Although, there’s only one way you could drive a car without plates and not be slammed with a ticket. The only case that allows such is if you had recently just purchased the car from a private seller like Craigslist. This is because private sellers are required to turn in the plates of the car before it can be sold. So, they won’t be able to sell you a car with a licensed plate, leaving you plateless. Only in such situations can you drive a plateless car and not be fined. Although, you would get flagged by the cops and you’ll be required to provide certain information about the purchase of the car and why you should be exonerated.
What do You need To Provide When Driving A Plateless Car?
For a newly purchased vehicle, it is required that you have the Car title. If in any situation, the seller is unable to provide the car’s title during purchase, it is advisable to search for other places to purchase a car to avoid complicated issues later; you should have your driver’s license ready, as a form of identification.
In addition, to ascertain that you had legally acquired the car, you are expected to have a bill of sales. Although the form varies from state to state, it can be simply acquired and has similar details. As evidence of purchase, the document will entail the mileage on the odometer, agreed price, and contact information of both parties involved in the transaction (yourself and the seller), signatories, and other relevant details of receipt.
Insurance documentation is a crucial one that saves one trouble. It is advisable that before you purchase a car, you’ll need to make sure it is insured. So, you must make sure your coverage is active before you take a ride in your new whip. The insurance policies for each state varies. However, you should check First Quarter Finance to get further information about the governing laws for each state.
Consequences Of Driving Without Plates Or Insurance
Asides from the only reason mentioned earlier in this article, driving without a licensed plate is illegal — which technically means that you’ll be facing the consequences of disobeying the law. Likewise, it doesn’t matter what kind of vehicle you are driving, if you do not have insurance, you’d be arrested. Driving without insurance is illegal.
Speaking of license plates, in some states, it is allowable if you do not have a front plate. Nonetheless, you must have a rear plate, or else you will be fined a ticket or possibly lose your driving license. In the worst scenario that your car gets impounded, you will incur a penalty charge of $40 per day for 30 days — increasing your expenditure.
Unlike not having a car plate, no insurance is an even more serious offense and could put you into uncomfortable positions. Punishments pinned on driving without insurance vary from state to state. For example in Connecticut, you may be requested to pay a fine as low as $100 but you could also face up to five (5) years in jail. In Alaska, you’d be fined an offense charge of $500 and get your license suspended for 90 days. Check MarketWatch for full details on laws governing vehicle insurance offenses in all states.
Whatever the cause, there’s an easy way to get legally acceptable proof that your car is newly purchased and currently undergoing registration. Visit your local department of motor vehicles (DMV) and request a temporary tag.
Requirements For A Temporary Tag At Your Local DMV
As you might know, you can purchase a temporary tag or trip tag from the local department of motor vehicles in your state. This tag allows authorities to know that your card is under registration.
To get a temporary tag, you will be required to provide your vehicle identification number which can be found at different locations in your car — you can find it at the lower-left corner of your vehicle dashboard or in front of your steering wheel. After providing that, you’ll get a piece of paper that can be tagged on the plate holder or back window of the vehicle.
As the name implies, the tags are temporary, hence they can only last for 10 – 60 days depending on the condition of issuance. At the time the tag duration expires, you are expected to have completed your vehicle registration and be fully fit to drive anywhere in the country.
Q: Can I customize my license plate?
A: It is possible to choose preferred letters and alphabets for your license plate.
Q: How much penalty is charged when you don’t have a license plate?
A: The ticket fee for no license plate is usually within $100-200.
Q: How do I ensure my car?
A: Visit the Vehicle insurance website, select a plan, provide required vehicle details, and make payment.
It is illegal to drive an unregistered car without a tag. If caught, you will be fined a penalty ticket or even lose your license. For a newly purchased car, ensure that the vehicle is insured and obtain a temporary tag or trip tag from your local DMV until you complete registration.
To avoid being busted, adhere to all driving and traffic rules and have all your vehicle documents ready in case of request.
