Understanding Your Legal Responsibilities When Buying A Car
Purchasing a new car is always exciting. Most can't wait to get out on the road in the new ride and show it off to all of their family, friends and co-workers. However, buying a new car is about more than just signing the papers and sending the check. Individuals have a number of legal requirements they must satisfy after they purchase cars and before they can get out on the road. These include registering the car, getting its emissions tested in some locations and purchasing insurance. Different states require different types of insurance, but many require uninsured motorist property damage. Luckily, registering the car is typically easy, and there are a number of vendors who offer cheap car insurance.
First, vehicle registration is a necessity if people want to drive their cars or even keep them parked on their property. That's right, in most cases, drivers must have a valid registration to even park a car on a property. When an individual purchases his or her vehicle, he or she will usually get a temporary registration from the dealer. If an individual did not purchase from a dealer, he or she can typically go to a license branch and get a temporary license plate. If drivers don't do this, though, and are caught driving an unlicensed vehicle, they could face severe fines and other penalties while driving, depending on their state.
In all states, individuals must offer certain information before they can license their vehicle, including identification and information about the car. In some states and counties, individuals must also get emissions control tests. This means that the owner must ensure his or her vehicle is not putting too many pollutants into the atmosphere before he or she can get a registration document. If a car fails the test, its owners may have to have it repaired before you get the registration.
In addition to registering the car and getting an emissions control test in some states, a vehicle owner must purchase insurance when buying a new car in most states. If the car is new or used, an individual must purchase insurance, such as liability coverage and uninsured motorist property damage insurance. States set a minimum coverage amount, so while it is possible to get cheap car insurance, individuals must purchase insurance that at least meets the state minimum.
Getting a new car is exciting, but there are legal requirements associated with it. Some of those legal requirements include registering your vehicle and getting an optional emissions control test and purchasing insurance. Because each state has different laws regarding vehicle operation, vehicle owners should review their state's auto ownership rules.
