Any extra hassles to transfer the plates from the older vehicle?

[MoneyJohn]

I am picking up a new car tomorrow. The dealership is suggesting it is easier to get new plates. Is there really extra hassle to transfer the plates vs getting new ones?

I don't care about extra $20-30 for using the older plates. This is NY.

Thanks in advance.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Not sure about New York but Virginia you literally just enter it in the computer and pay $2 and it’s done and they send you a new registration or you can do it in person and get the registration there.

 

[BHopkins]

I'm curious to hear what others from NY can share.

I've reused plates on a new (to me) car before. The only hassle was educating the Utah DMV clerk. I knew more about the regulations than she did. The clerk had to consult with her manager, who confirmed that plates can be reused. It took a few more minutes at the DMV, than it would have if I had let them issue me new plates, but that was it.

 

[mrsilv04]

I'm betting the only reason why, is because the paperwork is likely easier for them to assign a new plate... a couple less forms, fewer steps.

 

[Dave Sherman]

If it's your own car, shouldn't be a big deal. At least one car I bought the dealer just did the plate transfer for me. Only time I ran into an issue where it was easier to get a new plate was when my wife's car got totalled, we bought the truck, we wanted to transfer the plate from her old car to the Pilot, which was in my name, and transfer my ham radio plate from the Pilot to the truck. That's when the DMV said it gets more complicated since the old plate was in her name and the Pilot was in my name, so we just dumped her plate and bought new plates for the Pilot.

 

[BHopkins]

I'm betting the only reason why, is because the paperwork is likely easier for them to assign a new plate... a couple less forms, fewer steps.

That was my experience. Not paperwork per se, but computer work. The DMV clerk had to enter the information for my plates into the computer. This was the part that took a few minutes. I suspect she may have had to un-assign the used plates, before she could assign them to the new registration. IDK.

 

[eljefino]

Do you have to pay an excise tax?

If your old vehicle is worth much less, and you have six months left on a years plates, you may wind up in a disadvantageous tax situation, by paying a years tax but only getting six months. On the flip side you might save some fees, and if you like the number, you might want to keep it.

Does the dealer register the car for you before you leave the lot? They may want it to be easier for them.

This seems like a question for a NY specific forum.

 

[atikovi]

Wouldn't you rather have shiny new plates on a brand new car anyway?

I don't care about extra $20-30 for using the older plates.

Unless you have personalized plates, why would you pay MORE to use your old probably scratched or worn plates?

 

[MoneyJohn]

They are not actually scratched or worn. Surprisingly held up very well.

 

[MoneyJohn]

If it's your own car, shouldn't be a big deal. At least one car I bought the dealer just did the plate transfer for me. Only time I ran into an issue where it was easier to get a new plate was when my wife's car got totalled, we bought the truck, we wanted to transfer the plate from her old car to the Pilot, which was in my name, and transfer my ham radio plate from the Pilot to the truck. That's when the DMV said it gets more complicated since the old plate was in her name and the Pilot was in my name, so we just dumped her plate and bought new plates for the Pilot.

This is our situation too. I guess better to get new plates then

 

[MoneyJohn]

Do you have to pay an excise tax?

If your old vehicle is worth much less, and you have six months left on a years plates, you may wind up in a disadvantageous tax situation, by paying a years tax but only getting six months. On the flip side you might save some fees, and if you like the number, you might want to keep it.

Does the dealer register the car for you before you leave the lot? They may want it to be easier for them.

This seems like a question for a NY specific forum.

No idea of excise tax.

 

[redhat]

I am in New York, Western New York to be exact... south of Buffalo by 20 minutes.

NO, it is NOT any harder to transfer plates to a new vehicle. ANY competent dealership in WNY should be able to do this without hassle.

If your current vehicle and plates are in your name, there is no issue whatsoever.

Some advantages to keeping plate number can be NY EZPass, certain drive through car washes track by plate, HOA/town resident/town beach permits, etc.

OP: Do you have the blue and white Liberty plates, yellow/blue plates or the new NY Excelsior plates?

If anything, new plates will cost the OP more as there is a plate fee in NY when you're issued new plates.

 

[redhat]

Maybe @CharBaby and @JTK can chime in if I missed anything?

 

[dadto2]

I don't know what the dealership is trying to pull. Regardless of whether you are trading your old car in or not, the paperwork is the same. They check the "Transfer Registration" box on the registration and write in the plate number for the plates you handed them. Otherwise, they check the "new registration" box and the DMV will issue new plates, and your old car remains registered on the old plates.

The only notable difference is you pay the full 2-year registration fee for new plates, and no fee to transfer. (Well, maybe a minimal processing fee, but your registration is transferable)

I've done it both ways myself when buying cars through private sale, and also both ways buying through a dealer. It's really as simple as which box to check on the form. Seriously.

 

[dadto2]

Oh, if they do issue new plates, you need to turn in your old plates to terminate the registration on the old car. The DMV chrges $1.00 to turn in plates. Maybe the dealer wants to do that and tack on their own exorbitant fee to do so.

 

[incognito_2u]

One word answer “No”
Pure laziness by the Dealership.

 

[Rmay635703]

Wouldn't you rather have shiny new plates on a brand new car anyway?



Unless you have personalized plates, why would you pay MORE to use your old probably scratched or worn plates?

I give the dmv too much money already, why would I pay more for another unnecessary thing?

 

[Tdbo]

I'm in the camp of when I buy a new car, I want new plates on it.
When we bought the new Pilot, it was cheaper to transfer the old plates to the new car (about $4.) then purchase replacement plates (about $11,) given that there was 6 months left on the old registration.

 

[John105]

I give the dmv too much money already, why would I pay more for another unnecessary thing?

Not knowing, my assumption is it’s cheaper to reuse old plates. Why else would old plates be on so many brand new cars (physically worn or number pattern). I’ve just never gotten a new car where there was a car being retired so 4x, I got new plates.

In PA my wife’s plate peeled so a replacement with a new number pattern was free.

 

[repairman54]

Every state is different. I just transferred plates in NJ from a Tahoe, which on the reg. is listed as a wagon to a pickup. Personalized plate so I had to pay for a new plate at the dealer then go through the DMV special plate unit to transfer the personalized plate to the pickup for $5. I like my old plate, less reflective so slower laser speed gun response.