Buying used vehicle in MO (IL resident) (St. Louis, Craig: for sale, home)

[Lainer]

I was poking around on Craigslist for used cars last night and spotted what appears to be a really nice Toyota truck (early 2000s model) for a really, really good price. The truck is for sale by a private owner in eastern MO.

At this point, I don't know if I will actually be able to buy it (at the price the owner is asking it will probably be gone before I can get it), plus I would have to see whether the truck is worth the money, of course. So this is a long shot.

That said, just in case it does turn out to be a good deal and I do get it, what would I have to do to make everything good and legal if I buy it? From what I've discovered based on my extensive research (i.e. googling the topic) I presume that:

1) I would have to pay MO sales tax on the sale (would I have to go to a MO DMV facility to do it?) and

2) I would have to get new IL plates and pay the IL "use tax" (difference between MO & IL sales taxes) here. Am I missing anything important?

Also, what would I need to do to drive the truck home (it would be about a 100-mile drive)? Do I just leave the MO plates on and switch them out when I get home, or do I have to get some kind of temporary tags before I can drive it home?

[attrapereves]

1) In MO, you pay sales tax at the DMV when you register the car. Since you are not registering the car in MO, you should be able to have the owner sign the title over to you, then go to the DMV in IL to have the title transferred.

Taxes in IL will depend on IL law. Maybe the owner will be nice enough to write up a bill of sale for less than what you actually paid.

The owner should take his plates off the vehicle before giving it to you. You can go to the MO DMV to get temporary plates.

[Lainer]

Thanks for the reply. The vehicle I wanted is already sold. However, when I search Craigslist for the make/models I want I get a lot of hits in the St. Louis area so this info may yet prove useful. I have been told I would only have to pay tax in IL at the time I get the vehicle titled and plated, and would have 24 hours after the purchase to get it home without plates.

[T. DarcyJones]

Confused......!! In the US does a vehicle retain the same licence plate number throughout it's life, or is the licence plate number registered to the individual which then moves on from vehicle to vehicle with the owner?? Bar private plate registrations...

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by T. DarcyJones

Confused......!! In the US does a vehicle retain the same licence plate number throughout it's life, or is the licence plate number registered to the individual which then moves on from vehicle to vehicle with the owner?? Bar private plate registrations...

License plates change if the vehicle is registered in a different state.

[attrapereves]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

License plates change if the vehicle is registered in a different state.

And in some states, plates my change if you move to a different county. MO isn't one of these states.

I remember owning cars when I lived in France, the plates stayed with the vehicle.

[TX dude]

Plates stay with the vehicle here in Texas.

[attrapereves]

Originally Posted by TX dude

Plates stay with the vehicle here in Texas.

Interesting. So if you trade in your car at the dealer or sell it privately, you have to get a new set of plates?

[Okey Dokie]

In MO and KS, you keep the plate(s) and transfer them to your replacement car, or nail them up in your garage if you don't get another vehicle

[TX dude]

Originally Posted by attrapereves

Interesting. So if you trade in your car at the dealer or sell it privately, you have to get a new set of plates?

Weird, I just got the notification that there was a response, so sorry for the delay.

It depends.

A new car the dealer will register it for you and you'll pick up the plate from the dealer. If sold privately you'll still need to make the trip to the DMV to register it. But if there is a TX plate on that car, its yours regardless of where it was purchased from.

Plates are replaced every 7 years, so if you hang onto cars like I do, you get new ones when they send them to you at renewal time.