[Hopes]

If I decide to buy a car in Vermont, I'm curious about what to expect.

In Pennsylvania, the dealership handles all of the paperwork for registration and plates.

If buying private, we go to a notary and the notary handles the title transfer, registration and plates.

I just want to be prepared.

Does Vermont have a similar one stop painless process? Or will I need to go to different places to finalize the deal.

Please tell me everything about the process in Vermont from start to finish. Every single detail in the car buying process.

Everything including insurance requirements, temp plates/perm plates, what happens since I don't have a permanent Vermont address, etc.

Thanks!

[Chadd1014]

You go to the DMV pay your registration fee,sales tax,etc. You can also do it by mail and it doesn't matter what address you use,instate or out of state.

Registering Your Vehicle For The First Time In Vermont | Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles

Go to your insurance company and your set.

[Hopes]

Thanks.

It says registration plates are mailed. Does that mean you can't drive a car off the dealership lot the day you buy it?

The form says "Vermont Driver License No." Does that mean a Vermont drivers license is necessary for purchasing a vehicle in Vermont?

Also, is everything (DMV, Dealerships, etc.) closed from Thanksgiving through Sunday?

What about the Monday after Thanksgiving? In my area, many places are closed on Monday due to the opening of buck season.


I'm trying to figure out how quickly after paying cash for a vehicle that it can be driven.

I want to arrive in Vermont, buy a vehicle, and return to home shortly afterwards.

If it's a long process, I'll buy one in my home state, but that will be a PITA because then I'll have to take a train or fly home.

Plus, for some strange reason, used cars are significantly cheaper in Vermont than in my metro area.

[ncnittany]

Hopes~Their seems to me some confusion. If you live in Pa and are buying the car out of state, you do not register the car where you buy it, but rather, your home state, which sounds like Pa. After buying the car (private or from a dealer) you will return home with your notarized title and a bill of sale, which you will take to the Pa DMV. The VT dealer should issue you some type of temp tag to get back to Pa.

What are your living arrangements? I am still confused about what you are trying to accomplish.

[vter]

Agreed with the above - if you are not a permanent VT resident I'm pretty darn sure you can't register a vehicle in Vermont.
As mentioned above, if you buy a vehicle here you can bring it back to PA and register it there. The dealer will help you with temp tags.
If you are a VT resident and you buy a car at a dealer then yes, they will do all the DMV paperwork for you (if you want them to-you can always do it yourself) . At least the dealers I buy cars from!
Car dealers will be open this weekend. Deer season is underway here already and car dealers (new ones anyway) don't close for opening day!.

[Hopes]

Great responses. These are the types of problems I need to know about ahead of time.

The car isn't for me. It's for someone moving to Vermont.

So, if someone moves to Vermont, they can't buy a car until they are officially permanent residents of Vermont?

What about people who have second residences in Vermont? They can't buy a car there?

A car can be bought here if that's the best way to go. Then I'll have to fly home after helping with the move.

It would be a darn shame if it's not possible because, as I said, used car prices are significantly cheaper in Vermont.

Thousands can be saved buying up there instead of here.

Glad I started this thread. I suspected there would be problems.

I need to know the process ahead of time so the best decision can be made.

I don't want to get up there planning to buy a car, and then suddenly have to leave MY car up there because it can't be done.

[vter]

Anyone can buy a car in Vermont regardless of where you live. You just can't register a car in Vermont if you don't live there. You register a car in the state of your official residence. Like mentioned above, you can buy a car in Vermont, drive it back to PA and register it there. Second home owners can buy cars here but they register them in their home state.
Can you wait until the person has officially moved here to buy the car?

[Hopes]

I just called a dealership and was told the following:

No drivers license is required whatsoever to buy a car in Vermont.

No proof of residency is required either, just provide the address of where you will be living.

No insurance is required for registration either.

They do all of the paperwork. You take it to the DMV. DMV hands you a permanent plate.

I'm leary of what I was told though. It sounds too good to be true.

[square peg]

The fellow who owns the house across the road from me lives in the D.C. area and stays at his 2nd home here about 1-3 months out of the year. He keeps a car here and it has VT plates. Sorry, he's not here in VT right now. Otherwise, I'd ask him.

Be careful of buying a VT used car. They cost less here for a reason - they depreciate faster. There isn't a state that is harder on vehicles that VT. With potholes the size of bathtubs and the state's excessive use of road salt, a car's life expectancy is greatly shortened here. I usually buy my cars in MA or CT.

[vter]

Here it the "moving to Vermont" info on the DMV registry.

Moving To Vermont | Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles