New DE Resident, DMV Questions (Wilmington, Dover: lease, car registration, insurance)

[pilot2fly]

Hi all,

Posted on the NC board but was advised to post here.

Just moved to Delaware from NC. Need to get a DE license, and title/register in DE.

If I get my license in DE, I have to surrender my NC license to them at the time of getting my DE license. Does that mean I have to immediately turn in my plate? Is my NC plate invalid if I surrender my license?

I ask because I may get my license one day, then title/register on another day. Doing this because co-owner of vehicle has to fly to DE to sign for registration.Want to make sure I can still drive my car during the week long gap of getting a DE license and then registration.

[nuts2uiam]

Hold off getting the license until you can do it all at once. No-one is going to be checking for the sake of a week. Tip. My family member just moved here and when you go to DMV you will get your license first and then the title and reg change. Be sure the clerk transfers your ticket (like a pull ticket in a bakery) and you will be called very quickly for the title and reg. If not, you have to pull a new number and sit through all the numbers, which depending upon when you go could be quite a while.

[rdlr]

https://www.dmv.de.gov/forms/veh_ser...=1578011016756
(302) 744-2500
I have really good luck at the Dover location (on 303 Transportation Circle, Dover). Hardly any wait time, and I've found the people working there very helpful.

[pilot2fly]

Originally Posted by nuts2uiam

Hold off getting the license until you can do it all at once. No-one is going to be checking for the sake of a week. Tip. My family member just moved here and when you go to DMV you will get your license first and then the title and reg change. Be sure the clerk transfers your ticket (like a pull ticket in a bakery) and you will be called very quickly for the title and reg. If not, you have to pull a new number and sit through all the numbers, which depending upon when you go could be quite a while.

Thanks that is good to know. I will wait then. Will be going to the Wilmington DMV. So when they call my number for licensing, just give my ticket to the clerk who calls me and ask them to transfer the ticket to the Title/Registration area?

Once I go to title/register will they do my vehicle inspection at the same time, or should I do that before licensing?

[lyndyb]

We did have to surrender our MD license when we got our DE license. We titled and registered only one of our vehicles on the same day and went back a week or so later to register the other car and there was no problem. We went to the DMV in Georgetown both times and they were both great experiences.

[nuts2uiam]

Originally Posted by pilot2fly

Thanks that is good to know. I will wait then. Will be going to the Wilmington DMV. So when they call my number for licensing, just give my ticket to the clerk who calls me and ask them to transfer the ticket to the Title/Registration area?

Once I go to title/register will they do my vehicle inspection at the same time, or should I do that before licensing?

My sister, pulled through the inspection area and then we went inside towel the representative what we were doing and they gave us the ticket. We went to get the license and then had to wait maybe 2 minutes at he next area a few feet away to pick it up. The agent in the license area said us, " I transferred your number so the wait will not be long." I guess the agent picked up on the relocation, so I would see if they say something before you leave and if not ask if they can transfer the number.

[jim man]

When I moved here, I had to surrender my license. The Georgetown DMV was quick. But look on their web site, you will need extra docs for the Real ID.

[Mary2014]

OP,
Be sure you review the list of things you need to bring with you to the DMV. You will need to bring proof you now live in DE - such as a copy of a utility bill or a copy of your lease with your new DE address. ( It can't be to a PO box.) One thing I forgot to bring was proof of my social security number. I thought my passport along with my PA drivers license would be enough for identification. They needed to verify my social security number - so I had to make a second trip the next day to get my license.

As far as car registration goes you need to bring proof of DE insurance and car title, get the car inspected and then assuming it passes inspection go inside and register the car to get your DE plates and pay the transfer and registration fees. I took my car to a local place to check everything on my car before I went to the DMV to get it inspected. You don't want to have to make a second trip because you have a bulb out or worn windshield wiper blades. They gave me new DE plates, but, did not ask for the old PA plates. PA required me to mail old PA plates back to the PA DMV so that they could remove me from the PA database.

[rdlr]

I have relatives who work in the Dover DMV. When I mentioned some of the above concerns to them, they referred me to the website, which answers all of those questions and concerns.
https://dmv.de.gov/forms/veh_serv_fo...=1578083886796

[nuts2uiam]

The one thing that can be a problem is that you will need to insure your car in De. to get it registered, and simultaneous registration/insurance can be a sticky one. It may not happen to you, but explain to your agent that you are going to register your car on (date) and you want to drop your NC registration the same day. You need to have NC insurance should you, God forbid, become involved in an accident. I was able to get the FS 20 with no problem at all, as was my sister, but several neighbors said they had a problem with double insurance coverage. They ultimately got it.

I can't imagine why it would be any problem, as what I explained above seems a no brainer to me, but at least 3 different couples said it happened to them.