad if you put your name on the title. You really need to work with him to get this fixed (likely at the DMV). Until then, there really is no reason not to be able to drive the car.
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
Ok a little update, my dad sent a screenshot of the dmv website where it says the title transfer was complete, does that mean the title is now coming in the mail soon? can i drive it now legally?
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
i am 18 yes, i think ill just wait this out tho lol maybe he is just busy with other things and hasn’t gotten around to dealing with my car.
piglet72@reddit
If it was a private party sale, the only thing stopping it from being driven is your dad. Or your lack of initiative.
If your dad signed the title as the buyer, which from your lack of understanding of the process is highly likely, then your kinda SOL and you will need him to do the paperwork.
Gunk_Olgidar@reddit
Private roads/property/farm use is fine as long as you stay off public roads, in all the jurisdictions I know.
You cannot legally drive an unregistered & uninsured vehicle on public roads in all the jurisdictions I know. You must have the mandated minimum insurance in order to register the car. Bad_Things(TM) can result if you drive an unregistered/uninsured car on public roads. Read up on your laws, which will specify the relevant requirements and penalties for failing to meet said requirements.
If you want actionable information, contact your DMV and ask them about the process to register your car to drive on public roads.
MerbleTheGnome@reddit
Insurance - about an hour after you tell the insurance company and they send you an insurance card via email.
Title - you can drive it without the title, it usually takes an hour of standing in line at the DMV to get one.
Gunk_Olgidar@reddit
Car has to be registered in the appropriate jurisdiction.
sgboec@reddit
A correction on this. You can drive the vehicle with a proof of sale (also being on the title's tear off page) for a few days. The title has to be issued to the owner before being able to be driven AND insured. Thise fee days are a grace period to get the vehicle transfered to the new home, registered under a new name / license plate, and insured.
piglet72@reddit
A correction for your correction.
These vary by state, but in general most states allow about 2 weeks before you catch shit for not titling/registering a vehicle after purchase. As long as you are properly insured you can drive it.
And you don't need proof of ownership to insure a vehicle, you just need access to the vin number to be able to have the coverage applied to that vehicle.
myopini0n@reddit
Sorry, no. You have to have some insurance. You can't randomly drive a car with no insurance. Insurance typically follows the car. If sold, the owner's insurance no longer covers it.
sgboec@reddit
If you already have car insurance, there is typically a grace period insurance companies give. It is more limited, but it's something until insurance plan is chosen and paid for that specific vehicle
optigrabz@reddit
The grace period typically matches the cars that already on your policy. But like all insurance it can vary state by state. The thing you have to be careful of is assuming that the added vehicle will have full coverage- meaning it will be repaired or replaced if something bad happens when you drive it( like you hit a deer or run into a guard rail). If I just forked over my money for a used car I would call the agent and verify the level of coverage before I hit the road.
Slowhand1971@reddit
dad's trying something fishy here.
should have had all the papers necessary at signing to get this car registered and insured.
ask dad, WTF, Dad?!?
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
I’ve been asking a little too much already tbh. So far the only papers I have found is just the title with the other guys name on it. I think I remember having the bill of sale in the car for a little but maybe my dad sent it to the DMV? is that possible?
Slowhand1971@reddit
just ask your dad why you can't drive this car yet.
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
last time i asked he says it’s not insured and that it isn’t registered in our name yet
Slowhand1971@reddit
people register cars sometimes the same day they buy them.
it sounds like the guy dad bought the car from might not be on the title. I'd expect to keep taking the bus for a while.
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
I asked him he said it’s all good and it has insurance and what not but that it still isn’t under our name and that’s the only thing needed until i can drive it freely. I think it’s supposed to come sometime this week
Slowhand1971@reddit
Be surprised if you can insure a car that you don't own
B5_S4@reddit
You absolutely can. I've insured and driven cars hundreds of miles literally the day I bought them private sale, several times. All you need to insure a car is its VIN.
Slowhand1971@reddit
yes, but I'll bet you had a bill of sale or something showing the car was yours besides just a VIN
B5_S4@reddit
Nope. Insured it before I bought it. Just had the vin. Once I made the transaction I had a bill of sale, but insurance has literally never asked for proof of ownership since I don't have liens.
jacesonn@reddit
If you have taken the title to the court house and received your license plate (even if the title isn't back yet) and contacted insurance and received your card (usually emailed within an hour) you can drive it.
Galopigos@reddit
He's dragging his feet for some reason. You take the VIN number and call the insurance company who then issue you a temporary insurance card. Then you take that and the paperwork from the sale to the DMV and fill out the paperwork for a title and registration. They give you the temp registration and plates with a temp inspection sticker (in states that require an inspection). You take those to the vehicle and put the plates on and the sticker in the window. Then you would get it inspected as needed and you drive the car. I've bought used cars and driven them home on the same day.
The DMV then mails you the new title and the registration paperwork, usually takes about 30 days or less, but you can drive it on the temporary items you got.
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
ohhhh ok gotcha so i could be driving it if i had the temp tags and what not
Galopigos@reddit
Yep. Look online for the DMV/DOT for your state and you will find the exact process.
OutinDaBarn@reddit
My last truck I had insurance in 15 minutes. To get the new title, I mailed the old one, was 3 weeks. I had plates I could use so, I was driving it the same day.
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
yea the title not being in our name is my dads issue with not letting me drive it but i guess it’s coming in the mail does that sound plausible? 🤔
PineappleLow3955@reddit
Your dad is right, you need to have the title in your name and insurance on the car before you can legally drive it. The timeline for transferring the title can vary by state, but it usually takes a few weeks. Getting insurance is typically quicker, often just a day or two once you provide all the necessary information.
ethnicman1971@reddit
he said something about the title not being in our name yet
He may have meant that the car is not registered to your family yet because the title has not been signed over to him yet. Still it is weird that its been about 20 days and it has not happened yet. As others have said, insurance takes a couple of minutes via a phone call especially if you already have coverage for other vehicles and the registration is a few hours waiting in line at the DMV unless you purchased it through a dealership, they usually have auto registration services on site.
adrian-xxc@reddit (OP)
i’m assuming he probably did everything late so i would say he prob tried doing it all on the 12th of july since isn’t there 10 days to transfer everything?
Far-Plastic-4171@reddit
Sold a car to a lady and she filled out the insurance info on her phone while waiting in line to transfer the title. She took the paperwork from the DMV and drove away.
_totalannihilation@reddit
I got a car at a dealership and drove it home the same day which is the norm.
You can literally make a used car legal to drive any day of the week as long as it's a business day and not a holiday.
Chances are your pops has no money to make it legal or can't afford to take a day off to make it legal, cut your old man some slack.
UnKossef@reddit
Can you? Yes. Should you? No. Ask dad what the holdup is. My first stop after buying a car is the DMV for the title and temp plates.
Also, the car isn't yours if you didn't buy it and don't have your name on the title. Driving someone else's unregistered car is a bit of a no-no.
rudbri93@reddit
well i know here in my state, PA, a car is covered under your insurance as soon as you buy it so you can drive it home and then about 2 weeks I think so you can call and get it insured on your policy. If your dad registered it when he bought it you should be able to drive it by now unless somethings off.