by Armando Martinez
Introduction
Buying a car from a private owner is a great way to save money. However, when you register your vehicle with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC), you'll need to provide some additional information about the sale. This can be done by calling or visiting an MVC office in person.You may also find additional information about New Jersey’s vehicle registration process by visiting https://www.state.nj.us/mvc/vehicles/reginitial.htm. You'll also need to pay certain fees and taxes before you can get your license plate and registration card for your new vehicle.
Step 1: Do Your Research
Before you go out and buy a car, it's important to do your research. You should know what kind of car you want and have a budget in mind. This will help narrow down the search for your perfect car. It also gives you an idea of how much money you can spend on repairs or maintenance later on.
When looking at different models of cars, there are many things to consider: features (such as air conditioning), size (how many passengers does it seat?), fuel efficiency and price range are just some examples.
Step 2: Inspect the Car
The next step is to inspect the car thoroughly before buying. You should check for signs of damage, rust and wear and tear.
- Look for dents or scratches on the body of the vehicle. If there are any noticeable dents in your prospective purchase, ask yourself whether they can be repaired easily at an auto body shop or if they will cost more than what you're paying for the car itself?
- Check undercarriage components such as suspension parts, axles and brakes (including rotors) by lifting up each corner of your potential purchase while someone else looks underneath from underneath with a flashlight turned on so that you can see everything clearly without having to crawl under yourself!
- Inspect all four wheels carefully by looking closely at their tread depth (you'll need a penny for this). If there isn't enough tread left on any tire(s), then it may not pass inspection later when registering it with the DMV!
Step 3: Negotiate the Price
Negotiating the price of a used car is an important part of buying it. The seller might be willing to negotiate, but you should also be prepared to walk away if you don't get what you want.
You'll want to determine what kind of fair market value (FMV) your vehicle has before negotiating with the seller. You can do this by researching similar vehicles online or asking friends who own similar cars how much they paid for theirs and whether they would sell them at that price again today.
Once you have an idea of FMV, use this information when negotiating with your seller so that both parties feel like they got what was fair for both sides of the transaction
Step 4: Complete the Paperwork
The next step is to complete the paperwork. You and the seller will need to sign a bill of sale, which you can get from your local DMV office. The bill of sale must include:
- Your name and address
- The year, make, model and vehicle identification number (VIN) of your car
- The price paid for it by you (this must be fair market value--not less than $500)
- A statement that verifies that both parties are legally able to enter into this contract without any restrictions or limitations
Step 5: Obtain Insurance
In order to register your car, you'll need to show proof of insurance. The minimum amount of liability insurance coverage required in New Jersey is $15,000/$30,000/$5,000 (for bodily injury/property damage/personal injury). You can obtain this by purchasing a policy through an insurance company or by obtaining a Certificate of Self-Insurance from the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC). If you choose to go with an MVC-issued certificate and then change your mind later on down the road and want to get a regular policy instead, there's no penalty for doing so--but if you buy an actual policy from an insurance company before registering your car with them first, then cancel it later on down the road because now that vehicle has been registered under its own license plate number rather than yours...then yes: It will be considered cancellation without cause and result in penalties such as having your premiums go up or even losing coverage altogether!
Step 6: Register the Car
Once you have completed the purchase of your car, you have ten (10) days after your purcahse to register it with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) in order to avoid a $25 late fee. The process is fairly straightforward and can be done at your local MVC office by appointment only. To set your appointment visit https://telegov.njportal.com/njmvc/AppointmentWizard. To register your vehicle, bring:
- The vehicle title with the mileage, seller and buyer information properly filled in and signed.
- Proof of purchase (such as a bill of sale or purchase order)
- Proof of insurance coverage for the vehicle
- Proof of your Social Security Number (bring your SSN Card with you)
- Your current New Jersey Driver’s License or if you do not have one, six points of identification
- A completed Application for Vehicle Registration (Form BA-49)
- If your vehicle was previously titled out of state, a completed Universal Title Application (Form OS-SS-UTA)
You will also need to pay registration fees based upon your vehicle’s age and weight, and any state or local taxes on top of these other requirements. For a list of state registration fees visit: https://www.state.nj.us/mvc/vehicles/regfees.htm.
Step 7: Have your Vehicle Inspected
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) requires vehicles to undergo an emissions inspection (electric vehicles are exempt) upon vehicle registration if it has been 2 years since the last inspection or if the vehicle was titled outside of New Jersey. If so, you’ll need to have the vehicle inspected before its expiration date and again every 2 years at an authorized state inspection facility. Although the safety portion of testing has been eliminated in general for passenger vehicles, some commercial vehicles, buses, and taxis still require safety inspections. To find a state inspection station near you and to set your appointment online visit: https://www.nj.gov/mvc/locations/facilitylocations.htm. Once your vehicle passes its emissions inspection, the NJ MVC inspection station will provide the following: Vehicle Inspection Report, detailing the inspection results. Keep this report with your registration documents for reference; if you misplace it, you can print a new one using the state's Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR) Printing tool. You will also receive an inspection sticker, to be affixed to your windshield. This sticker notifies you of when your next inspection is due.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You've successfully registered your car. You should now be able to drive it legally and safely on New Jersey roads.
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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