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Location: The State of Rhode Island, Presented by Dunkin' Donuts
115 posts, read 377,677 times
Reputation: 50
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I want to register a car that my Dad (who is 90 and very frail) is going to sell me -- he lives in Massachusetts.
What documents do I need in order to title and register the car in RI? An important factor is that it isn't registered in MA right now -- it's been sitting in his garage for a couple of years.
If I show up at the RI DMV with just the MA title, filled in and signed (Dad as seller, me as buyer, with the price and mileage filled in), am I going to be able to put the car on the road? The car is a 1996, which I think (that is, hope) means I won't have to do the VIN check. But will I need a bill of sale in order for RI to recognize the sale and give me a... well, not a title, because they supposedly aren't titling vehicles more than 10 years old. This language is from the Web site:
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PLEASE NOTE: The DMV is currently titling vehicles that are 2001 and newer.Vehicles that are older than 10 years are not titled. The Registration Files section in the Pawtucket DMV branch can assist you in documenting the vehicle's information.
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That language does not exactly inspire confidence. I picture showing up at the DMV and having them say, "Sorry, but you need a notarized bill of sale, a VIN check receipt, and 62 other documents before we can register this car. Oh, and by the way, we're taking your MA title and arresting you for grand theft auto."
My dad is in such a weakened state that a lot of times, it's not even possible to have a conversation with him. At this point, on a good day, he might be able to sign his name -- but that's about it.
Any suggestions? What documents do I need, besides the signed MA title, to register the car in my name in RI?
I believe that you will have to do a VIN check on any car, regardless of its age or the conditions surrounding the sale, that is brought in from out of state.
Having bought several cars here over the years, I hope I can help -
I bought an off-lease car (2 years old) in suburban Massachusetts a few years ago and the dealer dropped the car off at my house when it was ready and agreed to handle all of the paperwork including the transfer registration, the title, etc., from Massachusetts.
As it turns out, because the car was coming from MA they had to show up in person at the DMV with everything, including things the web site said we didn't actually need because the car was not a private sale. One would think a new car dealership would be exempt from having to go through that process, but...
My advice is to get all documents ready, bill of sale, new registration form, VIN check, etc. even if they say you don't need it. Get everything signed in advance and filled out as completely as possible to save you having to return to your dad to get something else done.
That said, if it turns out you didn't do something correctly the personnel at the RI DMV are quite helpful and friendly (at least they were every time I've been there) and the waits in line if you have to actually go there aren't that bad. If you go to the DMV in Pawtucket, the VIN check location is very close by so you can do it on the same day/same time. Just make sure you read carefully how you are to pay for the VIN check because I think you can only pay a certain way, money order or something...
Location: The State of Rhode Island, Presented by Dunkin' Donuts
115 posts, read 377,677 times
Reputation: 50
Thanks for the input. I'm going to look into what gymnastics would be required if I wanted to put the car (back) on the road in MA, under my Dad's name. That would, among other things, make a VIN check easier (i.e., doable without towing the car 50 miles, or driving it illegally, just to have a grumpy guy climb on the back of a truck to look at the VIN -- which is kind of a joke anyway; the last time I did a VIN check, the guy had me climb on the truck and read him the VIN, which he checked against the title -- I could just as easily have memorized it and had a stolen bike on the truck!). One wrinkle is that the MA registration has probably either expired or been cancelled for lack of insurance. If that makes it impossible to re-register the car without my Dad appearing at the Registry in person (which is impossible -- he can't even get out of bed), we may have a problem. But we'll get it figured out, one way or another....
We are a couple marriage that just got our car from a private seller. My husband has a RI driver license, however me (his wife) i do have only the temporary license and my driving text is schedule for 4/17/2012. Can we both register the car under both name even if I (the wife) has a temporary driver license? I guess the insurance is not a problem because my husband has a license and we can get a Insurance binder under his name and myseflth listed as a driver.
I want to register a car that my Dad (who is 90 and very frail) is going to sell me -- he lives in Massachusetts.
What documents do I need in order to title and register the car in RI? An important factor is that it isn't registered in MA right now -- it's been sitting in his garage for a couple of years.
If I show up at the RI DMV with just the MA title, filled in and signed (Dad as seller, me as buyer, with the price and mileage filled in), am I going to be able to put the car on the road? The car is a 1996, which I think (that is, hope) means I won't have to do the VIN check. But will I need a bill of sale in order for RI to recognize the sale and give me a... well, not a title, because they supposedly aren't titling vehicles more than 10 years old. This language is from the Web site:
--------------------
PLEASE NOTE: The DMV is currently titling vehicles that are 2001 and newer.Vehicles that are older than 10 years are not titled. The Registration Files section in the Pawtucket DMV branch can assist you in documenting the vehicle's information.
---------------------
That language does not exactly inspire confidence. I picture showing up at the DMV and having them say, "Sorry, but you need a notarized bill of sale, a VIN check receipt, and 62 other documents before we can register this car. Oh, and by the way, we're taking your MA title and arresting you for grand theft auto."
My dad is in such a weakened state that a lot of times, it's not even possible to have a conversation with him. At this point, on a good day, he might be able to sign his name -- but that's about it.
Any suggestions? What documents do I need, besides the signed MA title, to register the car in my name in RI?
Urb
you will probably need to have an inspection done on the car before it is put on the road. You will also need a letter from your Dad saying he is selling it to you. Be warned they will not tax you on the sale price, but on the Blackbook value. The fact that it is a 1996 does not mean it has no value in respect to taxation.
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