Vehicle registration guides
Five plain-English explainers covering how US vehicle registration actually works, why fees vary so much between states, and what to do in the most common situations: moving, buying out of state, owning an EV. Each guide links into the relevant state pages for current numbers.
The fundamentals
9 min read
How vehicle registration works
A plain-English explainer of US vehicle registration: what the fees are, who collects them, why states differ so wildly, and what the jargon means.
8 min read
Why fees vary so much
A new car costs about $200/year to register in Mississippi and over $500/year in California — for the same car. Here's why US states diverge so dramatically.
Common situations
11 min read
Buying a car across state lines
Buying a car in another state and bringing it home: sales tax rules, temporary plates, dealer paperwork, and whether the "Montana LLC" trick actually works.
12 min read
Moving states with a car
A practical guide to re-registering your vehicle after moving: timelines, documents required, sales tax exposure, plate transfer rules, and common surprises.