After a big move, it can feel like you have a million things to do to put your new life together. Amidst all the unpacking of boxes and finding your local grocery store, you should also consider your vehicle and everything you need to update to keep operating it legally. If you’ve moved to a new state, you’ll need to update the address listed on your vehicle’s title and registration, and apply for a new license plate. If you’ve recently gotten married or divorced, you’ll also need to make a change to these documents so your name is listed correctly.
According to the team of experts at Car-Title.org, this is an important task to accomplish quickly so you don’t miss out on notifications of an expired registration. Fortunately, many state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMVs) will assist you in changing all your vehicle’s documentation simultaneously once you start the process of updating your name or address. Here are the steps to updating your car title and registration simultaneously after you’ve moved or changed your name.
Choose your preferred method of correspondence – State DMVs may offer for you to submit a change of address or a name change by phone, via mail, in-person or online. However, there are many offices that may only accept a change in-person. Since every state is different, the experts at Car-Title.org recommend calling your local DMV and asking what methods are available to submit a change. Whether you can submit this change online, by phone, in-person or by mail, you’ll probably be required to first fill out paperwork and send in proof of your address or name change.
Provide the information requested by the DMV – Once you’re informed of what paperwork and proof you must provide for the change to be successful, start by gathering the information needed. For a change of address, the DMV may require you to send in a utility bill with your name and new address on it. If you’re requesting to change your name, the DMV may ask for a copy of your marriage license or your divorce certificate. According to the team at Car-Title.org, if you choose to make a change online or by phone, you may still be required to provide these documents to the DMV. If you have no way of scanning and electronically sending this required proof, you may need to visit the office in person for your request.
Ask about your other records – If you’ve applied to make a change to your car’s title, the DMV may automatically make the change to all other documents, including your registration. However, don’t assume that this is the case. It’s best to ask the DMV if these changes will be made automatically or if there’s additional paperwork that needs to be filed. The experts at Car-Title.org recommend calling and speaking to a representative to ensure that you get a correct answer about your vehicle’s documents and the change that needs to be made. In some states, only the car’s title needs to be updated with a new name or a new address, and you can simply cross out the expired information on your registration.
Pay all required fees – When you request a change to be made, you may owe fees for a new title, a new tag or a new registration. When changing a name or an address on your driver’s license, there is usually a fee for a new license to be issued. The same can go for other official vehicle paperwork. If you’re making the change online or by phone, you’ll be able to see or hear about the payment types accepted. However, if you’re planning to mail in the change request or you go the office in-person, check with the DMV first to see how much payment is required and what types of payments are acceptable.
Follow any additional steps – If your state’s DMV has given you a list of additional steps you need to complete to update the rest of your paperwork, don’t delay. It’s important for the address and name on all your vehicle’s paperwork to be congruent. The team at Car-Title.org encourages all vehicle owners to complete the entire process for the address or name change as soon as possible. This ensures you won’t miss important notifications about your registration or title.