My days (daze?) at the DMV

[Dakota]

While the weather has been a bit chilly around here lately, I haven't been highly motivated to go out into the garage, so I thought I would finally make the commitment of getting a NY title for my Challenger.   Taking this step means I'd have to pay the sales tax of 8.75% based on the purchase price of the car – not exactly a priority given other part purchase needs but something that has to be done eventually.    Since we had another car that needed a registration renewal and my wife needed to get her license renewed, I figured this would be a good "3 for 1" special at the local Department of Motor Vehicles office.    My wife got a new temporary license (this becomes important later) and the registration renewal for our other car went fine.   The title thing on the Challenger....well... that got a little complicated.   What follows here is mostly a tale of how not to do things.   If you're familiar with the words that Arlo Guthrie speaks along with his singing on "Alice's Restaurant," you might even laugh a time or two while you read this.

Round 1:  We stop by the DMV office near the end of January.   Bad call.   There's a line of people at least 20 deep getting there whatever renewed before month end.    We turn around and head home.

Round 2:  We head back to the DMV at the beginning of a new month.   My wife and I wait in a line to get a numbered ticket and then wait for our number to be called.  While we're waiting, it dawns on me that I should add her name to the Challenger's title so that there will be less legal hassles if something unexpected happens to me.   She signs all of the co-owner spots while we're waiting.   After the wife's license and registration renewal are dealt with, I hand over the new title application form, an insurance ID card, a completed sales tax form, the old title, a picture of the cancelled check showing how much I paid for the Challenger and an appraisal for the car that has 8x10 glossy pictures with writin' on the back.  "I'm sorry sir, you have to have a Bill of Sale with the prior owner's signature on it before we can complete the title application.  Also, your wife's name needs to be on both the Bill of Sale and the insurance card if you want her name on the title."   So I head home and draft an oh-fish-al "Bill of Sale" document on my computer (you can tell it's an official document because I used big font for the words "Bill of Sale" across the top of the page) and email it to the previous owner.   Fortunately, the previous owner became my brother-in-law during the 5+ years that have passed since I bought the car.  I was able to get a scanned copy of the signed Bill of Sale overnight.   A quick call to the insurance agent and I have my wife's name added to the insurance card too.  No big deal.

Round 3:  I head back to the DMV (it's important to note the use of the word "I" instead of "we").   I wait in a line to get a numbered ticket to wait for the number to be called. Again.  I hand over the new title registration form, the updated insurance ID card, a completed sales tax form, the old title, the official-looking "Bill of Sale" document with the big font across the top of the page, a picture of the cancelled check showing how much I paid for the Challenger and an appraisal for the car that has 8x10 glossy pictures with writin' on the back.  "I'll need your driver's license sir, and a copy of your wife's license too."  Dang.   I have my license with me, but not hers.  I head home.  Again.

Round 4:  The next day, my wife gives me her temporary license and I head back to the DMV.  Again.  I wait in a line to get a numbered ticket to wait for the number to be called. Again.   I hand over my driver's license, my wife's temporary license, the new title application form, the updated insurance ID card, a completed sales tax form, the old title, the official-looking "Bill of Sale" document with the big font across the top of the page, a picture of the cancelled check showing how much I paid for the Challenger and an appraisal for the car that has 8x10 glossy pictures with writin' on the back.  "I'm sorry sir, but the temporary license isn't sufficient proof.  You need to bring in a copy or the actual license with her picture on it."   Double dang.   At my request, the nice lady behind the counter went through all of the paperwork to make sure everything else was in order.   With her official pen (you can tell it's official because it used red ink), she made a series of checkmarks, circles, slashes, initials and other official looking markings on my documentation with a final written comment that all was well except that I had to have both licenses.   

Round 5:  I head back to the DMV.  Again. I wait in a line to get a numbered ticket to wait for the number to be called. Again.   I hand over my driver's license, my wife's expired license with a nice picture of her, the new title registration form, the updated insurance ID card, a completed sales tax form, the old title, the official-looking "Bill of Sale" document with the big font across the top of the page, a picture of the cancelled check showing how much I paid for the Challenger and an appraisal for the car that has 8x10 glossy pictures with writin' on the back.   After much anticipation and an additional set of checkmarks, initials, slashes and other official looking notations with another red pen, I pay the sales tax and am rewarded with a shiny set of license plates and a window sticker to show that my Challenger is officially and legally registered in the State of NY.   There were handshakes, high fives and smiles all around by the people that had watched me suffer through this.   "When do I get the title?" I ask.   "Because of the age of your car, NY won't be issuing you a title.   If you sell the car, you just use the back of the registration card."  Oh.  After all this back and forth, I couldn't help but feel a little let down.   But hey, I got my plates. 

I want to be clear that the people at the DMV office were consistently friendly and only following the rules as they're written.  When that important moment comes to get the official proof that you (and in my case, my wife) own your E-Body in whatever form it's in, just make sure you do your homework on what's needed in terms of documentation.  Otherwise, you may end up writing a long post about how you spent way too much time waiting in lines.

Enjoy your day.

[Timbbuc2]

Wow, I have heard that story before, because it was ME!!!! But the lady at the DMV was a big help. I got a BOS from the guy I bought it from so I thought I was ok,BUT as you said you have to have a "official" BOS, so the lady at the DMV had a Alabama BOS that I had to carry to Georgia to have it filled out and signed (3 hour drive) when I returned to the DMV a different lady wanted a past registration for the car, heck it may have been 20 - 25 years since it was on the road. So she ran the vin and it had been so long that it was not in the system. With that situation she gave me my tags
So now it is in my name and my wifes of course.
My advice is before you pay up for a car go to your local DMV and see what they need, every state may be different. I was lucky to get mine on trip 2

[Cuda Cody]

All that ans no title?     But at least you got it done and have plates!   

[Spikedog08]

Every State is different . . . Michigan will give you a return slip that you can use to jump to the beginning of the current line.  That is helpful when you forget something and need to return.  I personally have waited up to 3 hours to get things completed at the DMV.  Not a lot of fun . . . Certainly use the renew by mail option when ever possible . . .

[RUNCHARGER]

It's really getting burdensome. I try to buy stuff with local registration now but it's pretty hard to find anything interesting local.

[superdave]

I'm not looking forward to that trip. Gave me a flashback to highschool... I had a personalized/vanity plate (H2OSKI , one of my other passions in life). So it's  time to renew and I walk in with all my paperwork in hand and hear "I'm sorry we can't give you that plate it has already been issued."      All I could say was "Yeah, to me! Here is the paperwork." I don't recall how it all went down but I did end up with a different version of my own plate after that trip.  

[Jay Bee]

Wow, just wow! You must hold the record for return trips. Thank God there wasn't a Round 6.

[340challconvert]

New Jersey car registration renewals can be done on line, driver's license renewals MUST be done in person with proof of identity (thanks to fraud and terrorism)
Anything else, you face the long lines and possible multiple trips.