How to register a vehicle in the US as a non US-resident
Introduction
If you’ve been researching how to register a vehicle in the US, you’ve probably found information that is either vague or contradictory.
Some websites say that you need a social security number, others say that you don’t; some resources say that you need to bring proof of insurance, others say that you don’t.
There is a very simple reason that vehicle registration in the US is confusing:
💡Vehicle registration and ownership in the US is handled by the US states, not the national government.
This means that there are 50 different processes for vehicle registration in the US (or more, if you count districts and territories).
And the rules for registering a vehicle in New York are completely different than those in California.
Most vehicle registration resources are written for an audience of Americans, who can simply visit their local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
But what about you, the international visitor to the US?
This article covers the vehicle registration process in the United States, written for tourists, travelers, foreigners - anyone who doesn't live in the US.
There are four things you should consider when planning to register a vehicle in the United States:
- The place,
- The required items,
- The process, and
- The cost.
Let's jump right in.
The Place
Once again, the US states handle vehicle registration. So which state or states should you consider?
Where must a vehicle be registered?
Each of the US states has a law that requires residents of that state to register a vehicle in that state.
For example, if you move from New York to California, California law requires you to register your vehicle in California within 20 days of becoming a California resident.
The reason for this is simple: money! Vehicle registration fees and taxes are a major source of revenue for the US states.
But notice, the laws refer to the vehicle owner’s residency, not the vehicle itself.
💡If you’re an international visitor to the US, and aren’t a resident of any US state, you don’t have to register your vehicle in any specific state - you get to select the best state!
Where can a vehicle be registered?
A vehicle can be registered in any state in which the owner has an address (and can provide all of the required items, more on that below.)
To our knowledge, no US state accepts a Post Office Box for vehicle registration.
And to the New York DMV, a California address is foreign, and won’t be accepted for a New York vehicle registration.
So, you have to have a physical address in the state in which you wish to register your vehicle.
But having an address is only the most basic requirement for vehicle registration.
Each US state has its own set of items required for vehicle registration. Let's discuss those next.
The Required Items
In order to register a vehicle in any US state, you’ll need to provide the items required by that state.
Some of these items, such as the vehicle’s title (which the seller will provide when you buy the vehicle) are straightforward for international visitors to the US like you to obtain.
But some states require items, such as a US driver’s license or a social security number, that are extremely hard for international visitors to obtain.
This section will discuss the items that are required to register a vehicle in general, and specifically, the US states that require each.
The vehicle's prior title (every US state)
A vehicle's title is its official ownership document.
Think of it like the deed to a house - while copies of the document can be made, only the authentic document itself is accepted for registration.
In order to register a vehicle, you need the vehicle's prior title, i.e., the title that lists the current owner of the vehicle.
Each US state has its own form of vehicle title - they all look slightly different. Here are a few examples from multiple US states.
Importantly, the vehicle’s prior title must be properly signed by the current owner in order for a new owner to register the vehicle. For detailed instructions on how to sign a vehicle's title propertly, please see visitor.us' Prior Title Assignment Guide.
Finally, every US state accepts every other US state’s vehicle title. You won’t have any issue registering a vehicle with a New York title in California - people do it every day.
Vehicle inspection requirements (some US states)
The next required item you may need to consider is proof of vehicle inspection. This would be equivalent to an MOT in the UK and Australia, an HU in Germany, and a roadworthiness test in other parts of the world.
These inspections generally fall into three categories:
- Tailpipe emissions
- Safety
- VIN
Most (42) US states require proof that your vehicle has passed that state's inspection requirements in order to register it in that state, so rather than list those, below are a list of the nine US states that do not have any vehicle inspection requirements:
- Alaska
- Iowa
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Montana
- North Dakota
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas (as of January 1, 2025)
US states (with very few exceptions) don’t recognize vehicle inspections carried out in other states.
So if you plan to buy a vehicle in New York (for example) and register it in California (for example) you need to figure out how to transport that vehicle to California in order to have it inspected - California will not accept a New York vehicle inspection.
In most cases, inspection is due each time a vehicle's registration is renewed (usually annually). If you plan on staying in the same state where the vehicle is registered, this won’t be a problem.
But if you register your vehicle in a state that requires inspections, and plan on traveling around the US (or beyond), you’ll need to make plans to return to the state where your vehicle is registered whenever its inspection is due.
Proof of residency (some US states)
Thirteen US states (and Washington, D.C.) require you to provide proof that you reside at the address where you will register your vehicle.
Each state that requires proof of residency has a slightly different requirement, but they generally include a utility bill or a bank statement.
Below is a list of the US states that require proof of residence in order to register a vehicle. You can click each state to find more detail on its specific requirements.
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Illinois
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
US-issued identity document (some US states)
In this section, we’ve been discussing the things you’ll need to provide in order to register a vehicle in the US.
Every US state requires a government-issued identity document in order to register a vehicle.
But more than 20 US states require an identity document issued by that state in order to register a vehicle in that state.
Put another way, if you want to register a vehicle in Washington State, you need a Washington State driver’s license. If you want to register a vehicle in Pennsylvania, you need a Pennsylvania driver’s license. And so on with each of the states listed below.
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
- Wisconsin
Driver’s licenses allow holders to board a plane, and in some states they allow holders to vote and potentially collect benefits from the state.
Therefore, getting a driver’s license in any of these US states is very difficult if you don’t have a US social security number.
So unless you have a social security number, we would advise avoiding these states for vehicle registration.
Proof of insurance (most US states)
Most US states require proof of insurance, issued within that state, in order to register a vehicle.
For example, you must provide proof of insurance issued by an authorized New York insurer in order to register your vehicle in New York.
Proof of lawful presence (two US states)
A couple of US states allow non-US residents to register vehicles if they can provide "proof of lawful presence" in the US. For travelers, this is a current US visa and I-94 Record of Arrival and Departure. Note that ESTA's are visa waivers, not visas, and are therefore not accepted by these states as proof of lawful presence.
Below is a list of the two US states that allow proof of lawful presence in order to register a vehicle. You can click each state to find more detail on its specific requirements.
Six Points of Identity (one US state)
New York uses a “points system” to verify a person’s identity for vehicle registration. Each identity document is worth a specified point value, and documents worth a total of six points are required to register a vehicle.
For example, a New York State driver’s license or ID card is worth six points, a current US passport is worth four points, and a foreign passport with a visa and a valid I-94 is worth three points.
You can see New York’s full list of identity documents and their points here.
New York’s six points of identity were designed to make it very difficult for non-US citizens or permanent residents to register a vehicle in New York. So unless you are a US citizen or permanent resident, we suggest avoiding New York for vehicle registration.
Summarizing the required items
As we have shown, each US state has its own list of items required for vehicle registration.
All US states require the vehicle’s title (its ownership document).
In addition, most states require vehicle inspections. If you are buying a vehicle in the same state that you will register it in, having your vehicle inspected will be a straightforward process.
Many US states require proof of residency in order to register a vehicle.
And many US states require an identity document issued by that state in order to register a vehicle.
And a handful of others have very specific requirements, such as proof of lawful presence and six points of identity.
If you are trying to register a vehicle in a particular US state, and you don’t have the required items - don’t give up!
💡Remember: if you’re an international visitor to the US, and aren’t a resident of any US state, you don’t have to register your vehicle in any specific state - you get to select the best state!
Vehicles registered in any US state can be driven in every US state.
💡Montana is the best state for an international visitor to register a vehicle. In order to register a vehicle, Montana:
- Doesn’t require a US driver’s license or social security number,
- Doesn’t require proof of residence,
- Doesn’t require vehicle inspections (so your vehicle never has to come to Montana), and
- Doesn’t require proof of Montana insurance (although third-party insurance is legally required at all times)
Since 2017, visitor.us has specialized in helping international visitors to the US register vehicles in Montana. Click here to see how it works.
The Process
Now that we’ve covered the place where a vehicle is registered, and the items required to register a vehicle, let’s discuss the vehicle registration process itself.
Visit the registration authorities
As of 2024, no US state handles initial vehicle registration online or via post. Most states, however, do allow online registration renewal.
So if you’re registering a vehicle as a new owner, you (or your agent) needs to physically bring the vehicle’s title and other required items to the registration authorities.
Many US states have a statewide Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). For example, if you’re registering your vehicle in California, you can walk into any California DMV office in the state, regardless of your registration address.
However, many US states delegate vehicle registration to their counties, the level of government below the state and above the city. For example, if your registration address is in Austin, Texas, which is in Travis County, and you attempt to register your vehicle in Houston, Texas, which is in Harris County, you will be turned away.
So if you’re registering your vehicle yourself, check the state DMV’s website to make sure that the office you plan on visiting works with your office.
Submit the vehicle's prior title
Many people who register a vehicle in the US for the first time expect to receive the vehicle’s prior title - the title that they received from the seller - back from the registration authorities after the registration process.
However, because a vehicle’s title is its official ownership document, a vehicle can only have one title outstanding at a time.
So registration authorities always collect a vehicle's prior title upon registration and destroy it.
Submit the Required Items
The items required by the state in which you register your vehicle, outlined above (e.g., vehicle inspection, etc.), must be submitted at the time of registration.
Pay sales tax and registration fees
Each US state charges a new vehicle owner sales tax (some states call it excise tax, others call it use tax) and registration fees.
If sales tax was not collected at the time of sale (for example, if you bought your vehicle from an individual), it is due upon registration.
More on this in The Cost section below.
Receive your new registration document, license plates, and title
Upon registration, you will receive a registration document. This must always be kept in your vehicle’s glovebox and presented to law enforcement upon request.
Many states issue license plates upon registration - but some do not. Those states that do not issue license plates upon registration will mail them to the vehicle’s registered address within a couple weeks of the vehicle’s registration.
A few states issue a new title, listing the new registered owner, upon registration - but most states generate titles at a central location and mail them to the vehicle’s registered address a couple of weeks (or a couple of months) after registration.
Summarizing the process
In short, in order to register a vehicle, you take the items required by the state in which you are registering the vehicle, to that state’s registration authorities. You will receive a new registration document immediately, and license plates and a new title either immediately or later via the mail.
But there’s one last component of the registration process - the cost. Let’s discuss that next.
The Cost
Sales taxes and registration fees on vehicles are an important revenue source for the US states, so it should come as no surprise that vehicle registration can be costly.
In the US, the cost of vehicle registration is almost never included in the advertised price of a vehicle, whether sold by a dealer or an individual.
This is because, unlike other goods...
💡Sales taxes and registration fees are due in the state in which a vehicle is registered, not where it was purchased.
(There are a couple of exceptions to this rule, which you can learn more about here.)
So the sales taxes and registration fees due on a vehicle can vary depending on the buyer’s location (this is why they aren’t included in the advertised price).
And the cost can vary massively.
Remember how we said earlier that Montana doesn’t require a US driver’s license, proof of residency, or inspections for vehicle registration? Well, it gets better…
Sales taxes on vehicles registered in Montana: 0%
💡Registering your vehicle in Montana can save you hundreds (or thousands) of dollars in sales tax. And because Montana doesn’t have any vehicle inspection requirements, your vehicle never has to come to Montana.
(There are a couple of sales tax exceptions. You can read more about them here.)
All we do at visitor.us is register vehicles in the US for international visitors in Montana. We make the process smooth, easy, and tax free. Click here to see how it works.
Conclusion
Remember, the US states, not the national government, handle vehicle registration and ownership.
And some US states make it difficult or outright impossible for an international visitor like you to own a vehicle.
But being an international visitor to the US is a double-edged sword. On one hand, not being a resident makes vehicle registration hard in some states. But on the other hand, because you’re not a resident of any US state, you don’t have to register your vehicle in any specific state - you get to shop around for the best state!
And clearly, the best state for international visitors to register a vehicle is Montana, for the following reasons:
- No US driver's license requirement,
- No proof of residency requirement,
- No Montana insurance requirement (although insurance is legally required at all times),
- No vehicle inspection requirement (so you can buy your vehicle anywhere and register it in Montana), and
- Sales tax on vehicles of 0%
We hope that this article describes vehicle registration for international visitors to the United States better than anything else that you’ve found so far.
If it did, the reason is simple: we at visitor.us are the experts in US vehicle registration for international visitors. Our straight-forward Montana registration process will save you time, headaches, and money. Click here to see how visitor.us works.
If you’d like to keep learning, please check out the following resources:
- How to buy a vehicle in the US as an international visitor
- How to insure a vehicle in the US as an international visitor
And if you'd like to compare the registration requirements for each US state, check out the links to each state below.
Thanks for reading!
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