I bought a used car from a small dealer. They filed all the DMV paperwork.

The registration seems like it was sent to the dealer who then mailed it to me.

Is this normal? Why wouldn't the DMV send the new registration directly to me? Should I do something at this point? Request the title at the DMV? Go to the DMV and check something?

I've never bought a used car before....

I live in Oklahoma, but I'm in Whackyland frequently (in about 6 more weeks to visit family) and I seem to recall that AAA offices can take care of drivers license and car registrations in California. Can you check with your local AAA office and see what they say?

This will more than likely vary from state to state, checked online with the DMV for a FAQ by chance?

Did you buy the car outright or financed it through dealer?

Bought outright.

Couldn’t find info on state dmv site.

I’ll go request title and check that future renewal will be sent directly to me. Just weird.

Are you a license plate to owner or license plate to vehicle state? That could make a difference.

What name and address are on the title/registration? If the dealer did the paperwork, there’s the possibility they didn’t check ththe correct box or something.

You’re in CA right? You should be good to go if all docs are in your name and address. Just make sure there’s no mention of the dealer on the docs or a lien.

It varies by state. After living in Florida for over thirty years and receiving title for any vehicle I bought, I just bought a Ford Edge this year. Months went by before I realized that I had not received a title.

I inquired about it and found out that Florida has switched to electronic titles. The state keeps them in a database. If you want a paper title, it's $2.50 to have it mailed, or $10.00 to pick it up in person at a DMV office.

When I bought mine this year I signed a power of attorney sort of thing so they could file the DMV paperwork on my behalf (I am guessing you did too).
My initial registration and plate was sent to the dealer and they sent it to me.
Likely since they filed the actual paperwork it gets sent to who filed it.
Everything is in my name and has my address on it. I paid for the vehicle with a check so no liens or anything. Though the actual title was sent to my residence.

I see no issue with it.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
When I bought mine this year I signed a power of attorney sort of thing so they could file the DMV paperwork on my behalf (I am guessing you did too).
My initial registration and plate was sent to the dealer and they sent it to me.
Likely since they filed the actual paperwork it gets sent to who filed it.
Everything is in my name and has my address on it. I paid for the vehicle with a check so no liens or anything. Though the actual title was sent to my residence.

I see no issue with it.

Cool. So this is not unusual. Still don't see why the DMV can't just send directly to the buyer but at least it seems like it's not an uncommon practice.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
When I bought mine this year I signed a power of attorney sort of thing so they could file the DMV paperwork on my behalf (I am guessing you did too).
My initial registration and plate was sent to the dealer and they sent it to me.
Likely since they filed the actual paperwork it gets sent to who filed it.
Everything is in my name and has my address on it. I paid for the vehicle with a check so no liens or anything. Though the actual title was sent to my residence.

I see no issue with it.

Cool. So this is not unusual. Still don't see why the DMV can't just send directly to the buyer but at least it seems like it's not an uncommon practice.

My best guess is since they physically filed the paperwork and via proxy paid the bill. They get the paperwork.
If I remember correctly everything was sent certified mail on my dealers end. So keeping the paper trail consistent is likely the reason.

Yea, that makes sense why they might.

But not clear why they do. It's more work for the dealer (need to open, put in envelope, mail), costs more (pennies but still a dealer cost which I guess they more than make up for in fees so probably not a big deal at all). But it's another chance for the registration to get delayed (at the dealer for 'processing') and/or lost in transit.

Anyway, no big deal. Not likely to go through this again. It just seemed weird but I'm more comfortable knowing that it's not an isolated case.

By the way it actually does not cost the dealer a thing. It costs you in those fees you mention.
I am betting the fees are a good bit more than if you were to file yourself.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
By the way it actually does not cost the dealer a thing. It costs you in those fees you mention.
I am betting the fees are a good bit more than if you were to file yourself.

I bought a used truck last month and the dealer is handling all the paperwork. It cost me a couple hundred more than it would have to just do it myself, but saves me the hassle of taking a day off work to deal with DMV personally. I'm still waiting for the registration and new plates to show up, so I don't know if DMV will send it to the dealer or directly to me.

Every vehicle I have bought or sold the title is signed for release and the buyer sends the registration to the DMV.

DMV then sends new registration to the owner.

Where you bought the vehicle it sounds like they did not have a title on hand or it was bank owned. Once the paperwork was cleared the registration went to who submitted it. In this case your dealer.

Cheers~

I used to own 2 used car dealerships in FL many years ago. AS a dealer we were required to do the change of title's, registrations, etc. for the state and pay the sales tax etc.. So they made sure they got their sales tax. We usually went once a week and did this at the DMV and they gave us all of the customers registrations etc. on the spot and we then were required to mail them to the customer or sometimes the customer would come in and pick them up.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
I used to own 2 used car dealerships in FL many years ago. AS a dealer we were required to do the change of title's, registrations, etc. for the state and pay the sales tax etc.. So they made sure they got their sales tax. We usually went once a week and did this at the DMV and they gave us all of the customers registrations etc. on the spot and we then were required to mail them to the customer or sometimes the customer would come in and pick them up.

Interesting.

This one will blow your mind. Bought a used motorcycle, title in hand, from the original owner who bought it for cash. I took it to the DMV, registered and insured it, got it plated, and drove it around for a year or so. Come renewal time, the DMV sends me renewal notices for all my other vehicles, except my motorcycle. I log into the DMV website to renew my vehicles, and all my vehicles are there, EXCEPT my motorcycle. WTF?

I go to the DMV to find that a random car dealership that I have never dealt with, unregistered the bike from my name, and assigned the title/vehicle to their inventory somehow (bike was sitting in my garage). So a dealership stole the title of my vehicle from me, somehow, via a few clicks on the computer. The DMV investigated for several hours and then put it back in my name. I had them print out the title so it was in my name and in my hand, and no more fuckery could occur with the electronically stored title.

Had I been pulled over I would have been in a world of hurt. I was driving a motorcycle "owned" by a car dealership (according to DMV records) , with a tag that was no longer assigned to the vehicle and came back registered to nothing.