REGISTRATION of units in Massachusetts

[BOB3288]

Hi i we live in MASS,I am buying a cedar creek in OH,what is the registration process,Ma does not recognize temporary tags.Please reply only if you have experienced the mass registration process.

[67L48]

Temporary tags have nothing to do with the registration process ... you seem to have conflated the two concepts.

For more specifics: This should help.

Read through this, too.
Here is a checklist.

You can move plates from an old vehicle to the new one under the 7-day-law. You can look that one up. But, if you are simply buying a new RV and you are a resident of MA (driver's license is MA), then you're screwed.

What the law expects is that you go to OH. Complete your transaction. Then, go back to MA without your vehicle/RV. Take all of the paperwork to the MA RMV and register the vehicle. Get your plates. Go back to OH. Affix the plates to your vehicle and drive it back to MA.

My assumption is that this convoluted process and the lack of temporary tags is in place to protect MA dealers, as it creates massive hurdles to purchasing out of state for MA residents.

Good luck.

[llr]

state laws vary so this might not apply.

I live in Ohio and bought my TT in Indiana, the Indiana dealer provided Indiana temporary tags. I would think the Ohio dealer would profide temporary tags for you. I would not have been able to get Ohio temp tags for it.

the temporary tags should be good in any state unless Mass has a specific exclusion on Mass residents having a temporary tag as I believe they would be required under federal law to honer the tags for non-residents.

[merrykalia]

Don't live in Mass, so I've never registered a vehicle there.

We purchased in Ohio, but we are Virginia residents. When we completed our purchase, we were issued a temporary (45 day) Ohio tag. We called our insurance company and added it to our policy. We drove the vehicle home, went on vacation to Alabama, came home and parked it in our spot.

About 2 weeks later, we received all of the paperwork from the Ohio dealership, we went to the Virginia DMV and registered it in our name, got our Va tags, put them on the vehicle and all was good with the world.

[BOB3288]

Was your rv financed

[MainelyUS]

We just went through the reg. process on a new 5er in Mass. It took all of three hours with some pre planning...longest part of the process was the drive to the DMV (1.5 hr. RT). The sales person called our insurance agent with the needed details, when we arrived the paper work was done and off to the DMV. You take the insurance doc along with the sale doc to the DMV and volia you have your reg doc and your plate in hand. Oh yeah...don't forget your check book one must pay sales tax in Mass.
Happy Trails

[MainelyUS]

Bring a trailer into MA you will need proof of purchase and proof paid sale tax. This happened to us when we brought out snowmobile trailer to Mass. If OH does not have a sales tax you will have to pay it at the Mass DMV.

[Pilot172]

I am from MA and bought our trailer in Ohio also. We had the paperwork sent to us by FedEx from the RV dealer and the proper RMV-1 form filled out with insurance stamp/approval. The registry will need the manufacturers Certificate of Origin and the sales tax must be paid. We financed it through the dealer and they sent the sales tax (we paid it to them up front) directly to the registry by electronic funds transfer. When we picked up the plate the tax showed on their screen that it was paid in full.

I suggest getting this all done before you travel to Ohio. They wanted to put OH temp tags on the trailer, but I knew if I drove across the state line into MA that I would be the one stopped by the police and would have them impound the trailer until I could get everything squared away, incurring the storage fees I am sure. If you are using RVW in OH, they were really helpful and everything went off without any problems.

Good luck with your new rig!

[dahagen]

A question on 67L48's comments...In the several western states I have lived in, when a vehicle is licensed for the first time in that state (old or new vehicle) the DMV has to personally check the VIN. That is not necessary in MA?

[rlh1957]

Most RV dealers know how to handle out of state buyers and the paperwork needed for submission in your state. MA may have some draconian idiot laws that are no way around. But RV buyers go all over the country to buy an RV and take it home to be registered, tagged and insured. You get your insurance set before you hook up to your TV and dealer gives you temp tag, temp paperwork from their state and temp paperwork indicating your state registration has been mailed ahead or you are carrying it home to register and pay taxes.
So if someone is moving to MA from another state are they screwed as well?

[Pilot172]

MA RMV did not need to see the VIN, just needed the Origin paperwork.

[rlh1957]

I know there is some provision in MA to get an RV, Trailer, Boat, etc into the state new or moving without traveling back and forth. Has to be.

[daybreak]

I live in MA bought our TT in CT, we had the plates before we drove down and picked up our trailer. Don't remember more than we treated it like buying a car, and called the insurance company gave them information and they sent paperwork to registry we had the paperwork from the dealer and went down and got our plates.

edit: I don't even think we needed the insurance before hand to get the plates now or not but we did call them first.

[Pilot172]

You are right - MA DOES have many draconian idiot laws making life fun here for all of us that live here. Bringing your vehicles from other states isn't a problem as long as they are registered in that state, but I think you have a specific time frame to get licenses, registrations and don't forget to pay sales tax when you register the vehicles. A friend of mine moved in from NH (dumb move) and ended up paying thousands in sales taxes for his cars, motorcycles, utility trailer and travel trailer. Then make sure you get those inspected within 7 days or it will be considered a moving violation on your record and insurance if you get stopped. Gotta love this state.

[Bose04]

No

[Bose04]

I have never had any problem registering an out of state vehicle in MA and purchase in Vermont often. Just need your sales agreement. And I love it in Massachusetts

[emm-dee]

Is insurance a requirement up there?

[formerFR]

I think that many folks over think the situation - a dealer in any state you purchase a vehicle should provide a temporary 'paper' plate from that state so that you can 'drive it away' to wherever you please. The state of issuance gives the temporary plate a certain number of days, Texas gave us 90. We drove the country before we ever came back to Georgia, where we then registered it.
A private sale would certainly have no temporary plate. You just carry your bill of sale and proof of insurance on the new vehicle with you if any interaction with law enforcement arises. I've done this to. No problem.

I seriously doubt that any state patrol, sheriff, or police are looking to arbitrarily pull over a vehicle 'just because' it has a temporary plate from a different state, such as Ohio. How would they even know that YOU are a Mass. resident anyway? You are just an OH vehicle traveling thru the state.
No other state law enforcement along the way are looking at you any differently, either. There are so many newly purchased vehicles on the road that they are very accustomed to seeing them. It doesn't make them pause, unless you give them another reason to.

Now, the question of state taxes might be a different story. Georgia provides for other states, where you may purchase a vehicle, to send the GA TAX via mail from the dealership, as it will be a part of your total transaction. It will be in your registration file when you return. Will Mass. have the same? Don't know. But, if they don't, they will simply expect you to register and pay it before you can receive your Permanent plate(s).

Every state has a slightly different method and/or process for vehicle purchases, plates, registration, and taxation, but most states are fair and realize that everyone is allowed to purchase things outside their borders. Taking care of it when you get 'home' is what they expect.

[BandJCarm]

Don't know about MA. But I also bought in Ohio out of state. And Ohio doesn't issue "Certificate of Origin" or accept that. They want to title it there, and that means you then have to transfer that title to your home state. I got it done in about 6 weeks, but I stood on folks' heads.

[daybreak]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

Is insurance a requirement up there?

It was not but we put it on as a rider policy.