New Jersey Vehicle Registration

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New Jersey Vehicle Registration: Complete Guide

New Jersey Vehicle RegistrationPurchasing a motor vehicle must be done with utmost diligence and prudence. At the end of the deal, you either get a constant source of headache or the smoothest ride of your life. Always look up the VIN to get a history check of the car that you are buying. Make sure that it is not a stolen car nor was it ever involved in a major accident.

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If you are in New Jersey, it is necessary that you register your car with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC). How the necessary paperwork is handled depends on the seller you are dealing with. Dealerships will add charges for processing, whilst private sellers may only need to provide the signatures needed to turn over the car officially.

Check out all the information you need here at VINCheck.info if you want to:

New Jersey License Plates

New Jersey License PlateNewly-registered vehicles in New Jersey are provided with two license plates. They must be displayed at the front and rear end, regardless if the unit is being driven or not.

License plates are used for identification purposes. They serve as codes which the law enforcement uses to identify the vehicle owner in MVC records. The registration stickers on the license plates must be up to date to serve as proof that they are valid and not expired.

If your license plates have been stolen, mutilated, damaged, or lost; it is your responsibility to report to the law enforcement. Get in touch with a motor vehicle agency to request replacement plates. You may also need to surrender your old plates when you receive a new set of plates.

Requirements:

General Registration Requirements for New Jersey Registration

If you are from out of state, you must register within 60 days of entering New Jersey, or before your driver’s license and registration expire. A temporary permit will be needed for non-residents to transfer their newly-acquired New Jersey vehicles to their home state.

Main Requirements:

Additional Documents the New Jersey MVC may require:

  • Notarized Bill of Sale
  • Registration

Documents that may be asked for upon meeting some conditions:

  • Power of Attorney (if the applicant is not the same as owner)
  • Dealer reassignment documentation
  • Lienholder Information (if there is a pending financial obligation on the car)
  • Financing Statement
  • Motor Vehicle Commission EIN (if purchaser is a business)
  • Pencil tracing or Photograph of the VIN plate
  • Notarized Seller Statement w/ Year of Manufacture, Make, VIN and Selling Price

Prepare payment for the following:

  • $60 – $110 Title Fee
  • Registration Fee (varies by vehicle type)
  • Sales Tax Fee (varies)

New Jersey Residents with Out-of-State Vehicles

You can mail the documents below before entering the state. You may do this if you want to register your vehicle from out of state, without needing to visit a motor vehicle agency.

Requirements:

  • Ownership Document(s), such as:
    • Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (if the vehicle is a brand new purchase)
    • Current Title
    • Current Registration

Mail your payment and requirements to:

Out of State/Government Unit
P.O. Box 016
Trenton, NJ 08666-0016

New Jersey Temporary Permit

You may request a 30-day temporary permit to take your New Jersey-registered vehicle in any part of the country. You may also use it to take a New Jersey vehicle to your home state.

Requirements:

  • New Jersey Title written under applicant’s name as owner
  • Valid Proof of Out-Of-State Address
  • Valid Proof of Insurance
  • $5 Fee
  • Valid Proof of Ownership

Vehicle Registration Renewal in New Jersey

Owners are encouraged to renew their vehicle registration prior to the due date. The MVC will send you a registration renewal notice days before it expires.

You must renew your vehicle registration in person at the local MVC office if your renewal notice directs you to. Make sure your identification contains your latest picture and has not expired.

Requirements for online renewal:

  • 9-digit PIN on Registration Renewal Notice
  • Proof of Valid ID:
    • Driver’s License
    • Birth Certificate
    • Passport
    • Others
  • Payment to cover your renewal fees (debit/credit card)

Requirements when renewing in-person at an authorized agency:

  • Registration Renewal Notice, or
    • Vehicle Identification Number
  • Registration Renewal document
  • Insurance card, including
    • Company Name
    • Policy Number
  • License Plate Number
  • Proof of Valid ID:
    • Driver’s License
    • Birth Certificate
    • Passport
    • Others
  • Power of Attorney (if the applicant is registering on the owner’s behalf)
  • Payment to cover your renewal fees (cash, money order/checks payable to NJMVC, credit/debit card)

Requirements when renewing by mail:

  • Registration Renewal Notice
  • Return envelope (to contain your notice)
  • Payment to cover your renewal fees (cash, money order, checks payable to NJMVC, credit or debit card)
  • Payment to cover your renewal fees (check or money order payable to NJMVC)

Registering a Salvage/Rebuilt-titled Vehicle in New Jersey

A vehicle is deemed ‘salvaged’ by the MVC if it was declared a ‘total loss’ by the insurance provider. Once the ‘salvage’ title is granted, the car ceases to be legally operable.

If a salvage-titled vehicle is restored to a condition that satisfies the state’s standard for roadworthiness, the unit can be applied for a ‘rebuilt’ title.

As with other cars, the corresponding registration requirements will apply if the owner decides to re-register it. It must be repaired and be inspected by a competent authority.

The owner must also take pictures of the vehicle before and after repairs. He or she must take shots of all sides of the unit.

Earning a ‘rebuilt’ title will restore the previous rights and privileges associated with the car. It will be issued with license plates, sticker and other documents from the MVC.

Requirements to get a New Jersey Salvage Title

  • New Jersey Title, including:
    • Remarks indicating insurance company assignment
    • Valid New Jersey Sales Tax Stamp
  • Salvage Title Application Form (Form ISM/SS-61)
  • Payment for associated fee(s):
    • $60 Title Fee
    • $25 Penalty Fee (if applicable)
  • Insurance Listing Sheet (BA-28)
  • Written Statement of Insurance Company on:
    • Ownership Acquisition
    • Actual Cash Value
    • Type of Loss
    • Damage Estimate
    • Model Year
    • Make
    • Serial/VIN Number
  • Proof of Lien Release (if applicable)

Requirements to get a New Jersey Rebuilt Title:

  • OS/SS-3 Copy
  • New Jersey Salvage Title
  • Bill of Sale(s) for replaced major parts
  • Before and After Photographs
  • Work Order (showing all repairs made
  • VIN numbers of new/used parts w/ detailed description
  • Damage Report by Insurer (if applicable)
  • Theft Report (if applicable)

How Do I Change My Address with New Jersey MVC?

To request a change of address on your vehicle’s MVC records, you must submit these documents:

Online (database change only):

  • Driver License/ID number
  • Social Security Number

In-person:

  • Proof(s) of Valid ID
  • Proof of Address
  • Payment for $11 Change Fee
  • Payment for Duplicate Registration with updated address ($5)

How to Transfer a Vehicle

Passing the ownership to another person requires the cooperation of both the buyer and seller. Depending on the situation, some requirements may be requested additionally for authentication. Ownership transfer can be processed at an appropriate motor vehicle agency.

Seller Requirements:

  • Surrender the current license plates to the motor vehicle agency, or
    • Assign the license plates to another unit the seller owns
  • Completed Seller Section of the Title
  • Bill of Sale, including details on:
    • Buyer’s Name
    • Buyer’s Address
    • Date of Sale
    • Mileage
    • Posted Price

Buyer/Recipient Requirements

  • Completed Buyer Section of the Title
  • Vehicle Registration Application Form (BA-49)
  • Payment for the $25 penalty fee (if applicable)

Other documents that the MVC may require:

Death of Owner

The vehicle of the recently deceased owner can be operated for 30 days after the formal declaration of death.

If a written will is completed prior to death, it must be brought along with these documents to an authorized office to process successorship:

  • Properly Signed Title
  • Death Certificate Copy
  • Notarized Affidavit (BA-62)
  • Surrogate’s Short Certificate
  • Driver’s License or
    • Other Valid Proof(s) of Identification
  • Other Ownership Documents (if applicable)
  • Entity Identification Form (if applicable)
  • Payment for appropriate fees:
    • $60 – $85 Title Fee
    • $4.50 Registration Transfer Fee (if applicable)

If the owner dies without a will, the following documents must be submitted in addition to the above files:

  • Affidavit of Surviving Spouse/Domestic Partner/Civil Union Partner
  • Affidavit of Next Kin

We hope that this guide will help you register your car in New Jersey. Although each and every circumstance may require a different process and procedure, the steps to be followed and the documentary requirements are almost identical.