Can You Drive a Car Without Plates After Buying It? Answers by State

A used car with no license plate.

The rules for vehicle registration after purchase vary by state, and in some cases, even by county or local DMV office.

Most states allow you to drive a new car for at least a few days before you need to have license plates or temporary plates.

You’ll need to apply for temporary plates or a temporary permit while you wait for your official plates to arrive — typically by mail.

For more details, including driving laws listed by state, see below.

State Laws for Driving Cars Without Plates After Purchase

All 50 states require vehicles to be registered and titled with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or local transportation agency.[1]

To prove registration, you must attach a visible license plate (or plates) to the vehicle.[1]

However, when you purchase a car (new or used), it may not have plates yet, or it may have plates registered to the previous owner.

Depending on where you live, you may be allowed to drive the car without plates for a few hours, days, or at least from the point of sale to your home or local DMV.

While you wait for your official plates to arrive — typically by mail — you’ll need to apply for temporary plates or a temporary permit.

You can only use a temporary plate or permit for a set amount of time before you’re required to have official plates affixed to the vehicle. Time frames vary by state and are listed below.

Some states also have policies that vary based on how you purchased the vehicle. Different laws may apply depending on whether you went to a dealer or made a transaction with a private seller.

See the table below for vehicle registration laws by state — we’ve also linked to each state’s DMV website (to the most appropriate page, if available) so you can find more specific information.

State Can you drive a car without plates? Required registration time for new vehicles How long are temporary plates valid?
AlabamaYes, with bill of sale paperwork 20 days 20 days
AlaskaVaries; check with local DMV office 30 days Varies; check with local DMV office
ArizonaNo, for purchases from a dealer; for a private sale, you can get a 3-day permit15 days Until new registration arrives
ArkansasYes, but you should obtain a temporary printed tag within 10 days of the vehicle purchase 30 days 30 days
CaliforniaYes, with a temporary plate 10 days 90 days or until new plates arrive
ColoradoYes, for up to 3 days (from a non-licensed dealer) 60 days 60 days
ConnecticutYes, with temporary registration 10 days Varies; check with local DMV office
DelawareYes, with a temporary registration plate 30 days 30 days
FloridaYes, with a temporary tag 30 days 30 days
GeorgiaVaries; check with local DMV office 30 days 30 days
HawaiiPolicies vary by island 30 days Policies vary by island
IdahoVaries; check with local DMV office 30 days Varies; check with local DMV office
IllinoisYes, for up to 24 hours (only from point of sale to DMV) 30 days Varies; check with local DMV office
IndianaYes, for up to 72 hours after purchase as long as you're driving to storage, an inspection site, or a license branch 60 days 30 days
IowaYes, for up to 30 days with bill of sale paperwork 30 days Varies; check with local DMV office
KansasYes, with 60-day permit60 days 60 days
KentuckyYes, with a 30-day permit 15 days Until new registration arrives
LouisianaYes, with a 60-day permit 60 days 60 days
MaineYes, with a 10-day transit plate 10 days 10 days
MarylandYes, with a 30-day permit 30 days 30 days
MassachusettsNo, and there are no temporary plates 10 days for new purchases and 7 days for registration transfers N/A
MichiganYes, from point of sale to home within 3 days of purchase (with proof of title) 15 days 15 days
MinnesotaYes, with a 21-day permit 21 days 21 days
MississippiYes, for 7 days (when you buy from an authorized dealer) 7 business days (plus 48 hours for out-of-county purchases) 7 days
MissouriYes, with a 30-day permit 30 days Usually 30 days; certain dealers may offer 60- or 90-day permits under specific conditions
MontanaYes, with a 40-day permit 40 days 40 days
NebraskaYes, but only with a dealer-provided in-transit tag 30 days Until new registration arrives
NevadaYes, for three days after purchase with valid insurance and movement permit 30 days for private sales; before the temporary permit expiration for dealer purchases Until new registration arrives
New HampshireYes, with a 20-day temporary plate 20 days 20 days
New JerseyTypically no, but some dealers may issue temporary tags 10 days Until new registration arrives
New MexicoYes, with 30-day temporary tag 30 days 30 days
New YorkYes, with a 30-day in-transit permit Within 180 days of insuring the vehicle 30 days
North CarolinaYes, with a temporary plate 30 days 10 to 30 days
North DakotaYes, for up to 5 days with proof of ownership 30 days 30 days
OhioYes, with a temporary license plate 30 days 30 days
OklahomaYes, for up to five days if you buy from a private seller; dealerships will provide temporary tags 30 days 30 days
OregonYes, with a trip permit 30 days 30 days
PennsylvaniaYes, with a temporary plate 90 days 90 days
Rhode IslandYes, with a temporary plate 20 days for dealer purchases; 5 days for private sales Until new registration arrives
South CarolinaYes, with a temporary permit 45 days 45 days
South DakotaYes, with a 45-day seller's permit or 5- to 15-day permit from the county treasurer's office 45 days Varies; check with local DMV office
TennesseeYes, with temporary tags or dealer drive-out tags Varies; check with your county clerk's office Varies; check with your county clerk's office
TexasYes, with a 5-day transit permit 30 days You can get temporary permits for one trip, 3 days, 6 days, or 30 days
UtahYes, with a temporary permit and bill of sale 60 days 15 days
VermontYes, with a transit plate (good for 10 days inside of Vermont and 30 days out-of-state) 30 days (an inspection is required within 15 days) 60 days
VirginiaYes, with a 3-day trip permit Varies; check with local DMV office 30 days
WashingtonTypically no, but you may be able to get a 3-day trip permit 15 days Until the new registration arrives
West VirginiaYes, with a temporary plate 10 days 60 days or until the new registration arrives
WisconsinYes, for up to 2 days You have 2 days to start the registration process and get temporary tags 90 days
WyomingYes, for up to 45 days with the title or bill of sale 45 days for private sales; 60 days for dealer purchases You can get temporary plates that are good for 30, 60, or 90 days

Buying a Used Car Without License Plates

A licensed used car dealer will typically help you with the necessary paperwork to register your used car and apply for new license plates or a license plate transfer.

You may decide to transfer the plates from your old car to the newer vehicle, as this is often cheaper than applying for new plates.

Keep in mind that you should only transfer plates registered under your name — not someone else’s name. In some states, it’s illegal to operate a vehicle with someone else’s license plates.[2]

If you purchase a used car from a private seller, you’ll likely need to make a trip to the DMV to register the vehicle, complete a title transfer, and apply for new plates or a transfer.

In most instances, you’ll be issued temporary plates or a temporary permit to display while you wait for your official plates.

Registration and transfer costs vary by state. Before heading to the DMV, you’ll want to prepare to bring the following:

  • Your driver’s license
  • Title
  • Proof of insurance
  • Emissions test or vehicle inspection report, if required

It’s also a good idea to contact your local DMV about the requirements in your state before purchasing a car from a private party.


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2 comments - Comments are closed.


  • Ron Davidson

    You need to revise the last bit on Massachusetts. You can only transfer plates from another vehicle if the vehicle the plates are coming off of, has been disposed of prior to purchase of the new vehicle.

    • First Quarter Finance logo
      First Quarter Finance | Lindsey Desmet

      Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Ron! We have updated our article to include this information.

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