How to Buy a Car in Another State

Occasionally, we get questions from prospective out-of-state car buyers about our inventory, and there seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding the process of buying a car in another state. If you’re wondering, “can I buy a car out of state?”, read our guide on buying a car out of state, and the book an appointment to schedule for a test drive in Minot at a Ryan Family Dealerships dealership. Don’t forget to apply for pre-approval!

Registering a Car Bought in Another State

Ryan Family Dealerships typically serves customers from Minot, ND, but we’re more than equipped to help those drivers buying a car out of state who’ve found a great deal on our lot. Buying a car in another state is less tricky than you would think. The main thing to consider when determining how to buy a car in another state is how it changes the registration process. You’ll simply need to gather a few documents from the out-of-state dealer and take them to your local DMV, so you can get your car registered in your home state. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Request a bill of sale from the dealer with a clearly stated purchase price for what you paid. Then use DMV Near Me to determine where your local DMV is.
2. Before you head over, gather the following documents::
   1. Bill of sale
   2. Completed application for vehicle transaction form
   3. Title of the vehicle signed by the previous owner
   4. Lienholders’ names and address
   5. Filled out odometer disclosure state for title transfer
   6. Tax Form RUT-50 Private Party Vehicle Tax Transaction
   7. Registration Fees
   8. Proof of insurance
   9. Proof of residency

Finally, you’ll want to tell the DMV clerk that you purchased the vehicle out of state and would like to title and register it to your address. From here:

1. The clerk will give you back your bill of sale, keep the out-of-state title, and request that you pay the difference in sales tax.
2. You’ll then simply wait for the new title to arrive in the mail.

Taxes and Fees on Out-of-State Cars

Every state has its unique tax regulations, so as you can imagine, the sales tax in Williston, ND, could be lower or higher than it is in your home state. This may sound like a loophole by which you’re able to save some money, however, you’ll have to pay the difference in sales tax when you register your car at the DMV in your home state. Furthermore, the differences in DMV processing fees for a new car are so negligible that they’re probably not worth your consideration.

Have More Questions About How to Buy a Car in Another State?

While Ryan Family Dealerships traditionally serves drivers from , if you’re from Montana, you saw something like in our inventory, and you’ve been wondering, “Can I buy a car out of state?”, head on over. The steps to buying a car out of state are surprisingly simple. The first step to buying a car in another state is to call our sales staff at %%di_phone_number%%. We’ll refresh you on the other steps as we move through the car buying journey. Speaking of which, if you have other questions about car shopping, be sure to explore our car buying tips for more informative reads about determining good mileage for a used car and more!