When I was a kid, I lived in a place where if you wanted to buy a used car from someone, you had to first go to the County Clerk’s office to get temporary tags so that you could legally drive the car.
Then, when I moved to California, I was surprised to find out that you just drove the car without plates.
In reality, if you just bought a car without licence plates, you might not know if you can drive it because the laws in each state are different.
So, I looked up the laws in each state so you don’t have to!
Read on to find out how you can legally drive a new car without a licence plate.
Can I Drive A Car I Just Bought Home With No Plates Or Registration?
Yes, in most states you can drive a car you just bought home without a licence plate or registration. However, most states only let you do this legally for three days after you buy the car.
In all 50 states, you need the car’s title and proof of insurance to follow the law.
It’s important to remember that each state has different rules about this, and you may not be able to drive in your state without a licence plate or registration.
Your car needs to be registered with the local Department of Motor Vehicles before it can be driven on the street (DMV).
When you register a car in most states, you get temporary tags made of paper for the car.
Temporary tags are also called temporary licence plates, and you have to put them on your car until your permanent plates come.
A temporary licence plate is usually good for 30 days, but in some states it is longer and in others it is shorter.
How Long Can I Drive A Car I Just Bought With No Plates Or Registration?
In most states, you can only drive a car legally for 3 days without a licence plate or registration.
If this is your first car, you might not know that when you buy someone else’s car, the seller keeps the licence plate.
No matter what, the seller should never let you drive the car with their licence plate on it while you wait for your own.
If you want to know what the time limit is in your part of the United States, just scroll down and find your state in the list.
We’ve put together information about how long you can drive without a licence plate in each state, how much temporary licence plates cost in each state, and how long a temporary licence plate is good for.
Alabama
In Alabama, you don’t need plates or registration to drive a car you just bought.
The bill of sale is all you need to legally drive the car.
Within 20 days of buying the car, you must register it and get permanent plates.
In Alabama, a temporary licence plate is valid for 20 days and costs $2.25.
Alaska
It is against the law in Alaska to drive a new car without plates or registration.
If you just bought a car in Alaska and don’t have plates for it yet, you must first get a trip permit from your local DMV office.
Within 30 days of buying the car, you must register it and get permanent plates.
Temporary plates from dealers are only good for 60 days.
In Alaska, a temporary licence plate is valid for 30 days and costs $15.
Arizona
In Arizona, you don’t need plates or registration to drive a car you just bought.
Within 30 days of buying the car, you must register it and get permanent plates.
You will be able to drive with a 30-Day General Use Permit while you wait for your permanent plates.
The 30-Day General Use Permit is an Arizona temporary licence plate that costs $15 and is good for 30 days.
Arkansas
In Arkansas, it is against the law to drive a new car without a licence plate or temporary tag.
If you are caught driving without plates or temporary tags in Arkansas, it is a misdemeanour.
In Arkansas, it costs $17 to register your car so that you can legally drive it.
You should bring your bill of sale with you to the DMV.
California
In California, you don’t need plates or registration to drive a car you just bought.
Within 90 days of buying the car, the state requires you to register it and get permanent plates.
In California, while you wait for your permanent plates, you get a temporary registration that you should put in the window of your car.
In California, a temporary tag costs $50.
Colorado
In Colorado, if you just bought a car from a dealer, you can drive it around without plates or registration.
In Colorado, temporary tags can be used for up to 60 days.
If you bought the car from someone else, you need to get plates and register it before you can drive it.
Connecticut
In Connecticut, if you buy a temporary moving permit, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration if you don’t have them.
Temporary registration for a car in Connecticut costs $21 and is good for only 10 days.
Delaware
In Delaware, if you buy a temporary tag, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration if you don’t have them yet.
Temporary registration for a car in Delaware costs $2 and is good for only 5 days.
Florida
In Florida, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration as long as you have the bill of sale and proof of insurance with you.
In this state, you can drive a car that you just bought for 30 days without a licence plate.
Or, you can pay $15 in Florida for a temporary licence plate that lets you drive for 30 days.
Georgia
In Georgia, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration as long as you have the bill of sale and proof of insurance with you.
In Georgia, though, you can only drive without a licence plate for a week.
Hawaii
Without plates or registration, you can’t drive a car you just bought in Hawaii.
The catch-22 is that you have to take the car to a smog inspection centre in order to get it registered and get permanent plates.
On your way to get the car inspected, you might get pulled over and given a ticket telling you to get plates for the car.
Idaho
In Idaho, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration as long as you have the bill of sale and proof of insurance with you.
In Idaho, you can drive without a licence plate for up to 30 days. After that, you’ll have to pay a $20 fine.
Illinois
In Idaho, if you get a Temporary Registration Permit, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration if you don’t have them yet (TRP).
In Illinois, the cost of the TRP is $10.
When you get temporary tags in Illinois, they are good for anywhere from 7 to 90 days.
Indiana
You can’t drive a car you just bought in Indiana if it doesn’t have plates or registration.
You need a temporary permit instead, which is only good for 96 hours.
This temporary permit costs $3 in Indiana.
You can also ask your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) about 30-day permits in Indiana.
Iowa
In Iowa, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration as long as you have the bill of sale and proof of insurance with you.
You can only do this legally for 45 days, though, and you should get a temporary tag.
After 45 days, the state will charge you a 15 percent fee for registering your car late.
In Iowa, it costs $10 for a temporary licence plate.
Kansas
In Kansas, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration, but you need to get a temporary licence plate from the DMV.
In Kansas, temporary licence plates are good for 30 days.
In Kansas, temporary licence plates cost $13.
Kentucky
In Kentucky, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration, but you need to get a temporary licence plate from the DMV.
Temporary tags for cars in Kentucky can be used for 30 days.
In Kentucky, temporary licence plates cost $2.
You can only drive without a licence plate for 15 days after you have registered your car.
Louisiana
In Louisiana, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration, but you need to get a temporary licence plate from the DMV.
In Louisiana, temporary licence plates are good for 60 days.
Maine
In Maine, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration, but you need to get a temporary 10-day transit plate from the DMV.
In Maine, a 10-day transit plate costs $25 and is only good for 10 days.
Once you get the transit plate, the law says you have to keep the permit in the car at all times.
The Maine 10-day transit permit has restrictions on where and how you can drive, and if you get caught driving outside of those areas, you could be fined anywhere from $25 to $200.
Maryland
In Maryland, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration, but you need to get a temporary registration from the DMV.
In the state of Maryland, temporary licence plates are good for 30 days.
In Maryland, a temporary tag costs $20.
Massachusetts
You can’t drive a car you just bought without plates in Massachusetts until you register it at the DMV.
If the car is new to you or was given to you, you can drive it for 10 days without plates.
There are no temporary tags in Massachusetts, but you can drive a car with temporary tags from another state.
Michigan
In Michigan, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration as long as you have the bill of sale or title and proof of insurance with you.
But if you don’t get a temporary registration permit, you can only drive without plates for 3 days.
In Michigan, you can drive a car without plates for 30 or 60 days if you have a temporary registration permit.
In Michigan, a 30-day temporary tag costs $20 and a 60-day temporary tag costs $40.
Minnesota
In Minnesota, you need a temporary permit from the DMV to drive a car you just bought without plates.
In Minnesota, a temporary vehicle permit lets you drive without a licence plate for 21 days.
In Minnesota, a temporary tag costs $26.
Mississippi
In Mississippi, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration as long as you have the bill of sale or title and proof of insurance with you.
In Mississippi, the law says that you can drive a car you just bought home for 7 days without plates.
The state gives you an extra 30 days to get permanent plates for your car.
In Mississippi, temporary licence plates cost $5.
Missouri
In Missouri, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration as long as you have the bill of sale or title and proof of insurance with you.
The state gives you an extra 30 days to get permanent plates for your car.
If you don’t register your car and get plates for it within 30 days, you’ll be fined $25.
In Missouri, you can buy a short-term licence plate.
In Missouri, temporary licence plates cost $11.
Montana
In Montana, if you have a temporary registration permit, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration as long as you have the permit.
In Montana, a temporary registration permit can be used for up to 40 days.
In Montana, temporary tags cost $19.50.
Nebraska
In Nebraska, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration as long as you have the bill of sale or title and proof of insurance with you.
But that’s only true on the day you drive your new car home.
After that, you need a temporary registration permit to drive the car legally without plates.
In Nebraska, the temporary registration permit is good for 30 days.
In Nebraska, temporary licence plates cost $20.
Nevada
In Nevada, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration as long as you have the bill of sale or title and proof of insurance with you.
But that’s only true on the day you drive your new car home.
After that, you need a temporary moving permit to drive the car legally in Nevada without plates.
Nevada’s temporary registration permit is good for 30 days, but there are also permits that are good for 60 days.
In Nevada, temporary licence plates cost $1.
New Hampshire
You can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration in New Hampshire as long as you have the bill of sale or title and proof of insurance with you.
But that’s only true on the day you drive your new car home.
After that, you need a temporary registration permit in New Hampshire to drive the car legally without plates.
In the state of New Hampshire, the temporary registration permit is good for 20 days.
In New Hampshire, temporary tags cost $10.
New Jersey
Without a licence plate, you can’t legally drive a car you just bought in New Jersey.
You must get a temporary tag from the DMV before you can drive the car.
If you try to drive without a licence plate, the police can stop you and give you a ticket with a fine.
In the state of New Jersey, a temporary registration permit is good for 30 days.
In New Jersey, temporary licence plates cost $5.
New Mexico
If you have a temporary registration permit, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration in New Mexico.
In New Mexico, a temporary registration permit is good for up to 30 days.
In New Mexico, you have to pay $5 for every two days that you need a temporary tag to be valid.
New York
If you have a temporary in-transit registration permit, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration in New York.
In New York, the temporary registration permit is good for up to 30 days.
In New York, temporary tags cost $12.50.
North Carolina
In North Carolina, you can drive a car you just bought for 3 days without plates or registration before you have to go to the DMV and register it.
Once you’ve signed up, you’ll get temporary tags that are good for 10 days.
In North Carolina, temporary tags cost $10.
North Dakota
In North Dakota, you can drive a new car for 5 days without plates or registration before you have to go to the DMV and register it.
Once you’ve signed up, you’ll get temporary tags that are good for 30 days.
In North Dakota, temporary tags cost $5.
Ohio
In Ohio, if you have a temporary registration permit, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration as long as you have the permit.
In Ohio, temporary tags are only good for 30 days.
In Ohio, temporary tags cost between $15 and $20.
Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration for 5 days before you have to register it at the DMV, as long as you have the bill of sale or title and proof of insurance with you.
Dealers in this state are the only ones who can sell temporary tags, which are good for 30 days.
Oregon
In Oregon, if you have a temporary trip permit, you can drive a car you just bought without plates or registration as long as you have the permit.
In Oregon, temporary tags can be used for up to 21 days.
In Oregon, temporary licence plates cost $33.
Find out more here.
Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, if you have temporary plates, you can drive a car you just bought but don’t have plates or registration for.
In Pennsylvania, temporary tags can be used for up to 30 days.
In Pennsylvania, temporary tags cost $20.
Final Word
As you can see, each state’s law is different about how long you can drive a new car without licence plates.
So, don’t take a chance, because the police could give you a fine.
Check the rules in your state with our state-by-state guide above before you drive without a licence plate or registration.
