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So I'm Terrible at Car-Related Things

Mai-KeroMai-Kero Registered User regular
edited April 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
So my tags have been expired for a while on my car. I'm not sure what to do. Can I actually drive my car to the DMV and get new ones, or will I get fined/towed for that? I need to get a front license plate too, as I crashed my car last winter and never replaced it after I got the bumper repaired. What do I need to bring with me? My registration and license?

Mai-Kero on

Posts

  • VisionOfClarityVisionOfClarity Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Check the DMV website for your state to find out what you need to bring. You might want to get a ride from a friend though.

    VisionOfClarity on
  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    It's the information age. Can you not just renew your registration on your state's DMV website? Usually you don't need to get new tags, you just get a sticker to put on your existing ones.

    Also, if you get pulled over or have your tags run for some other reason (meter reader or whatever) you'll most likely get towed.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
  • Mai-KeroMai-Kero Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    RUNN1NGMAN wrote: »
    It's the information age. Can you not just renew your registration on your state's DMV website? Usually you don't need to get new tags, you just get a sticker to put on your existing ones.

    Also, if you get pulled over or have your tags run for some other reason (meter reader or whatever) you'll most likely get towed.

    Yeah, I checked online, since it's been longer than six months I can no longer get them renewed online.

    Mai-Kero on
  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Mai-Kero wrote: »
    RUNN1NGMAN wrote: »
    It's the information age. Can you not just renew your registration on your state's DMV website? Usually you don't need to get new tags, you just get a sticker to put on your existing ones.

    Also, if you get pulled over or have your tags run for some other reason (meter reader or whatever) you'll most likely get towed.

    Yeah, I checked online, since it's been longer than six months I can no longer get them renewed online.

    Personally I would just drive straight to the DMV; the chances that you get pulled over are miniscule, and if you do you can tell the cop you're an idiot and are on your way to the DMV right now and maybe he will take pity on you.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
  • UsagiUsagi Nah Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Yeah, if it had only been a couple of days/weeks I'd say drive yourself, but six months? If you get pulled over and try to blame ignorance the cop's not going to be kind.

    Get a buddy to drive you if you can, seriously.

    Usagi on
  • Mai-KeroMai-Kero Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Yeah, I can get a friend to take me, but I'm also worried about what I'm supposed to say when I go in. The website says there's no extra fee for them being expired, but should I just be like "I need to buy some plates"

    Mai-Kero on
  • TexiKenTexiKen Dammit! That fish really got me!Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Bring your registration information (or just your folder of car stuff if you have one), and just tell the clerk when you get there the situation.

    Going there to get new plates after waiting 6 months doesn't even come close to some of the odd stuff they have to do sometimes, you'll be fine.

    TexiKen on
  • AtomBombAtomBomb Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    For years I was always 3 or 4 months late on renewing my tags. The DMV had the wrong address and for whatever reason it kept overriding the correction I gave them. I should have noticed myself, but I didn't. I had to pay a few dollars extra for every month I was late, but it wasn't a big deal. No one at the DMV seemed to think it was a big deal either. If you go in there the guy before you was probably trying to transfer ownership on an out of state title that he didn't have that may or may not have a lein on it. Late tags are no biggie.

    Of course, now that I use a calendar and I've put in reminders for my registration, I'm getting the bills now.

    AtomBomb on
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  • Mai-KeroMai-Kero Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Any idea how much money it'll cost? I've only got like $100.

    Mai-Kero on
  • meekermeeker Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Just tell them you were out of state for the last 6 months and the car hasn't been driven. They won't care, tags are only a tax anyway.

    meeker on
  • meekermeeker Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Mai-Kero wrote: »
    Any idea how much money it'll cost? I've only got like $100.

    Need to know the state, year and model to calculate that information.

    meeker on
  • ThanatosThanatos Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    If you're planning to get new plates, you should probably bring the pink slip and the rear plate from your car, too.

    Thanatos on
  • wallabeeXwallabeeX Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Also, just be careful. This is a criminal offense in some states - I know from experience (Maine). Was driving home from college one day and the first town cop across the border pulled me over and did me a favor by instructing me to take the car straight home and wrote me a $350 ticket with a court summons.

    Thank god I was dating the daughter of a traffic lawyer.

    wallabeeX on
  • DelzhandDelzhand Registered User, Transition Team regular
    edited April 2009
    You're lucky. In Iowa the late fee is 15% for every month you're late. I forgot to renew once and ended up paying 50 bucks in late fees.

    Delzhand on
  • jclastjclast Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Don't get new plates - just get new tags. They'll run your VIN anyhow and see that your current set is expired so you won't really be hiding your tardiness from them.

    jclast on
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  • Mai-KeroMai-Kero Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    jclast wrote: »
    Don't get new plates - just get new tags. They'll run your VIN anyhow and see that your current set is expired so you won't really be hiding your tardiness from them.

    I'm missing the front plate, though.

    I'm in Ohio, and it's a 2003 Impala, to the person who was asking for that info.

    Mai-Kero on
  • ASimPersonASimPerson Cold... ... and hard.Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    http://bmv.ohio.gov/misc/fees.htm#VEHREG

    Also, per http://www.dmv.org/oh-ohio/registration-renewals.php#Calculate_Your_Fees there are no late fees in Ohio but I would still get a ride, as you can face fines for driving with expired plates. So just get there with the appropriate documents and say you got in an accident and need a new front plate as well.

    ASimPerson on
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