It is a rule in all countries that your vehicle must be licensed if you want to drive it. However, these rules are not the same in each country. There are many differences when it comes to regulations, duration of the registration, requirements, price, legal age, and more.
For example, you won’t be able to register a car that comes from the US in Europe so easily. Before that, the car must be upgraded to fit into some regulations there. For example, to have different turning lights, speedometer, and more.
Moreover, registration is a process that you will have to deal with every year. Therefore, it is very important to learn more about it before you get your first car. The great option is that you can now finish this process online, by using www.swift-tags.com.
Keep in mind that the officials are updating some terms from time to time and that it is crucial to stay up to date with these changes so you can avoid penalties and other issues. Here are some tips that will help you to understand the process of registration.
1. Learn More About the Reasons Why Plates Are Necessary
It is quite simple to understand why all types of vehicles require registration and plates. The first reason is safety. If someone steals your car, it will be easy for the police to find it by simply tracking the license plate.
On the other hand, whenever you break some rule on the road like speeding, using your phone, or not wearing a seatbelt can be penalized even if there are no police around you. Keep in mind that cameras are being installed all over the US, and there are more and more roads covered by them. Therefore, think twice next time you want to hit the pedal and enjoy a faster drive.
2. It Provides Basic Information
Each plate must be unique with a specific combination of letters, numbers, and other symbols. These characters represent a code for your vehicle and some basic info like the state and city where the car is registered. Also, you can drive only one vehicle with your plate. It represents proof that you own the car. Moreover, it is not possible to sell your car if you don’t have one. Besides that, there is no way to claim the insurance as well without it.
3. There are Different Methods
We are going to start with a very important feature related to the registration process. When you buy a car, you will have to pay a tax after completing the registration. There are different methods of getting the license plate. The most common is through a dealership and the official Department of Motor Vehicles.
The first option is much easier since you can avoid waiting in lines and dealing with complicated documents. The dealership will provide you with all the necessary information and tell you which papers to get so you can complete the process in the shortest time.
The advantage is that you can finish everything in their office without any need for visiting official institutions. This makes it much easier when compared to many other countries where you will have to visit some official instance to get your plates.
On the other side, if you want to buy a used car or import a vehicle on your own, it is required to go through a more complicated process that involves an official department. It is crucial to collect all documents so you can make this process faster.
The main requirements are to bring the document related to basic information about the vehicle, and a contract between you and the seller so they can determine the amount of money you have to pay in taxes. Also, you must bring the paper that proves that you have proper insurance, along with your valid license.
4. Collect All Documents
The biggest mistake you can make is to apply for getting the plate, and realize that you have one paper missing when you arrive in the line. It will make this process even more frustrating and struggling considering that lines are already very long all the time. Therefore, you will save a lot of time and energy if you focus and prepare everything in advance.
Therefore, you should start with the application. After you fill out the paper, be sure to include documents like insurance, license, contract with the seller, proof of citizenship, residence, and ID. Also, keep in mind that these requirements might be different from state to state, which means that you might need some additional documents as well.
5. Never Forget the Expiry Date
Another very important thing that you should keep in mind that is you will need to get through this process every year. There are some rules in certain states where you can wait for three years after getting your first plate.
Make sure to never be late with the renewal since it will include additional fees and penalties. If the police stop your vehicle on the road while you are driving with expired plates, the penalty can be over $1,000.
The Bottom Line
Learning more about this process will also help you to avoid potential scams. There is a registry where you can easily learn more about the history of some cars by simply checking the license plate. For example, a seller might try to hide that the car was in a serious road accident.
Also, it prevents people from stealing vehicles, and even if they try that, it will be quite simple for the police to track the car. The interesting fact is that a lot of people are interested in personalized plates where you can pay more so you can drive a car with some specific combination of symbols that you can choose for fun or as a promotion of your business. There are some other rules related to the plates well. For example, the ability to keep the same plate after selling your car and then using it on another vehicle.
