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8cuban t1_j9qzp9j wrote

It was a massive pain in the ass! It took the dealer weeks to sort it out, even with constant pestering and an “agent” working with the RMV.

And there’s no 7 day law or any kind of grace period. Your car has to leave the out of state dealership with your MA plates on it.

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northeasternlurker t1_j9r8wf4 wrote

That's not true. I bought my car in new York and left with NY plates. It was definitely a huge pain in the ass to transfer everything though

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mtmsm t1_j9td3sl wrote

They make it sound damn near impossible to switch a NY registration to MA, and neither state gives an F that their laws conflict with the other’s.

MA requires you to have MA insurance before you resister your car/get your MA plates. NY requires you to surrender your NY plates and registration before you cancel your NY insurance (if you don’t, they will suspend your license). MA does not issue temporary plates, and you must have plates on your car. There is no grace period for any of this. Some people have managed by temporarily holding two car insurance policies. I somehow managed without doing that, but rather switching everything on the same day and mailing the NY plates back the day I got my MA plates.

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Yakb0 OP t1_j9r389m wrote

https://www.mass.gov/how-to/transfer-your-registration-to-a-vehicle-or-trailer-purchased-from-an-individual#:~:text=Massachusetts%20allows%20a%20grace%20period%20of%20seven%20(7)%20calendar%20days,at%20least%2018%20years%20old

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dyqik t1_j9rkh00 wrote

From that, if you are not exchanging a vehicle for another of the same type:

"There is no grace period if you do not currently have a registered vehicle or trailer. The RMV does not issue temporary registration plates."

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RhaenyrasUncle t1_j9qwdps wrote

Immediately.

You cant register your new car until you get your new plates. You cant get insurance until your car is registered. So you will get your new plates before you do anything else.

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SpindriftRascal t1_j9rc8ww wrote

It is impossible to register a car in MA without first having insurance. The RMV-1 form requires proof of insurance before it is complete.

(In the old days, that proof was an actual ink stamp attested by the insurance agent. If you hear the phrase “insurance stamp,” that’s what they mean: proof of insurance. It’s mostly electronic now.)

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lilbitspecial t1_j9wqy9l wrote

RMV-1 is now an RTA form.

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SpindriftRascal t1_j9wx8e9 wrote

Oh, right. So RMV1 or RTA or whatever, I’m pretty sure the insurer has to certify it or whatever before the RMV registers the car.

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Yakb0 OP t1_j9qzp1z wrote

I'm referring to the time between purchasing the vehicle, and the dealer receiving the new plates. There's always going to be a few days delay in mailing the paperwork to the RMV. I'm wondering how long it takes them to process the paperwork and put the new plates in the mail.

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stack996 t1_j9rd5eu wrote

I bought a car from a dealership in Florida, drove up with a temporary FL tag. My MA registration came in the mail about 3 weeks after that, but I had to get another temporary tag from the dealership. The dealership was very on top of it though and they one-day shipped my new registration

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DunkinRadio t1_j9tx6yj wrote

If you're a MA resident, driving a car with temporary tags from FL is illegal.

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stack996 t1_j9u66ky wrote

Oops just looked it up and you are very right about that

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Nasboy t1_j9rdv2n wrote

I was thinking about doing this last year but decided not to go that out if state route. But if you have a dealer that is willing and friendly enough you can purchase the car and get the bill of sale (don't have the car registered/titled in the purchase state) that will have the VIN (needed to get auto insurance) and proof that you own the car. One you have insurance you can go to the RMV and regisure the car and get your plates.

Something to keep in mind is if the state that you are buying from does not do temp plates you definitely don't what the car registered out of state because they will want to collect taxes, then when you want to register it in MA they are also going to want to tax you since it was purchased within 6 months (pretty sure it's 6 months)

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LonelyAccountantCPA t1_j9rxgl4 wrote

I bought in CT and they sent me home same day with some dealer owned plates with the promise I would mail them back when I got mine in the mail. Seemed legit and the salesman said they do that a lot for MA customers. Plates took 1 week to get.

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sherbert141 t1_j9sakfh wrote

I paid for my car, had insurance lined up, and they got plates in less than a week. I did have to leave it with them from Sunday to Saturday so ultimately a ~6 day delay and required I get a 2nd ride to the dealership.

(bought in NH)

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maxsmom0821 t1_j9urfty wrote

I leased a car from a NH dealer during the pandemic (2020) and it took 12 days to get my MA registration.

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