How to Buy a Car in Another State

Man Signing Document at Car Dealership

If you are shopping for a vehicle with Suntrup Automotive Group and you live in a different state, you may be concerned that the car shopping process will be more difficult. Anxiety about registration, taxes, and fees, and geography, along with general car-buying worry should not prevent you from finding the vehicle of your dreams out-of-state. There is no need to worry. It’s actually quite simple to purchase a vehicle outside of your home state. Follow this handy guide from Suntrup Automotive Group, and drive home in the vehicle of your dreams in no time.

Registering a Car Bought in Another State

If you live out of state and not in the Green Valley, Saddlebrooke, or Oro Valley area, you may have questions about how to register your new vehicle in your home state. Fortunately, putting your license plate on a vehicle taken over state lines only requires a few pieces of documentation and a trip to the DMV:

  1. Ask for a bill of sale with the purchase price you paid listed clearly and find your local DMV on a website like DMV Near Me.
  2. Along with your bill of sale, you will need to provide a photo ID, proof of residency, and proof of insurance when you visit. Be sure to notify your DMV clerk that you bought your car in a different state with the intent of titling and registering it at your address.
  3. Your clerk will likely return your bill of sale but will keep the title from the state where the dealership is located. You will be asked to pay the appropriate difference in sales tax between the two states.
  4. Watch for your new title to arrive in the mail.
Couple Driving Towards Sunset in Convertible

Taxes and Fees on Out-of-State Cars

Your local sales tax, the difference between the tax in the dealership state and your state’s sales tax, and any applicable processing fees at your DMV are the only extraneous payments you’ll need to make beyond the purchase price of your new car, truck, van, or SUV if you decide to shop with Suntrup Automotive Group. You don’t need to be concerned with spending hundreds of extra dollars – the registration process is basically the same. Unfortunately, you’ll probably spend no less time in line than you would otherwise!

Things to Do in St. Louis

If you are planning to shop with Suntrup Automotive Group and you live out of state, why not make a trip out of it. There are a lot of great places to visit, fabulous dining destinations, and so much more. You can drive home in the car you have always wanted, and have a fun time with your family or friends. What is better than that?

Shop with Suntrup Automotive Group Today

St. Louis drivers already know Suntrup Automotive Group has outstanding deals on new and used cars. That is why it is such a smart choice to peruse our inventory and stop by in person. Contact us if you have any questions before making the trip to one of our locations. We look forward to meeting you soon.


More from Suntrup Automotive Group

  • What Credit Score Do You Need to Buy a Car?

    It is one of the first questions people ask when they start thinking about financing a vehicle, and the honest answer is that there is no single number that unlocks car ownership. Lenders set their own standards, and those standards shift depending on whether you are financing new or used, how much you are putting…

  • What Is Considered High Mileage for a Used Car?

    If a used car’s odometer reads six figures, most shoppers slow down. The 100,000-mile mark has been treated as a hard limit for decades, and for a long time that caution made sense. But the vehicles on today’s used car lots are built very differently than what was on the road thirty years ago. What…

  • How to Increase Your Car’s Resale Value Through Maintenance

    When you drive a brand-new vehicle off the dealership lot, you instantly participate in one of the most predictable financial realities of the automotive world: depreciation. Over the first few years of a vehicle’s life, its market value naturally decreases. However, many car owners do not realize that depreciation is not a completely fixed percentage….

Contact Us


5926 S. Lindbergh Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63123
Suntrup Automotive Group 38.5214964, -90.3451239.