OK; I just bought me a truck last nite via Ebag; its in WI, Im in IL. I've never brought a vehicle in from out of state. I've bought enuf vehicles over the years, and have been with State Farm long enuf to know how to deal with them; as long as I call them w/in 30 days, I'm good.
BUT; as far as title transfer, can I just throw the plates on from my 97 that I sold, (still registered to that one, but not yet expired) drive it home on them and worry about the transfer on this end, or do i have to find a DMV there, before I cross the state line or what; do I have to turn in the WI title, in WI, and do they have to do the ownership and state transfer paperwork on that end?

I have dealt with title transfers in California, Oregon, Michigan and Florida and in all 4 of these the changes were done in the state I was living in at the time. You don't have to put your plates on it unless there are no plates on it when you pick it up, unless you call DMV in both states to check on their laws regarding this and they tell you differently. You can also check with the DMV on how long from the date of sale you have to change the title over. It makes more sense for the state you are going to have the vehicle in to deal with the changes since most of them want the old title turned in to them before they issue a new one.

If the tags are expired on the truck you should be able to get a trip permit to make the drive home legal. You'll need to have some kind of paperwork (title , bill of sale, etc) showing you have an interest in the vehicle to do so. After you get home take the WI title to your local DMV and get a new IL title and registration. If you don't have a WI title and it was last titled in WI you have to get a title from WI before IL will help you.

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Joshua

I have heard that in some states, when you sell a vehicle, as long as it remains in the same state, the plates stay on the car and they change the name attatched to them.
Here, they register the plates to you, and when someone else takes ownership, they get different plates in their name for that same vehicle. If I drove away with a IL registered vehicle not registered to me, and get pulled over, being that my name don't match the name that comes up in the DMV attatched to those plates, they'll think I stole the car. I'm not sure how WI does it; but I have a set of valid, not yet expired plates in my name; but still registered to my old 97. I have to either order new plates OR transfer these ones I have, to the 83. They are only good for another 6 weeks, before having to be renewed but as of today it'll cost me $13 to transfer vs $78 for new. (it'll cost me $78 to renew em next month, if I transfer them, which I might do, anyway, since I still know that number) Title transfer and "use tax" are extra; ain't that a crock; they charge us an additional "use tax" when 1st registering a vehicle in our name; I thought that was the whole reason for having license plates in the 1st place!
The seller has the WI title in his name, free and clear (or so he says) so "getting" a title should not be a problem; I just need to switch it over to an IL title in my name.

Don, as long as you have a clear title you should have no issues getting an IL title. You just surrender the old title just like you're transferring an IL title.

For the drive home just have the title with you and you should be good. Unless you are doing something really stupid the cops probably won't bother you.

I have bought a gazillion cars and some from out of state. I have never gotten any kind of trip permit. I always call my insurance agent before the trip to let him know what I am doing. That way if something bad happens on the way home I am covered.

When I bought my new bike in March I had insurance on it a week before I owned it.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

Dennis, Thats about what I figured. I talked to an old buddy today, career center auto shop teacher, former co worker from Sears auto center days; he said something about a "drive away permit" for $25-40. then just register/transfer everything once home; My thoughts are like yours; bring my old '97 plates screw em on there and drive home; I am working on borrowing a tow dolly so we can drive the Cherokee up and tow it home behind the truck so I don't have to pay for gas for both coming home. I investigated UHaul, and especially with gas prices dropping so fast it would be cheaper to just drive em both than to rent their dolly. I'm heading up there next Sat; nite, (after the kid gets off work; gotta stay over nite as a long ride like that will "kill" the wife if we do it all in 1 shot; directly there and back.)

I brought my Duster back from FL and a Cordoba from IN and had no problem with getting a IL title. You will have to pay IL sales tax with the title transfer, I didn't have to because I bought the cars and was living in those states, so they got the sales tax, not IL. But if you buy out of state and bring it right back, they tax it like it was bought here. Hope you got a good deal.

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