Getting a car registered is an important part of staying in compliance with state laws. If you are new to West Virginia, you will need to make sure that registering your vehicle with the DMV is at the top of your list of priorities. If you fail to register your car within 30 days of moving to West Virginia, you may have to pay a late fee. In order to get the car registered, you will have to go in person to the Department of Transportation office near you. You need to make sure that you have the following items before going in to make this process easier and less frustrating:
- Your out of state registration and title
- Proof that you are a resident of West Virginia
- An Application for Certificate of Title for a Motor Vehicle
- Information about your car insurance
If you are a resident of West Virginia and are buying a car from a dealership, you will not have to worry with the registration process. The dealership will be required to submit all of the paperwork needed to register the vehicle. You will have to get copies of the paperwork for your records to make sure you can get a license plate for the vehicle in question.
The process is a bit different if you are buying a car from an individual. Here is what you will need to bring with you when trying to register a car that you have bought from an individual:
- The statement of origin
- An invoice showing how much you have paid for the car
- A completed Application for Certificate or Title of a Motor Vehicle
When going in to get your car registered, there are fees that you will have to pay. The following are some of those fees:
- A registration fee of $30 that includes litter and insurance fees
- The title will cost $10
- There is a lien fee if you are still paying on the car that will be $5
- The titling sales tax will be 5% of the price paid for the car
You will not have to get your car inspected before registration, but the state of West Virginia does require the car to inspected in order to renew the registration. You can find out more information about this process by going to the West Virginia DMV website.
