Buy Register A Car While Traveling?

[DallasSteve]

I'm living in my motorhome full time and I bought a Jeep to tow behind it. I'm currently in Arkansas but I want to maintain my Texas residency. I called Arkansas and they said I can't register it in Arkansas because I'm not a resident. I called Texas and I must return to Texas and have it inspected there to register it there. I don't want to return to Texas I want to go North to escape the heat.

Is there any legal way to stay on the road for 4 or 5 months without returning to Texas first? I don't want to get tickets for no plates or expired temporary plates. I may go back to Texas for a few days if there is no other option. I'm only 5 hours away, but that puts me in the heat for several more days. I have AC (2 units), but I don't like to run it 12 hours straight. Plus I'll spend several hundred dollars in extra gasoline.

[DallasSteve]

As a follow up, we returned to Texas in September, and I got the vehicle inspected and registered. It had to be inspected in my county of residence. Now I have title and plates and I paid my tax.

[avan]

The necessity to have initial inspection pre registration and to subsequently go thru vehicle inspections annually, should I cross into TX, was one of three reasons I changed my domicile from Escapees/Livingston, TX to SD.

[R12RT]

Edd505 wrote:

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
Are you using a service for your Texas mail? Can they handle DMV transactions for you?
Dakota Post does for their clients, and I think Escapees does as well.

Many states require a VIN inspection before registering an out of state vehicle. Stops stolen vehicle coming in and being "legitimized" by another state, they want to see the vehicle.

States require a VIN check but allow it to be done in any state. Any local police dept. can do it though it is usually on certain days and times.

[RetiredRealtorR]

Due diligence prior to the purchase might have been a good idea. Just sayin'

[Bumpyroad]

Walaby wrote:
Between yesterday when you posted and today, you could have been there, taken care of it, and returned and be drinking a beer right now.

Mike

and without falsifying any govt. paperwork.
bumpy

[DallasSteve]

Walaby wrote:
Between yesterday when you posted and today, you could have been there, taken care of it, and returned and be drinking a beer right now.

Mike

(As if I didn't know that.) Yes, I could if I wanted to be worn out and $200 poorer for gas and hotel, except I wouldn't be drinking a beer because it's not healthy for me. Maybe you like driving 10 or 12 hours, but that's not me.

[Walaby]

Between yesterday when you posted and today, you could have been there, taken care of it, and returned and be drinking a beer right now.

Mike

[Edd505]

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
Are you using a service for your Texas mail? Can they handle DMV transactions for you?
Dakota Post does for their clients, and I think Escapees does as well.

Many states require a VIN inspection before registering an out of state vehicle. Stops stolen vehicle coming in and being "legitimized" by another state, they want to see the vehicle.

[DallasSteve]

navigator2346 wrote:
If you are a resident of Texas, the vehicle has to be registered in the county in which you "live". In other words, if your address is Livingston, you must register the vehicle in the county where Livingston is.

They told me that, too. I "live" wherever my motorhome is parked. So I plan to go to Texarkana. That's where I will live while I get the car registered. They didn't say I couldn't ever move or that I had to be there X number of days. The government just doesn't address the idea of living in an RV in most of its laws. And I may get a Texarkana virtual mailbox for 1 month so they can mail the plates there.

[navigator2346]

If you are a resident of Texas, the vehicle has to be registered in the county in which you "live". In other words, if your address is Livingston, you must register the vehicle in the county where Livingston is.

[DallasSteve]

Fayetteville. Why?

[bgum]

Near what city in Arkansas?

[DallasSteve]

Those are some interesting replies. I will try to research the "in transit permit" and maybe try to contact someone in Texas who is more knowledgeable about this. I'm also going to contact the dealer again.

[RetiredRealtorR]

It should be the responsibility of the dealer you bought it from to see to it that it gets properly registered.