Why does it take so long to get plates?

3,352 Views | 22 Replies | Last: 13 days ago by txyaloo
chap
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7:18p, 10/3/24
AG
Random topic I've always wondered about

Why does it take so long to get license plates from a dealer?

I bought a used car 6 weeks ago from a dealer. Still no plates. When I buy from a private party and go to the county tax office with the title I get plates immediately.

Not a complaint, just curious. What is the process the dealer goes through that takes this long?
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spieg12
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7:48p, 10/3/24
AG
It won't for much longer, at least in Texas. They are getting rid of paper plates and dealers will have metal plates on hand to put on sold vehicles.
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jja79
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11:44p, 10/3/24
AG
One of the most surprising things i discovered when I moved to Arizona is that you get your plates and DL at the DL store rather than an inefficient government office. 20 minutes and I walked out with both.
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txyaloo
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In reply to chap • 12:03a, 10/4/24
AG
chap said:
Random topic I've always wondered about

Why does it take so long to get license plates from a dealer?

I bought a used car 6 weeks ago from a dealer. Still no plates. When I buy from a private party and go to the county tax office with the title I get plates immediately.

Not a complaint, just curious. What is the process the dealer goes through that takes this long?
Dealers have a legal timeframe for when they have to submit registrations from a new sale. It's something like 45 days.

I've found, at least smaller dealers, tend to batch registrations and then go do them all at once.

I've also seen dealers be lazy, do the registration, and never send the plates. It takes calling multiple times to get them. I figure, they already have my money, and they just don't care any more.
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Kurt Gowdy
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6:20a, 10/4/24
AG
The dealer gets them in fast. They don't call you to come pick up because they want you to drive around with their fancy dealer logo plate for the advertisement.
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dodger02
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11:42a, 10/4/24
AG
I bought a used car on August 2nd. Nine weeks later and still no permanent plates.

I called the dealer - a major DFW new car dealer - and they told me there was a 30-day grace period from paper plate expiration. I told them I didn't think that was right (I subsequently looked it up...it's 5 days, by law). The guy I talked to essentially told me "sucks to be you" and hung up.

And I don't buy the conspiracy theory that the dealer sits on tags while you drive around giving them free advertisement. I think that between the dealer and the state, they're both tripping over their own dicks.
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12th Man Ag
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11:00p, 10/4/24
AG
Bought a car two weeks ago and got the plates today.
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Yesterday
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In reply to txyaloo • 8:25a, 10/5/24
AG
TXyaloo is correct. I had a dealers license for a while. When I sold a car I just went to the tax office and waited and got the plates/registration that day. The big dealers would drop off about 100 at a time and pick them up at a later date.
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reproag
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10:42a, 10/7/24
AG
Dealer could be waiting on something from the previous owner. I'd call and see if the plates have been issued and not lost in the mail or sitting in the salesman's drawer.
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chap
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In reply to reproag • 10:49a, 10/7/24
AG
Thanks. I've called and all they've said is that the state takes a long time.

That's why I was curious what the actual process looks like for dealers. If they wait a few weeks to do a big batch and you could either be early in that cycle or late or whatever.

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dodger02
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In reply to chap • 11:48a, 10/7/24
AG
Call your county tax office.

I did so this morning (my dealer tags expired a week ago). The clerk looked up my info and stated there is no pending registration for me anywhere in the state.

So I called the dealer (for the third time). They finally admitted there was an issue with the title application and would look into it.
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aggieforester05
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1:05p, 10/7/24
AG
I just got mine in exactly a week including the time it took the dealer to mail them to me.
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OleRock02
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9:12p, 10/7/24
AG
The dealer has your money on day 1. Depending on what you bought, that's likely a few $K they are holding, and they have several weeks before they are required to submit the application to the state.

So we're collectively floating the dealer's monthly operating costs.
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Ol_Ag_02
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2:05p, 1/7/25
AG
Bought a used car for kid in cash from dealer. It's been 60 days with no title or plates and dealer is giving me the run around.

For future reference the dealer has 30 days by law to provide when vehicle is not financed. I just called the DMV spent a minute getting to the right option via touchtone. Left my number because there was a 30 minute wait. Dude called me back in 25 minutes later. Phone call took like two minutes and he emailed me a link to an online form to file a complaint. I'll be assigned a case manager in 3 days who will deal with the dealership directly on my behalf.

Absolute rare stunning display of government efficiency. Hope no one else has this problem but at least they're going to solve it for me. Zero stress on my part.
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Mookie
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In reply to Ol_Ag_02 • 5:53p, 1/7/25
AG
What dealer was it so we can get our pitchforks out?
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TecRecAg
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6:51p, 1/7/25
AG
I got told 60 days when I bought a car last week. Wonder if they have to tell me max number of days or if that's really what I'm looking at
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Ol_Ag_02
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In reply to Mookie • 8:32p, 1/7/25
AG
Mookie said:
What dealer was it so we can get our pitchforks out?


Auto Source of Texas in Richardson.
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Ol_Ag_02
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In reply to TecRecAg • 8:34p, 1/7/25
AG
TecRecAg said:
I got told 60 days when I bought a car last week. Wonder if they have to tell me max number of days or if that's really what I'm looking at


DMV guy told me today 30 days for cash; 45 days if financed. Otherwise they're in violation of the law. Take that for what it's worth.
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aggiedata
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9:31a, 1/8/25
AG
Dealerships buy cars and sell them before they even have a clear title. Sometimes it takes a while to work these through the system.
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TexAgBolter
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2:53p, 1/8/25
AG
Gullo Ford got my plates PDQ. Think it was within a week or so.
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txyaloo
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3:15p, 1/8/25
AG
Shouldn't be an issue starting July 1 when paper plates go away. Dealers will have to do the title work themselves and provides the final plates at time of sale.

One big change coming with the law is now plates stay with the car.


Quote:
The bill requires that standard, general issue license plates issued to a vehicle remain with the vehicle when sold or transferred to a new party. Individuals who have purchased personalized or specialty plates will be allowed to retain possession and ownership of those plates, which they may request to be assigned to another vehicle.
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aggiedata
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In reply to txyaloo • 10:29a, 1/9/25
AG
I wonder if we will need this after July.

Transfer plate form Texas

https://www.txdmv.gov/forms/license-plate-transfer-form-vtr-904

Don't get parking tickets in the mail like I did after I naively left my plates on a 4Runner I sold.
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txyaloo
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In reply to aggiedata • 10:53a, 1/9/25
AG
aggiedata said:
I wonder if we will need this after July.

Transfer plate form Texas

https://www.txdmv.gov/forms/license-plate-transfer-form-vtr-904

Don't get parking tickets in the mail like I did after I naively left my plates on a 4Runner I sold.
This is what DMV's FAQ says to use starting in July:

https://webdealer.txdmv.gov/title/publicVehicleTransfer

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