Buying a used car from a private seller?
Here's exactly what to do, step-by-step, to get insured and registered in Massachusetts.
Bought from a dealer instead? A dealer normally handles the registration and title work for you. Give them your agent's contact info and your policy number and you're mostly set. The rest of this page is for private sales.
(1) Get the right paperwork from the seller.
Do this before money changes hands. Chasing a seller down afterward is a bad afternoon.
You need:
The title, signed over to you by the seller
A bill of sale
Important to note: don't plan on driving it home the same day. A car you just bought is not automatically covered by your existing policy, and it isn't registered to you yet.
(2) Contact us before you go to the RMV.
This is the step people skip, and it's the one that sends them home from the RMV empty-handed.
Massachusetts requires an insurance stamp on your Registration and Title Application (the RMV-1 form) before the registry will process it. That stamp will come from an insurance agent. We do it here.
Have ready:
The vehicle identification number (VIN)
Year, make, and model
The seller's name and address
Your driver's license number
Whether the car is financed, and the lender's information if so
(3) Tell us if this replaces a car you already have.
Two different situations, two different conversations.
Adding a vehicle. You're keeping what you have and putting another car on the policy. Your premium changes and we'll tell you what it looks like before anything is finalized.
Replacing a vehicle. You bought this to replace a car you're selling. If you're selling the old one privately, there's a separate set of steps for that, including canceling the plates.
(4) Register at the RMV.
Once you have your stamped RMV-1, bring it to the RMV along with the title and your identification.
This one has to be done in person. Registering a newly acquired vehicle isn't something you can complete through the MyRMV portal.
Here’s helpful info.
URL opens in a new tab so you can come back to this page.
(5) Get the vehicle inspected.
Massachusetts requires a safety and emissions inspection on newly registered vehicles. Bring your registration and proof of insurance to an inspection station.
Buying a used car from out of state?
Same process, one extra wrinkle. You'll need the out-of-state title properly signed over, and depending on where the car came from, additional documentation.
Contact us before you buy if you can. It's easier to sort out in advance than after the car is in your driveway.
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