Posted on

How to Get a New Auto Title

how to get a new auto title

When you own a car, you receive an important document. This document is an auto title, and it’s something that people typically tell you not to lose or damage. Otherwise, it could cause trouble. 

Usually, you safeguard this piece of information the best way that you can, hoping nothing happens to it. But what do you do when the worst-case scenario occurs, and you lose or damage your auto title? 

If you’ve found yourself in this predicament, it’s easy to panic and wonder what to do next. However, if you want to learn how to get a new auto title, this article will provide one easy tip that you can use. 

What is an auto title?

Before learning how to get a new auto title, it’s essential to revisit the purpose of having this document. This information might be old news to some of you, in which case this will be a good refresher. But if you’ve never learned what an auto title is, this definition will explain why it’s so critical to safeguard this document. 

Put simply, an auto title proves that you own your motor vehicle. Without it, you have no way of showing that you possess ownership of your car. 

Depending on the state you live in, the information on the auto title will vary. However, it’ll always include a vehicle identification number (VIN) and the signature of state officials who are in charge of motor vehicles or revenue collection. 

Typically, an auto title will also include the following:

  • Vehicle make
  • Vehicle model or body type
  • Vehicle year 
  • The owners of the vehicle 
  • The owner’s address
  • Odometer reading 
  • The date the title was issued 

Sometimes, your auto title may have more specific information. Yours could provide your license plate number, your vehicle’s weight, a title number, the engine number, the number of cylinders in the engine, and the type of fuel your vehicle uses. Additionally, some states require that you add information about salvage or flood damage. 

Why is a car title important? 

why is a new auto title important

You want a car title because it’ll prove that you own your vehicle—that’s the primary benefit of the document. But there are practical ways where you’ll see this benefit play out. For example, an auto title is important in the following situations.

1. Someone steals your car

If someone steals your motor vehicle, how do you prove that the thief doesn’t own your car? You refer to your auto title. Without this document, the police won’t believe that you possess ownership of your vehicle. 

2. You want to sell your car

You can’t sell your vehicle without an auto title. The buyer will ask you to transfer the title to them to prove they’re the new owners. But if you don’t have your auto title, the buyer is going to walk away

3. Your car gets impounded 

No one likes to hear that their car is in an impoundment lot. In these situations, it’s crucial to have your auto title. If you don’t, your vehicle will sit in the lot until it gets recycled, auctioned off, or taken to the wrecking yard. The only way to prevent any of these things from happening is to have proof that you own your vehicle when you pick it up. 

4. A vehicle is part of a crime after you sell it or before you own it 

It doesn’t matter if a vehicle is part of a crime after you sell it or before you own it. When the authorities come to speak with you, you want to have proof that you didn’t own the vehicle when it was part of a crime. Otherwise, you could draw unwanted attention. 

Types of auto titles

So, you know what an auto title is and why it’s important. But do you know what type of new auto title you need? 

Surprisingly, there are multiple types of auto titles. And before you try to get a new one, you need to know exactly what you’re replacing. Luckily, the list of auto titles is pretty short. 

1. An auto title for a clean vehicle

You need this type of auto title if your vehicle is in good shape structurally. This title indicates that your car has never been in a major accident, and therefore, totaled.  

2. An auto title for a clear vehicle

This title is required if there are no liens against your vehicle. If you’re not making any finance payments because you own your car, you want this type of title. 

3. An auto title for a salvage vehicle 

You need this auto title if your car was in an accident and declared a total loss. With a salvage title, the state is basically saying that you can’t drive or sell your vehicle in its current condition. 

4. An auto title for a rebuilt vehicle 

If you get your salvaged vehicle repaired, you need an auto title that’s specific to your rebuilt car. This title indicates that your vehicle is in better shape or that it may require additional repairs in the future.  

How to get a new auto title

It’s finally time to explain how to get a new auto title. When you get your first one, you either get it from a car dealer or private owner, depending on where you bought your car. 

But when you lose or damage that auto title, you can’t go back to the previous owner or car dealer. Instead, must with the DMV or a transportation agency. 

As you probably know, the DMV is slow. You could walk into their waiting room and sit for hours until an employee finally assists you. If you want to avoid that pain, you should go through a transportation agency. 

For example, Barry Risk Management can help you get a new auto title. With over 30 years of experience in the DMV industry, their team knows how to get the appropriate type of title and make sure it meets all of your state’s requirements. 

The best part is that everything is also online. Instead of walking inside an office, you can simply contact an agent over the phone. Then, a representative will help you get a new auto title all online, in the comfort of your own home. 

With transportation agencies like Barry Risk Management, getting a new auto title is simple and quick. There are no tricks, waiting rooms, or long wait times. You can get your auto title quickly so that you have proof your car is yours.  

Call Barry Risk Management at 1-888-995-TAGS(8247) to renew get your new auto title! 

Posted on

How Much Does It Cost to Renew Your Vehicle Registration?

the costs to renew your vehicle registration

In 2020, most state governments provided wiggle room regarding the deadline for renewing vehicle registration. With the pandemic disrupting many everyday activities, state officials thought it’d be best to extend the deadline for several DMV services, including vehicle registration renewals. 

Most states, like New York, extended the deadline all the way to November of 2020 to accommodate people. But today, those extensions no longer exist. In New York and other states across the U.S., your vehicle registration should be renewed at this point. However, that’s not the reality for many people. 

Whether you forgot about the extended deadline or thought state officials would extend it again, you’re in a situation where you haven’t renewed your vehicle registration. And this situation can lead to consequences, which is why you should get your registration renewed as soon as possible.

The consequences of not renewing your vehicle registration

When you don’t do something on time, you face the repercussions. For example, think about turning in a school assignment late. When that happens, you get an F unless your teacher is gracious enough to extend the deadline. 

If the teacher gives you extra time, you’re in luck—you can turn in the assignment by the new deadline and still get credit. However, if you still forget—or ignore—the extended deadline and don’t turn in the assignment on time, you can bet you’re going to face the consequences. 

About 430,000 Massachusetts residents are in this type of situation. Instead of renewing their vehicle registration by the extended deadline, they let their registration lapse. And now, they are in jeopardy of getting fined every time they drive their motor vehicle. 

What’s even worse is that there are 580,000 motor vehicles in the state with an expired inspection sticker, and those vehicles belong to the 430,000 residents, who will get fined multiple times if they have more than one vehicle with expired registration. If an officer pulls them over, they’ll likely receive a $40 fine, but the residents can get a penalty from multiple officers in one day, so that number can always increase. 

The worst punishment, however, is when the fines lead to higher car insurance rates. If an insurer notices that a driver is accumulating fines, the company won’t hesitate to increase its price. 

Consequences like these are common across every state, not just Massachusetts. State officials everywhere are fining residents who haven’t renewed their vehicle registration by the extended deadline. It doesn’t matter where you live. If your registration isn’t up-to-date, you’re at risk of receiving a fine and more expensive car insurance.  

The costs to renew your vehicle registration 

how much it costs to renew your vehicle registration?

If you want to renew your registration, you may be wondering how much it costs. Luckily, this service doesn’t demand a hefty price, but it does differ from state to state. 

In New York, for example, renewing your vehicle registration can be anywhere from $26 – $71, depending on the weight of your vehicle. If your motor vehicle is 1,650 lbs. or less, the registration renewal will cost $26. If it’s 1,751 lbs. to 1,850 lbs., the registration renewal will cost $29. And if it’s 1,951 lbs. or more, the registration renewal will be anywhere between $32.50 to $71.  

In Connecticut, on the other hand, the cost is different. If you live in this state and want to renew your vehicle registration, the price is around $80 for two years. However, you also have to pay an extra $10 for the Clean Air Act fee.  

Ultimately, the price for registration renewal depends on where you live and what your state uses to determine the costs. Common factors that play a role in determining the fee include your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, age, current value, and weight. But sometimes, DMV offices and transportation agencies also look at the number of cars registered in your name and your vehicle’s horsepower to see if your fee should be higher or lower.  

Where you shouldn’t go to renew vehicle registration

Once you know the cost of renewing your vehicle registration, it’s time to do it. But where should you go? The first answer is the most obvious one: the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). 

This option is usually the go-to route because it’s so well known. However, that doesn’t mean it should be the most popular. The DMV is notoriously slow, and the pandemic makes that fact even more true. 

DMV offices across the U.S. are struggling to address the backlog they’ve accumulated because of COVID-19. When their offices re-opened during the pandemic, DMV employees walked in to find more people than usual needing their help. 

The situation has gotten so bad that some people are waiting up to six months to complete simple transitions like license renewals, driver’s tests, and out-of-state transfers. And while vehicle registration is something that you can handle online, the DMV’s website is not as user-friendly as it should be to ensure a quick, seamless process. 

Where to renew your vehicle registration

If you want to renew your vehicle registration quickly to avoid fines and higher insurance rates, you can’t depend on the DMV. Instead, you need to use a credible transportation agency like Barry Risk Management, Inc. 

With over 30 years of experience in the DMV industry, Barry Risk Management, Inc. has the skills to help you renew your vehicle registration, and everything happens online. Unlike the DMV, the online platform that Barry Risk Management, Inc. uses is simple and user-friendly to ensure you get your renewal done quickly. 

And if any questions ever arise as you’re renewing your registration, Barry Risk Management, Inc. has representatives that are ready to help. Knowledgeable and friendly, a representative can guide you from start-to-finish until your renewed registration is set up, so you don’t have to worry about tackling any confusing phases alone. 

Don’t get a fine for not renewing your vehicle registration. Call to have Barry Risk Management, Inc. at 1-888-995-TAGS(8247) to renew your registration quickly! 

Posted on

What Happens When You Don’t Renew Vehicle Registration?

what happens when you don't renew vehicle registration?

For every action, there’s a reaction. If you regularly drink water, you’ll stay hydrated. If you work out consistently, you’ll get in shape. And if you get enough sleep, you’ll wake up refreshed.

These basic truths are obvious. Knowing that there’s a reaction for every action is to be expected, and that’s why it should come as no surprise to learn this: if you don’t renew your vehicle registration, you’ll face penalties.  

Usually, it’s easy to remember to do the necessary things in life, like taking care of your health and wellness. But when it comes to the not-so-every-day-things, like renewing your vehicle registration, it’s a little tougher to remember to write that item on your to-do list. 

However, what happens when you don’t renew your vehicle registration? What are the specific consequences that you may face? Well, the straightforward answer is that it depends on the state you live in. Nevertheless, there are a few general penalties that you might notice no matter where you live.

The consequences of not renewing vehicle registration

Your vehicle registration must be renewed every year or every few years—the exact amount of time will vary depending on the state you call home. 

However, if you don’t know when it’s time to renew your registration, and therefore, forget to do it, you may face two things: a ticket and a fine. 

With expired vehicle registration, you open up the door for a police officer to pull you over and ticket you for a lapse in car registration. In addition, you may have to pay a fee to the state because of your mistake.

These consequences may not sound like a big deal at first. But after so many tickets and fines, you’ll start to notice how much money you could save by just renewing your registration instead of paying the penalties. 

You also may think it’s worth updating your registration if you have to face more consequences on top of all the fees. Not renewing your vehicle registration could lead to more expensive car insurance rates. And in the worst-case scenario, failing to renew your registration could mean losing your car. 

It’s not uncommon to see a vehicle get impounded because the owner forgot—or blatantly avoided—to renew their registration. In this scenario, you can’t get your vehicle back until you update your registration and pay all of your fines. Sometimes, that fine even includes the impound and towing fees. 

While these penalties may sound extreme, there is good news. Sometimes, states will offer a grace period for you to renew your vehicle registration. For example, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Colorado provide a one-month grace period after your registration expires, whereas Texas only offers a five day grace period.

It’s important to check with your state to see if a grace period is available. Hopefully, you’ll have a little wiggle room to renew your registration. But if you live in a major city, like New York City, for example, you may find that a grace period does not exist. 

Can you have expired registration during a pandemic? 

Remembering to renew your car registration during “normal” times is already difficult. Today, it’s easy to always have something going on, so registration renewal may be the last thing on your mind. And this sentiment is even more true during a pandemic. 

Because of COVID-19, many states have offered some leeway when it comes to renewing your vehicle registration. Keeping citizens healthy and safe during a pandemic is of utmost priority for many state officials. So, most local leaders don’t enforce penalties if your registration expired in 2020. 

However, does this freedom mean that it’s okay to have expired registration? The answer is simple: no. Even though most states are trying to be flexible when it comes to enforcing penalties, they do have an extended deadline for you to renew your car registration. 

For example, in New York, Governor Cuomo issued an executive order towards the end of March that extended the expiration date of vehicle registration and inspections. These registrations had to be valid as of March 27, 2020.

As time went on, Cuomo extended the order multiple times until it finally expired on November 3, 2020. However, to give people enough time to renew their registration, he signed an order that prevented police from giving tickets to drivers that had expired vehicle registration. 

Unfortunately, though, this order has expired. As of December 1, 2020, police officers can ticket you if you don’t have up-to-date registration in New York. So, even though there’s a pandemic, you still need to renew your documents. With extensions and executive orders expiring, you will start to face consequences for driving with outdated registration.

How much does it cost to renew vehicle registration? 

how much do you have to pay to renew vehicle registration

If you don’t want to face penalties for having expired registration, you need to get this taken care of sooner rather than later. However, to do that, there’s something you need to consider: the costs. 

Renewing your vehicle registration will cost money, and the renewal fees will differ depending on the state you live in. Some states are unique and require you to pay a fee based on the type of license plate that you have. 

For example, in Chicago, a standard renewal sticker costs $151. If you have a personalized plate, that cost increases slightly to $158. And if you have a vanity plate, the price for renewal goes up to $164. 

Other states look at a list of factors to determine how much you have to pay to renew your registration. In New Jersey, for instance, the cost is based on your vehicle’s model and weight. 

If you have a model from 1970 or older and it weighs under 2,700 lbs, you’ll have to pay $35 for registration renewal. If that model weighs between 2,700 lbs – 3,800 lbs, you’ll have to pay around $44. 

Every state is different, so it’s important to check the costs to ensure you know what you need to pay. Don’t listen to a friend or relative that lives in another state and doesn’t know your state’s laws. 

How to renew your vehicle registration

When it’s time to renew your registration, where do you go? You have two options: the DMV or a transportation agency. 

The first option is the most common one, although it does require you to wrestle with the endless hassles at the DMV. Taking this route, especially during a pandemic, means you’ll have to make an appointment for months out and wait in a long line for someone to assist you. However, it could also mean that you go on your state’s DMV website to renew your registration. But even then, the process is not so simple. 

If you want to avoid this unnecessary headache, option two is the best route to take. Transportation agencies like Barry Risk Management, Inc. can renew your registration quickly and easily—and it can all happen online. 

With over 30 years of experience in the DMV industry, Barry Risk Management, Inc. has the skill set and ability to handle your registration renewal so that you don’t get penalized. It doesn’t matter where you live. The representatives at Barry Risk Management, Inc. will ensure your registration complies with your state’s specific laws. 

For help renewing your registration, contact an agent at Barry Risk Management, Inc. today!