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by Armando Martinez
Selling a Car
When you sell a car in New Hampshire, you must remove the license plates and keep them. The buyer is responsible for registering the vehicle and obtaining new license plates or transferring license plates they already own. It is important to make sure the buyer is aware of this responsibility and has a plan in place to obtain new plates before the sale is complete.
As the seller, if you do not intend to transfer your license plates to a new vehicle, you may have to surrender them to the DMV. Contact the DMV at (603) 227-4000 for more information about surrendering plates.
Buying a Car
When you buy a car from a private seller in New Hampshire, you’ll have 20 days from the date of purchase to register your vehicle. The seller will be required to remove their plates as they are assigned to them and not the vehicle. You can purchase a Private Sale 20 Day Temporary Plate. This will allow you operate your vehicle until you can complete your registration and receive license plates.
You have two options for obtaining new license plates in New Hampshire. You can either transfer your existing plates to the new vehicle or obtain new plates from the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as long as the vehicles are registered in the same name.
To transfer your existing plates to the new vehicle, you must go to a DMV office in person and provide the following documents:
- The vehicle title signed over to you by your seller
- Bill of sale
- Proof of car insurance
- Your current license plates
You will also need to pay a fee for the plate transfer plus any registration fees and taxes. The fee varies depending on the type of plate you have and the type of vehicle you are transferring the plates to. You can find more information regarding plate transfer at the New Hampshire DMV Renewals and Transfers page.
If you choose to obtain new plates from the DMV, you will need to provide the same documents as for a plate transfer, plus an application for new plates. You will also need to pay a fee for the new plates
License Plate Fees
In New Hampshire, license plate fees vary depending on the type of plate you have and the type of vehicle you are registering. The DMV website has a fee calculator that can help you estimate the cost of registering your vehicle and obtaining new plates.
Conclusion
Buying or selling a car in a private party sale in New Hampshire involves new registration or transferring license plates, which can be a confusing process. It is important to make sure you understand the process and have all the necessary documents and fees in place before completing the sale. By following this guide, you should be able to transfer license plates smoothly and legally. If you need more information, check out the NH DMV homepage.
This article was written by Armando Martinez. Armando Martinez is among the nation’s experts on automotive titling, registration, DMV services and document operations. With nearly two decades of experience across a broad range of financial services functions and some of the largest names in auto, from Wells Fargo to Uber, Armando combines vision and ingenuity with a wealth of information so auto shoppers and sellers can learn from his experience.
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