Car Question (Raleigh: sales, vehicle registration, insurance)

[Stewiie]

I'm moving to Raleigh later this week.

I don't have a car (I obviously need to get one) and I have a NJ driver's license.

Am I better suited buying a car in NC or buying one in NJ?

I've read through some threads and you can't register a car in NC without a NC license. And I get can't a license if I don't have a permanent address yet.

The reason I've held off on getting a car in NJ to drive down to NC is because of saving some cash on the sales tax and re-registration. So therefore I'd need a car right away..

So...what should I do? And in what order? What is the quickest and cheapest procedure?

1) Get a permanent residence
2) Get a license
3) Get the car
4) Register the car
?

EDIT: For insurance, I'm still under my parents as a student or something, I'm not entirely sure how that works.

[saturnfan]

The sales tax on cars is lower than the base rate.

Your NC dealer could do all the registration work for you.

Buy it here.

[tluv00]

Originally Posted by saturnfan

The sales tax on cars is lower than the base rate.

Your NC dealer could do all the registration work for you.

Buy it here.

Your NJ dealer can do it as well. Get pricing in NJ, call a dealer down here and compare prices. I did that in MD and right before moving got NC tags from my MD dealer. Good luck.

[saturnfan]

You might be able to avoid NJ tax if NJ dealer can issue you a special "in transit" plate without registering the car in NJ and collecting NJ tax.

Then, you register and pay tax to NC DMV.

[dave in jersey]

Originally Posted by Stewiie

I'm moving to Raleigh later this week.

I've read through some threads and you can't register a car in NC without a NC license. And I get can't a license if I don't have a permanent address yet.

That's not true. We bought 2 new cars when we still had our NJ license.

[lottamoxie]

I registered my car in NC and still had my CA license. When my CA license expired a year or 2 later then I got my NC license. My car was registered in NC during that entire time.

[Sayantsi]

NC has one of the lowest sales taxes for autos - and ins. is much cheaper than in NJ. I'd just get a car once you get down to NC and save the tax, titling, and miles and gas costs you'd incur by buying in NJ.

[mm34b]

Originally Posted by dave in jersey

That's not true. We bought 2 new cars when we still had our NJ license.

I registered my cars in NC while possessing a Maryland license. However, the law has since changed.

Beginning September 15, 2007, you must present a valid North Carolina Driver's License or a North Carolina Identification Card to register a vehicle in North Carolina -N.C. General Statute 20-52 (a) Valid driver's licenses from other states may be accepted for vehicle registrations with documentation of the following:

Military active duty stationed in N.C.;
College enrollment in an N.C. school;
Vehicle garaged in N.C. for a minimum of 6 months;
Court-ordered sale of a vehicle;
Vehicle is co-owned;
Registration for a motor home; or
Documented medical condition

[mm34b]

North Carolina does not have a sales tax on motor vehicle purchases.

Instead of a sales tax, they levy a "Highway Use Tax" (HUT), but only to NC residents who register the vehicle in NC . Think of it as a "Motor Vehicle Registration Tax".

The HUT Details - NCDOT Division of Motor Vehicles: Highway Use Tax (HUT)

[Stewiie]

I went to a Honda dealer and they told me they can't give me the NC title unless I have a permanent address there and a license.