US states non-nationals can register a bike in
 

I'm wondering if we can put together a list of states in which travelers can easily register bikes? There appear to be some states in which it is difficult / not possible at all, and others in which it is quite straight forward, and can be done with a PO Box address.

I think a thread like this would be really useful for a lot of people.

New Mexico
 

It can be done in New Mexico

A rider needs:
1. Identification, 2 types - such as passport and driver's license from home country
2. A rent receipt , get this from one of our local riders or me with address and amount of rent written on it.
3. An insurance card with address printed on it, a fax or emailed print copy is ok -this you get from Fernet Insurance in Orlando, Fl., online.

Then you can register bike here...if bike is from another state it will require a VIN inspection at Motor Vehicle Dep't - done as same time as registering.

Tax is 3% of purchase price, and 2 years registration is about $45 with plate for 2 years.

New Mexico gives the option of registering moto for 2 years also.

Zig


and beware there are some riders that take grave offense at anyone putting things in italics -

such as "rent receipt", I've been warned dearly at adv about this, it is construed as attempting

to defraud someone....they are watching us evidently

Excellent!
 

I love the idea of this thread. We are debating selling our bikes and buying new ones in the States, or shipping the ones we have. Price wise at the moment it seems buying new ones makes more sense than shipping. Anyone else with advice or experience to add to this would be fantastic! As of right now New Mexico it is! :-)

New Jersey
 

Here's some information originally posted on the 1st June 2011 by Keith46 about New Jersey:

"Hey folks. I'm in New Jersey at the moment about to start a 6 week trip across the states. I bought a secondhand V Strom 650 but ran into major hassle at the DMV. Long story short i didn't get the bike transferred into my name but instead had to register it to my girlfriend who is a New Jersey citizen."

Washington State
 

Washington State
 

Here is some info from the DOL Washington State taken from WA State Licensing: Transfer ownership when buying from a private party

Transferring ownership when buying from a private party

If you buy from a private party or receive a vehicle as a gift, you’re responsible for transferring ownership of the vehicle into your name within 15 days.
What you’ll need

When you buy a car, motorcycle, or other vehicle from a private party, make sure you receive all the documents required to transfer the title. These documents may include the following:

• Vehicle Certificate of Ownership (title) — The seller must release ownership by signing in the appropriate place on the title. Everyone listed on the title must sign it.
• Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest — If the title is lost, the seller must complete an Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest and sign it in the presence of a notary public, county auditor, or licensing agent. Everyone listed on the vehicle record must sign it.
• Bill of sale — Both you and the seller must provide information about the sale on a Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale. This information includes the sale price, which is used to calculate the use tax you must pay.
• Emissions testing report — Emissions testing is required in urban areas of Clark, King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Spokane counties.
• Vehicle Title Application — If you mail your documents to us, you must include a notarized Vehicle Certificate of Ownership Application.
• Odometer Disclosure Statement — If the vehicle is less than 10 years old, both you and seller must state the mileage and sign, either on the title itself or on an Odometer Disclosure Statement.
  
  Note: Because the Odometer Disclosure Statement form is printed on tamperproof paper, it’s not available online and we can’t fax or email one to you.
  • If you need a copy of the form, there are 3 ways to get it:
    • Pick one up at any vehicle licensing office.
    • Send a request with your name and mailing address to titles@dol.wa.gov. We’ll mail it to you within 2 business days.
    • Call 360-902-3770. We’ll mail it to you within 2 business days.
  • If you’re a vehicle dealer and need multiple copies of the form, please call the Washington State Dealers Association at 1-800-998-9723.

How to transfer ownership into your name

• Visit a vehicle licensing office. The licensing agent will help you through the process.
• or
• Mail your notarized Vehicle Certificate of Ownership Application with all supporting documents and a check or money order for the fee to any vehicle licensing office.

You should receive the vehicle title 6–8 weeks after you transfer ownership into your name.
Deadlines and penalties

You must transfer ownership into your name within 15 calendar days from the date of purchase, or pay the following penalties:

• $25 on the 16th day.
• $2 per day for each day after the 16th day, up to a maximum of $100.

Fees

Please contact a vehicle licensing office to find out exactly how much it will cost to transfer ownership of the vehicle into your name.

Montana
 

Here is some info posted by Bill Ryder on 10th June 2011 about Montana State:

"Hi there, I live near Helena Montana. When you buy a bike in montana you go to the local county courthouse and pay your dollars for vehical transfer and a bunch of taxes and added on revenue enhancers. I just bought and licensed a 78 KZ1000 kawi and it cost $95.00. They then give you a shiny new "permanant" license plate and a piece of paper that has the bike info and your name on it that is called registration papers. So when you get stopped by the cops they can ask you for "license, registration and insurance". This registration paper proves you own the bike. I just got back from canada and this was all I took with me. Two to six weeks later your permanent title will arive in the mail at the address you gave them at the courthouse when you transfered the ownership of the bike to your name.
Once you have the "title" which is just a more offical looking document I would go to a notary and have it notorized and sign it. This is required in montana to resell the bike. They want a offical notary stamp verifiying that you signed the title to sell the bike. Almost any car lot or bank can do this for you. The law used to be that you had to have a buyers name on the title but at least here in the state capital of Helena Mt. the title can be signed by you and left open as far as a buyer. If you do sell the bike I would download from the internet this form and fill it out just to be on the safe side http://www.doj.mt.gov/driving/forms/mv24.pdf
If you have the permanent title you can sell the bike in any of the other states or if it breaks down and is unfixable you can leave the title with it and be on your way ;-)
Insurance is not required on bikes in montana. Canada and other states of course require it.
Helena Handbasket: Helena Area ADV Riders' Union - Page 57 - ADVrider some local riders. "

Montana
 

Subsequent to the information above I was told the following by another member:

"You will only be able to register and get plates on a vehicle if you are a
RESIDENT of Montana. Simply "using" someone Montana address will not work. You have to prove residency and that means having a MT drivers license. If you show up to get a MT drivers license with a passport from outside the UK, they are not going to give you one unless you can prove you are working here and not just a tourist.

People who live in other states in the USA use to come to MT and set up a bogus entity because we dont pay sales tax here on vehicles. Imagine the
savings on a $500,000 motorhome. MT has fixed this loophole. It still may be possible for you to hire an attorney in MT and set up a corporation or an
LLC here legally and have that new entity register the motorcycle. People
still do that for expensive motorhomes, but a used motorcycle may not be
worth the trouble.

..."In MT, you will need a MT drivers license to register and plate the
motorcycle. To get a license you have to establish residency."

Vehicle Title and Registration - MT Dept of Justice

worklive


The DoL in Montana told me the following after I emailed explaining that I was from the UK:

"I cannot address whether or not it is legal for you to purchase a vehicle, however would be able to tell you that Montana does not have a provision to title and register a vehicle for an individual who is not a resident of Montana."


Again probably the stock answer...

Oregon
 

Here is some info posted by olyflyer on 10th October 2010

"I bought a bike in Oregon, just needed an Oregon address, fill out the title and transfer papers, then they send out the title a few weeks later

No sales tax up here in Oregon, so it only cost me $77USD to do it, where as most other states have sales tax to pay"

Indeed, it is at times like this we need a "Wiki" to organise such info better.

Georgia
 

Posted by T.REX63 on 10th Oct 2010

"In the state of Georgia, you can not, as foreigner, register a vehicle in your name unless you have the proper visa, social security number and a US drivers license.

Just went through this ordeal (October 2010) and ended up registering a friends CAN-AM in my name (bill of sale, title, registration and insurance). Another courtesy of 911... :("

California
 

Here is some info posted by Dave_Smith 28th August 2009

"I only know about California.

California is an oddball state. It has the strictest smog laws in the world. You can buy a vehicle in another state but depending on the miles, you might not be able to register it in California. California also has the highest sales tax in the US. It's around 9% depending on the location of purchase (state taxes and local taxes) but sales tax really just applies if you buy from a dealer. A private person doesn't care and would think you were crazy if you tried to pay them sales tax.

California doesn't want people buying vehicles from other states to save on taxes. Other states don't require the same smog controls so California DMV might check your mileage if you register a new bike bought from another state.

Oregon is a good state to buy a vehicle from to avoid the taxes.

If you register at a CA DMV, they'll give you a printout to have while you wait for the official paperwork to show (2-6 weeks). That's fine to travel with. You can even cross the Mexican border with that.

When you buy a vehicle, you don't have to have insurance. You're supposed to, but they only check when you renew your registration. Insurance computers are tied into the CA DMV and they know when you have insurance.

When I was in California, I let a few HU folks use my address to register and insure their bike at. Having a US address is handy. Sorry, but I'm in Korea now. I'm guessing at this, but I think that if you asked a hotel if you could use their address to get mail, they'd say yes. Don't tell them it's DMV/insurance. You might need a fancy hotel for that. DMV and insurance companies aren't going to know that it's a hotel.

Also in California, most people won't register and insure your bike for you. It just sounds a bit dodgy, plus everyone hates sitting around the DMV. You might get lucky but it's not likely. I haven't bought a bike through a dealer, but I'm sure they'd be more accommodating for doing the paperwork.

There's a few sites that search craigslist.org which is a good site for buying vehicles in the US. It's worldwide but in some countries it's rarely used. jaxed.com is one but it's not working for me right now, but my school's internet is overloaded.

site mash : : combined classified and auction listings

I hope that helps."

Thanks Cultural Adventurer! Some of these I had already found a read, but the idea of a Wiki would be brilliant. I find the search on the Hubb does not always play nice, even now although they have improved it!

I find searching the Hubb through Google gives better results than through the sites own search function

Department of Motor Vehicles
 

I thought that I should post this link:

DMV - Department of Motor Vehicles

it will send you to a page including links to the DMV's for each of the states.

New Mexico
 

Here's a link to registration information in New Mexico:

New Mexico Car Registration Guide - Renewals, Changing States, New Vehicle Purchases, Non Operational - DMV Guide

Dmv
 

Here's another similar link to registration in various US states:

DMV.org: The DMV Made Simple

10 years ago I bought a klr650 with Nebraska tags from a fellow traveller in Argentina. He then flew home. In order to get legal papers in my name, he registered the bike in my name at his address in Nebraska. I had to do nothing/sign nothing/not appear in person.

A couple of years ago I "borrowed" a DRZ400 from a mate in Nevada. He put me on the title (we were now "co-owners"): I never went to Nevada: he delivered the bike to me in California) and I was able to ride the bike legally. I went to Baja California on the bike with no issues.

The second time I used this bike was in/out of Arizona (my friend had moved): I ended up with a temporary tag in my name, which was good enough for for the time I was in the USA. Don't know if it is easy to get a permanent tag. We just went to an office, paid some money, got a yellow piece of paper that I gaffertaped to the rear mudguard. I was even stopped by a copper in Nevada and he accepted it with no problems.

I have head things are quite straight forward in Montana, but cannot confirm this through first hand experience.

HTH
Chris

Getting the title in hand
 

Like I posted, in New Mexico they print you the title and registration right there, and you can have option of 2 years registration and tabs which may help someone who is going to keep bike awhile...

and you DONT need to prove you are a citizen, this is New Mexico - there's a BIG LAW here against asking that question of someone, ESPECIALLY here in Deming where maybe 20% or more op population is illegal, owns houses, has kids in school, etc.....



Zig

Ohio and Wyoming
 

Found this info on (not my own experience):

Buying a Car to Drive in the USA - USATourist Community


Ohio

I am in Cleveland, Ohio and already bought a car from a dealer. I got a temporary tag (=plate) and title issued to my name and friend's address here in Ohio which was all handled by the dealer. The problem is that I can't register my car and get the permanent tag (=plate) because I don't have a social security number. You must have a social security number to register your car in Ohio. And I can't get a social security number on my tourist status.

Wyoming

I drove to Wyoming and got my plates sorted at first DMV office (Gillette) on my way. The only documents that are required to get plates for non-Wyoming car is the original title, bill of purchase and proof of insurance. They also require VIN inspection, but this can be obtpained at any police station free of charge. No need for any identification document or SSN. And the address for the title can be any address in US, without need of proof. So my problem is solved and I'm fully enjoying travelling around the US with my own car.

Again....New Mexico
 

You get Title and Reg and plates IN HAND..........

no questions about your immigration status

you just need a rent receipt and your new NM address on your insurance form (from Fernet Insurance in Orlando FLorida)........that simple


JAmes

Having worried about bike registration for ages, I finally did it last week. I ended up doing it in Montana. I used an address in Montana, a separate 'out of state' postal address, and my UK driving license. It cost about $100, and I was given a number plate immediately. The process was entirely straight forward, it really was about ticking boxes rather than demonstrating or proving anything more complex.

Hi guys I am new to this board - and not able to send a private message - could anyone maybe zigeuner53 or Cultural Adventurer give me the step by step instruction how you did it? I mean how should I get a rent receipt? thx

Hi, looks like we are both doing the same thing at the same time. I spent some time searching this board on the subject but only found this useful stuff after I started my own thread. Your message had placed this thread next to mine on the entry page!

My wife and I are very keen to have a bike permanently in the US, ideally starting this April/May.

We had expected to start in LA as we have contacts there and are interested in exploring the West Coast region to start with. Though I’m learning that we need to understand the different procedures in different states.

I will PM Cultural Adventurer.

Guy

Hey Guy(s),

Zigeuner and Cultural are both on the road right now, somewhere in Mexico (Cancun I believe).

I haven't heard from them for a few weeks now.

I will send Cultural a mail through hotmail to check how he is doing and ask him to contact the hubb regarding this subject.

Grz

Registration
 

Hi Everyone,

As you will tell from this thread, I was really nervous about registration before I started my trip. In the end it was straight forward in Montana, simply a case of ticking the correct boxes.

I know that in certain states registering a motorcycle as a foreign national will be impossible, they will ask you to prove that you are a US citizen. There are other states, such as California, Montana, Wyoming, and New Mexico, where the process is far more straight forward. You will need to do a little bit of research...many of the links you will need are in this thread.

I contacted the DMV in several states, they were non committal about the possibility of me registering. I think that if you can't do it as a non-national they'd say outright. The bottom line is that they don't really want to admit that non US citizens will purchase motor vehicles, however if they are prepared to pay the state 100$ + they are not going to make a fuss. They are really only interested in the ££$$$, this is after all tax as much as anything more special!


When I left to buy the bike I had a couple of options, if Montana hadn't worked I was going to head towards Wyoming. If that had gone bad I had the options of New Mexico, which was a bit of a drive, or California, which was going to be expensive. One way or another it was going to be possible, it was just going to take time and possibly money to do.

Don't let the bizarre US laws get in your way...one way or another it is possible to get the bike registered and insured...I'm living proof of it!

Tnx for the advice Cultural.

If I may contribute; having a (local) address makes it much easier.

Buying and reg'ing a bike in AZ
 

Bought a bike off Craig's list (better than eBay or cycle trader I found, once you settle on your region).
PayPal was only 1% if you load your pp account rather than draw from your bank account.
Delivery from seller in San Diego to Phoenix was $300. (I was arriving in Phx but there is more choice is SoCal).

Once I arrived, to reg/license the bike (was originally from VA) to AZ plate took 10 mins and cost $106 with uk license (had a local address). They have so called third party DMV places in AZ which are said to be much quicker over the counter but cost a little more. The $106 was possibly 4% tax of their book value of the bike. That's 2650 which is way low or what a shop would give you, but could bode well for export valuation if I ship it back to UK.

'Mot' was not asked for and the local mate I was with was surprised how easy it was. The VA mot sticker on the forks lasts for a few months yet. Don't know if that counts.

Next insurance: used mate's local broker. Only wanted 2 months but had to get six minimum with foreign driving license. Cost $28 so did not mind. Bike is a near-new 250 trail bike.

I have a feeling anything in California, especially mots, are tougher. AZ seemed easy.

Oh, regarding getting it regd for you before you arrive to save time, I was told by seller that in AZ you get a 'power of attorney' form or something like. But in my case with local mate helping out was quick like I say.

Hope this helps someone.

Ch

North Carolina
 

Copied from post #12 at http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...906#post418250


I was staying in North Carolina at the time I bought the American bike.

I had to take an NC driving test, wait for the plastic card in the mail which took 10 days, then call round to get new insurance and wait for that to arrive in the mail, then go to DMV to get the title changed into my name, then wait 2 weeks for the plate and the new title in the mail.

The whole thing took me about 6 weeks as I was in a catch 22 - I needed proof of insurance to be able to take my driving test but they wouldn't insure me until I had a driving licence!!

I won't ever be doing anything in NC again - the insurance companies run the state!! I have friends in lots of other states so I'll try one of those next time!

I imported (Canadian reg) and registered my bike in Arizona, Australian national.

This is a ridiculously easy process (compared to anything similar in Australia anyway). The steps below not related to purchasing a local bike can be skipped.

-Brought insurance online (used Progressive) and printed the temp insurance ID document.
-Filled in the EPA 3520-1 and DOT HS-7
-Went to the customs office at the Phoenix Airport, filled in another form, the engine capacity meant no duty was payable.
-Went the MVD, you can't use an agency as it must be inspected for the relevant EPA and DOT stickers, VIN and Engine numbers. As they wanted to see the VIN and Engine nos, good idea to know where they are - for me this meant pulling some stuff off the bike (fairing and sidestand).
-Then just went inside to get the rest of the paperwork and plate. Two years was $349. They weren't interested in the customs paperwork at all, so I think probably could have avoided that aswell.
- If the bike is over five years old you need an EPA test.

Buying bikes in the USA
 

Hey everyone,
We are 3 Australians looking to buy two bikes in the USA to ride them up to Canada and then down through Central and South America.

Just wondering if there is any requirements that I should be made aware of before hand regarding buying a bike as a foreigner???

Thanking you
:scooter::helpsmilie:

You might try the search function: any obvious search terms ("Buy in USA") will give you all the light reading you can stomach.

Good luck.

Mark

The only thing you really need is a local addy to register the bike at then game on.

We bought Maya in AZ and we are Kiwis, used a mates addy to register it in our name, we hold the orignal title which you WILL need for border crossings, you will have to buy at least third party insurance too before you register it in your name however they never asked us for some reason.

In some states if the bike is over five years old you will have to get an emissions test done, this I know at least for AZ and Cali but I can not say for others sorry.

Really easy procedure to go through and nowhere near as daunting as people make out.

Any more queries on specifics fire away, will see if I can help.

Cheers Andi

What the previous post left out is that every state is different. There are 50 states, and in many of them you cannot register a bike after buying it--no way, no how. That's why you want to do a search...unless you'd rather just head for Arizona.

Mark

When we were looking for a replacement bike the standard pretty much across the board (even with the state differences) was if it was a registrable bike or already a registered bike then no problem whatsoever if you have a local US address to register it through.

I can't confirm that as we bought out of Portland Maine and registered in AZ but I can confirm the states being Cali and AZ anyway, just check with with state you want to start from/buy a bike from and you won't have any issues.

I think Markharf does raise a good point: the laws and processes in each of the states will vary, so narrow down exactly what point you are starting out from... I would guess that if Grug's group is flying in from Sydney the starting point will be Los Angeles, California, but maybe not.

As Markharf says, do a search for something like "foreign registration California" or some-such. That will narrow things down a lot, and then the O/P can ask more specific questions about the process.

Yes that is why I said the above, need to be more specific as to the start line.

grug any ideas where you intend to start/buy?, this will help with what info we can give.

It would make more sense logistically to enter via Oregon/Washington. Az. will definitely be the least onerous in terms of taxes, licensing fees etc. and I suspect that Oregon will be the least punitive of the 3 coastal states. But if we're assuming California registration:

Cali does not smog test motorcycles. If buying new the bike will already be Cali-approved and if buying used as long as the bike was previously registered in California there will be no issues. If the bike is purchased outside of Cali and then registered to a Cali address it must either have at least 7500 miles on the clock or it must be a Cali-approved model.

Unless things have changed recently AFIK Arizona's smog testing requirement only applies in specific counties. If the bike is registered to an address within those counties you will be subject to a smog test.

Examples for 2 states. If your buying in california you can use the dealers address to register if buying new or used or if your buying private ask to use their address.
I remember in a previous thread that in Colorado you can buy, register and ride away same day as non-US resident.

Quite a few detailed threads on this. Use Google to search the HUBB forum on this topic

I should point out that IMPORTATION of bikes from foreign countries to California could prove a very different thing than buying in-state.

Craig.iedema's bike may not have entered so easily. The California emissions requirements excede the Federal standards applicable in the other 49 states. A federal EPA cert may not suffice.

In general I agree with this, in this the EPA cert was okay for California also (50 state legal). All that said from what I understand California is last place you would go, more onerous emissions requirements, more expensive a DMV that is highly bureaucratic and only works part time.

Australian planning US, Europe & beyond
 

Hi,
I have been planning to visit the US, where I plan to by a new bike in Oregon. From there I'd want to see as much of the US as I could, with a combination of camping and staying in B&B's etc. Maybe over a period of 5 to 6 months.

Then I plan to fly the bike to England and commence my touring Europe from there.

Upon leaving the US with a US purchased bike as a non US citizen/ tourist and entering the U.K. What will be the issue at the US end and the problem at the UK end? What's the best way to handle this, as I will be moving all over Europe.

Also I gather there are ways to handle the registration when it falls due.
If anyone knows how to handle these issues please let me know
Cheers Rodhttp://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/images/smilies/scooter.gif

I dont know about bringing a US vehicle into Europe temporarily. It must be possible though it seems rarely done to me (due to expense?).

Permanently exporting the bike from the US is another way of doing it - surrender US title then re-reg in the UK. I imagine that will make your EU travels (particularly insurance and borders) more straightforward than running a US-plated bike with an Au passport.

A few weeks ago I was considering shipping a bike I bought in the US back to UK, as even with the freight and taxes it would have been worth the same as an identical bike from the UK (ie: bikes and bits are cheap in the US).

This is the quote I got from James Cargo
Based on you delivering your motorcycle into our agents Los Angeles depot from where we will load into a vehicle container and ship across to Chatham, Kent, clear through customs and unpack ready for you to collect, the price will be £895 (Transit time of approximately 4 weeks).
This price includes collection, freight, fuel surcharges, documentation, handling and export/import clearance. You will also need to pay any import duties, taxes and 2.5% use of deferment on arrival of the vehicles into the EU.
These are calculated as follows:
Duty and VAT: Duty – bike less than 250cc 8%
Duty – bike more than 250cc 6%
VAT 20% on value of the bike + freight amount

So that is 28.5 to 30.5% on bike and shipping.

In the end I still think it's least hassle to buy and sell in the US then fly over and do the same in the UK where registering a bike is very easy.

Fyi in the US I found your chosen regional urban centre of craigslist (like gumtree) was by far the best place to look. In the UK I'd say ebay.co.uk has the best bargains. As you may know there are bike selling forums on advrider (US), HU (international) and adventurebikerider.com (UK).

Ch

Re Pruchase of a bike in the US and taking it to tour Europe
 

Hi, Thanks for that information.

The issue you found with your bike I was wishing to avoid, seeing that I don't plan to import permanently into the UK.

I plan to keep it registered in the US.

If I do that, then I'm hit with import duty etc. I was thinking the UK because at least they speak English and that lessens confusion, so it doesn't have to be the UK.

Maybe there is a country within Europe that would be a better choice to start my tour. But I can't see it being much different than taking any duty free into a country and out again.

I doubt that I'm the first person to plan on doing things this way, I'm sure it's being done often.

I don't think the Australian passport should be an issue as long as I can prove ownership and have the bike fully US registered and insured for use in the country I'm entering. :thumbup1:

The real problem I think is that at some point in time I will need to sell the bike, or import it into Australia, and then I will be hit with import duty. But it wont be duty on a new bike by then so it will be a lot less. At least I hope so.:mchappy:

Registering a bike in CA
 

I will be arriving in Los Angles in June from New Zealand looking for a KLR 650 under 10,000 miles hopefully. I plan to register it in my name in CA. From what I can see on the dmv.org site I need to have rented an apartment. This was not really on my agenda. From other posts I have read people are saying all that is needed is an address? Anyone with recent experience on this? Also I am looking for biker friendly place to stay for a few days while I set the bike up with a few extras. The plan is to head to South America Thanks for any info in advance

Washington State
 

Around this time last year my father and I purchased some bike in Oregon hoping to enjoy the %0 tax on offer. Although we were allowed to purchase the bikes in Oregon we had to register them in Washington State as only Oregon locals can enjoy the %0 tax.

This was easily done we just needed to provide an address from Washington State which was fine as one of the guys from the bike shop in Oregon let us use his.

We are planning on going back this year to purchase bikes from the same dealership as we sold the bikes back to the dealership at the end of out last trip.

Washington State
 

Hey Grug,

I've been looking into buying and registering a bike in Washington this year. I noticed one of the requirements on the Washington State dmv site for registering a bike was an unexpired Washington Drivers license. Were you able to use an international license for that?

Also which dealership did you go to?

Thanks,
Josh

Read it more closely. The website actually says "You’ll need to present your unexpired Washington driver license so they can register the vehicle in your name, unless you’re exempt from getting a driver license under RCW 46.20.025." Click on the link and you'll see that if you're over 16 years old and possess a valid license from another country, you're good to go.

Mark

Miss read
 

I read that three or four times but somehow missed that sentence, my bad.

Thanks,

As of last year Tennessee allows foriegners to register vehicles with proof of address (letter or lease which can be made up)

Florida
 

I did it in Florida in Sept 2014. I registered a Brazilian bike of my ownership. My passport is from Spain but that had little to do with it.

But, be aware of the taxes! it´s 6% of the commercial value, so I suggest you to bring a Proforma Invoice (done by yourself and signed) with the value you want to declare.

Also, you will need an address in Florida. Probably is the same procedure in any state.

Good luck!

Colorado
 

I bought and registered a second hand bike in Denver August 2014.
Overall process was straight forward with a minor sticking point on my verifiable ID. See links for process

Register a vehicle purchased from a private party | Denver County Motor Vehicle Department | DenverGov.org

Buying or Selling a Vehicle | Denver County Motor Vehicle Department | DenverGov.org

The local DMV have not caught up with electronic visa wavier programme.
They wanted to see a paper I-94.

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite...&ssbinary=true

As I had only been in the country for two days my details were not accessible through the electronic system.

https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/request.html

With some smooth words, they eventually accepted my UK passport that was stamped by Homeland Security on entry as my verifiable ID.

Further research suggests you can ask for a printed I94 on arrival.
May cost and/or take more time.

I-94 Goes Electronic | U.S. Customs and Border Protection


Only other thing I needed was a local address and motorbike insurance (Progressive) before going to get titles.
Note, the insurance premium increased as soon as I entered an international licence (UK) being used. That's life however at least I got on the road.

No emissions test required on motorbikes.
I paid my monies and was given the new plates immediately.
Out on the bike in the afternoon, job done.

Hope this helps.
cheers:thumbup1:

Hey Josh,
Very late reply, sorry. I don't think I had to show a international license, although I do have one. Just the Australian license. I had to sign a form that said I was not a US citizen and that was all. The staff at the DMV in Vancouver, WA, were amazingly helpful and friendly. We went to Hillsboro Motosport in ORegon, just outside Portland.

I read comments about buying a bike in nevada or arizona and registering (some said it was quite easy. )

I contacted a NV dealer to check what I would need to buy and register the bike. He said a permanent address.

I only have friends in states of CA or TX. However, the adress needs to be in NEVADA. How did you solve this? Anyone who registered a bike as non US citizen, What address did you use??

I also will need insurance in order to ride in US legally and to register. They also require an address.

Please, any info you could give me on this, will be really appreciate.

Thanks!

Third party vehicle registration agencies Phoenix Arizona
 

I bought a bike in Iowa, rode and registered in my name being an Australian citizen at a third party vehicle registration agency in Phoenix Arizona. No emission test or checks, they dropped them late 2013, $90 for the year, plate in hand in under 10 minutes flat.

It would have been quicker had they had the KTM 950 Adv S on their register, I was blown away at how fast it was, it could not have been easier, just gave them a friends address, handed over the cash, bolt the plate on and hasta la vista baby!

Google 'Third party vehicle registration agencies Phoenix Arizona" You've got 30 days to find insurance too, Bob's you fathers brother :thumbup1:

UK citizen registering a new bike in Washington state
 

so from what I read here the consensus is that as a UK citizen, UK passport and UK driving license I should be OK with purchasing a US new motorcycle and registering in the state of Washington?
All that I would need would be proof of an address (a friends) in WA state, and my current UK driving license.
it sounds too easy.
please can someone confirm that it IS :thumbup1:
heres hoping. thanks

That's right. Washington state = easy, as has been pointed out many repeatedly. But....

You still need to confirm for yourself. Seriously--read the rules on your own. Don't take my word for it, or anyone's.

Good luck.

Mark

cheers
 

thanks Markharf....absolutely.
will have to wait until we cross the border into the US before I can make any telephone calls - but at least all the info on this thread has made me a little happier.

I live in Brooklyn, NY and have access to temporary drive away plates for motorcycles ( I rent a property to a car dealer who will issue them at cost $6). If anyone from Europe wants to fly here (cheaper) buy a bike hear (cheaper) and ride to an easy state for registration, I will help. The temp plates are good for 30 days so 2 should be enough for wherever one wants to go. I can even look for and test ride bikes from Craigslist or Ebay if I have time.

This is something I will do, free of charge for Foreign MC travellers HUBB or ADVRider members only. .

Importing MC
 

If you go to Welcome to the Canada Border Services Agency | Bienvenue à l'Agence des services frontaliers du Canada importing a vehicle into Canada. You might get what your looking for.

We just registered bikes on our names in Texas using our South African passports. :thumbup1:

Massachusets
 

I believe non-nationals are still able to register a vehicle in Massachusetts. Roynie and I purchased a couple of new motorcycles in 2001 and used a friend's address in Brighton without any difficulty. Admittedly, that was a long time ago, but I did a quick check of the DMV website and didn't find any requirement for proof of residency.

I purchased a new bike in Oregon in May. The DMV wanted to know the situs address in Oregon. This is the address where the bike will be stored when I'm not using it. For my home address they were happy to use my home address in New Zealand. The registration cost very little and is current for 4 years I have an NZ passport. Insurance is from Progressive. Initial quote was over $2000 but got it down to about $1400 using various discounts like home owner safe riding course etcetera

Does anyone have any information for foreigners buying and registering a vehicle in Michigan. I've looked at the SOS (DMV) website under various headings and, although there are lots of references to being a Michigan resident, there doesn't seem to be any bar to vehicle ownership for non-residents, providing you have an address and insurance ...

Secretary of State site: Titling an Registering a vehicle

Montana works...
 

If you set yourself up as a Limited Liability Company in Montana you can register the vehicle in the name of the company and get Montana plates. Montana won't charge you a percentage of the value of the vehicle which can save a lot of money. If you search online you will find plenty of people who can do the paperwork - it's not expensive and entirely legal.

A British friend of mine just did that with a hundred and forty thousand dollar motorhome he bought in Colorado. It's about the only legal way you can register a vehicle in the USA if you don't have an American address...

Good luck

We did this for the Airstream motorhome a few years ago, that we still have, but more relevant to the overlanding scene, we used the same LLC to buy a CA registered vehicle located outside of the US and all paperwork was handled via our LLC agent and documents and new plates (with permanent tags since it was more than 10 years old) were posted to us.
No sales tax, permanent registration, and no annual inspections or smog checks make it an ideal state to register a vehicle in.

As far as I know the same deal is NOT available to real persons, only via an LLC

Foreigner with current USA passport??
 

I haven't lived in the states for over 20yrs but I still have a valid USA passport and family in the midwest. At one point as a teenager I even had a USA license (and several fakes onesbeer ).

Now I am an NZ citizen going back for a holiday and riding, planning to buy a bike there. This year I'll just ride 1month on the CDR into Canada, and then back via the PNW and 101 to LA (arrive & depart). I want to keep the bike there and come back early 2017 for Central & South America. So i need it in my name eventually, but not necessarily this year.

My question is, am I basically a foreigner with an NZ driver's license, or would I find things faster and easier and cheaper with a social security number and a current USA passport???

I was thinking just to put the bike on family's insurance for this trip, and then sort out paying rego for the time I plan to use it next year. But I'd prefer to have it in my name from the start, and if I can get 2years rego from AZ or NV, that's ideal.

Help appreciated answering this, TIA from NZ!

I suppose it must be simpler as a US ppt holder but all I know is as a Brit buying in AZ a couple weeks ago for similar sort of riding as you, it couldn't have been simpler.
Got it all effectively sorted - buying, transfer title, plate ($70), insurance (same) in a day. The key was having a local address, but even then what got posted there (ins dox) I already had online. No one asked for ppt, only Brit driving license.
Long version of the whole AZ buy and re-reg procedure here (scroll down, in blue). AZ is one of the easier states.

If you want my KLX250 for CDT, may be selling it in Oct in AZ or CO.

Arizona is an unusual case--it's actually been getting easier to register a bike there. Until a couple of years ago, emissions testing was necessary in both major cities, Phoenix and Tucson. Motorcycles are now exempt statewide.

Mark

Washington and Oregon are easy, Washington is easier but you have to pay sales tax. In Washington you do not even need a local address but they suggest it might be easier to get the title to you. I bought a bus conversion and set up Montana LLC, no sales tax and permanent plates. With the LLC set up I have now registered the bike bought to ship to Europe for my wife to ride. Bikes get permanent plates so that makes it easier if you are planning on traveling. You can get cross way of the government if they determine you primary residence is not Montana so there is some risk. It also cost $1000, (using an agent to set it up). But the sales tax on just the motorcycle would have been more than that.
:scooter:

Hi,

I recently inherited a bike which is located in North Carolina but has a New York Plate. It is registered to a friend who has died last year and was given to me by his family. I would like to go on a trip later this year and could register the bike in AZ, I have friends with address there.

Any advice how to proceed and how much time I should reserve for the process of registration? The only document I have is the Title. Which other documents would I need?

Kind Regards for any answers

Re; Texas

My best buddy lives in TX - good to now it's possible to buy there. Could you (or anyone else) provide any more details? And buy register you do mean purchase a motorcycle?

Usa trip 2016
 

Hi All
We are embarking on a US trip starting May 11th in Detroit, why Detroit ? Michigan is one state a non US citizen can register a bike.... I have encountered no problems with registration however the main problem I have encountered is insurance and you cant register without insurance.... Anyway our trip is
May 11th - 15th Detroit
May 15th - 16th Niagara Falls
May 16th - 17th Boston
May 17th - 25th New York
May 25th - 28th Washington DC
May 28th - 29th Indianapolis
May 29th - 31st Chicago
June 1st - 19th Route 66
June 19th - 21st Los Angeles
June 21st - 24th San Francisco
June 24th - 25th Yosemite
June 25th - 26th Bonneville
June 26th - July 1st Las Vegas
July 1st -7th Los Angeles (getting married 4th July Santa Monica beach )
any tips/advice gratefully accepted and appreciated.... Any advice I can give after our first big overseas moto adventure will be a pleasure to help others ....

Hi Greg, try Progressive.
https://www.progressive.com/lp/motorcycle/
They've long been well known for insuring foreigners.
<$80 to insure my 250 in AZ for a year (TPO).

Insurance
 

Hi Chris
Tried progressive and they wouldn't do it unless I did an advanced riding course in Detroit first.... I found Dairyland Insurance to help me out but even that was a bit difficult....

With Gypsy
 

I'm with gypsyprincess! Not because I'm interested in starting a business but just want the info, for sure!

If we're talking the UK, in my experience identical bikes in the UK and the US have almost always been cheaper in the US, so shipping your UK one there will clearly get costly. Let alone shipping it back.
IMO the main reasons you might ship yours over there are sentimentality/trust and continuity. If stashing and returning periodically, or moving on from the US, then that can make sense (and may simplify documentation). But not every last thing you do needs to be about money.
There are also some bikes still available new there (KLR, WR-R, DRZ, XR650R, DR650?) that are long gone in the UK.
Buying and then selling in the US are also made easier if you have helpful contacts out there.

AK
 

Hi guys!

Searched this forum and did not found an answer.

Can i buy and register a vehicle at Alaska as a foreign citizen with tourist visa?

I e-mailed DMV, but i guess i was answerd by a AutoBot.
:stupid:
Here's what i'v got from AK DMV:
So could someone explain me what did Becky mean by saying Yes and Correct? ?c?:(

Glad to see you asking here instead of over on That Other Website.

Becky meant yes you can cross borders and yes you can sell the car in Chile or Argentina. That's not a bot; that's a real person answering. However, note that Becky doesn't actually have any idea how one does or does not sell a vehicle in Chile or Argentina. Becky is merely stating the position of the State of Alaska, which doesn't really care about such things.

Selling in Chile or Argentina is going to be possible, but you really need to do your research among people who know how it works. Assume it'll be more difficult than your original purchase. Search this site for firsthand accounts, of which there are plenty.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Mark, I can't find any useful informaion about buying car at Alaska =(
I found information about buying car at Chile.

I searched "buying alaska" and turned up several solid references, e.g., http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...e-alaska-68094. You can private message the posters, contact the shops they mention, or just read between the lines.

Maybe you're looking for information about cars, but motorbikes work exactly the same way pretty much everywhere (except in a few cases it's even easier). Or maybe you're just not willing to invest the time in research: you should expect to spend a couple of hours reading endless threads which occasionally contain something directly relevant. I acknowledge that if English is not your first language, that's hard work.

I'll add only that you've already contacted the Alaska DMV, and they've given you the information you need. What else are you looking for?

Good luck.

Mark

I've read this thread through as recommended by another member in relation to what I want to do, but I'm still confused.

I'm in the U.K.

I want to buy a bike in Argentina from a fellow traveller and leave soon after to Bolivia.

The bike I buy will likely be registered in the U.S.A.

With an address in the U.S.A ( I have friends in Kansas and Colorado), can I buy and then register this bike to myself by Proxy or online and then have the new title sent to me in Argentina ??


And what about the Temporary import permit (TIP) ? It will be in their name. The old trick would be to do a border run to Uruguay to change them over. I'm not sure how easy that is now. If possible at all.

Since I was last riding in South America in 2008, things have really become a lot more complicated.

Ted
1. Ask your friends in Ks and Co if that state allows out of state residents/ aliens (you) to register an (out of state?) vehicle in Ks or Co, using their address). Or make new friends? The seller? And register bike at the seller´s address/in the seller's state.

2. Ask if the vehicle needs to be present to be inspected, or if it's just a paperwork exercise.

3. TIP: do the paperwork swap in no man´s land at a land border or if necessary/possible ride out without submitting old TIP from old country. Not legal (but if you're not returning....)

When are you ACTUALLY planning on going?

Early January 2017. I've got 2-3 months and a small budget.

It's not 100% yet as It's conditional that I can sell a few more bikes. I'm 50:50.


There has to be an easier way...

I wonder if all the TIP's are recorded electronically and online for Customs to instantly check.

I sneaked through Brazil without doing the TIP but no one ever pulled me over and I just swerved the line where people were stamping out their vehicles. The border guards just checked my passport and waved me through.


Back on subject...

Anyone here want to register my bike for me at their US property ?? In exchange for British delights such as Hob-nobs, Marmite and Black pudding. ;)

Hi Michnus
Could you please shed more light on how you did this? What's the procedure? How much did it cost?

Many thanks!

Hi Chris, I can't remember the precise cost but it was not much, the insurance was about 100us per bike if I remember. The cost to register the bikes onto each of our names was 30us or something.

It was an easy process, we took the title with our Passports to the registration office they did the paperwork and it was posted to the address we gave up in Texas, I think was two weeks later. We rode with the papers the registration office gave us.

It was honestly a pain free thing.

Thanks for your quick reply and detailed feedback on FB! I'll contact the possible Tx sellers I'm talking to too.

try Washington state
 

Simon and i registered our new bikes in Washington with our UK passports which included our US 10 year visa.
no issues - no questions. easy.
we used a friends address and that friend didnt even have to write a letter of confirmation or be in attendance.
hope this helps.
BTW - the bikes were purchased in CA.

Hi VicMitch,

happy new year!

are you still offering the service mentioned in 2015? I live in Munich, Germany and I am planning a coast to coast NY to SF motorcycle trip in August this year.

My idea is to buy a 30 year old bike in NY, ride it to San Francisco in less than 30 days and ship it home to Germany (customs here doesn't require taxes/duty charges for bikes this age)

Since motorcycle registration in NY is nye on impossible for non residents, your temporary plate - option seems to be the way out (or in).

Please let me know, many thanks in advance!

Daniel

Much simpler in the other direction. You can easily buy, register, and insure a bike in California (or Washington, Arizona, Colorado), ride it back to New York, then ship it from JFK to Germany.

Just a thought.

Mark

Edit to add: Since shipping to and from the USA is getting steadily more awkward and expensive, you might think carefully about Toronto or other Canadian ports as well. That's for shipping to Germany, not for buying a bike.

Re Marks comment re shipping to/from Canada instead of USA - agreed, and Air Canada also has GREAT deals on shipping bikes to and from Europe and other places - far far cheaper than any US carrier.

I'm an Australian, interested in buying a bike in Oregon. I've been on the phone to the DMV there and they say while they are perfectly fine to handle a changeover of title, they are unable to register the bike to someone who is a non-resident of Oregon.

I called up the DOL in Washington. Things seem simpler there as they don't require insurance to register motorcycles, although apparently I will need a Washington license. I'm told that this involves sitting a written and practical test and waiting for the license to be mailed to an address in Washington.

Not as simple as I had hoped. Has anyone had any other experiences? I'm trying to work out how best to proceed. I'm considering trying to go to California to register it, but I don't want to deal with any testing stuff as the bike has been modified. I do have a Californian address to use.

My other options involve waiting for a nice CA bike, or doing a working holiday in Canada and putting my trip off for a year while I organise things.

What you want is not possible in Oregon. Your information is correct. Probably you wanted to purchase in Oregon because they have no sales tax, in contrast to Washington or California. Oh well.

On the other hand, you do not need a Washington state license to register a vehicle in Washington State. I suggest you call again, since not everyone answering the phone has a clue. Here's the state form you'll need: http://www.dol.wa.gov/forms/420011.pdf

You will need a local address, but it's not necessary to claim that you live there permanently; it's just an address for the mailing of documents. Paying extra and/or visiting a contracted registration office (in my town, this is a little office in the middle of a strip mall) will speed the process markedly, although it will also cost extra.

I'm not sure about rules related to registering a "modified" bike. Many, possibly most, modifications are technically quite illegal. You might want to think about this.

You don't need insurance to register a vehicle, but you do need insurance to actually operate it. That's a whole separate issue, which you'll want to resolve before a random traffic stop ends up costing you severely in both money and time. Plus there's a definite risk that any sort of accident will absolutely ruin you financially--this is an expensive country in which to try and bend the rules.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Thanks Mark, I will get back on the phone. I'm just looking at Oregon because that's where I've found a nice WR250R. Cost is always a consideration, but thankfully the US is not so bad regarding taxes. I think I would still have to pay a use tax or something when transferring the title in Washington.

"Best" state to buy a used bike
 

Hey,

thanks for all the infos.
Because last Postings been a while i will just ask:

What states you guys would recommend for a tourist with a normal tourist visa for buying a used motorcycle (Harley Davidson)? I mean terms of easily doable paperwork and prices for bike and insurance - if i need insurance.

Is Washington still most recommended? Geographically and for the weather I would love to read California, Florida or their neighbor states ;)

I also plan to go to Mexico with the bike and back to the states. Or is buying a Harley in Mexico even easier and/or cheaper?

Cheers!

Thanks!

Arizona.

For fee help in California. I get it done.
 

I have registered and titled 12 motorbikes for International Travelers this year (2018 from Jan-July). I have done around 50 total over the last few years. No USA drivers license needed. I offer address use. I can also arrange insurance (no USA license needed). You get the California title to me and I do the rest. DMV office visit and insurance arranged. I maintain paperwork (title/insurance/registration renewal/picture tolls and etc) at the address for as long as you own the bike. If you are planning on heading south of the border know that it takes around 12 days after initial registration for actual title to arrive in the mail. So plan accordingly for onward travel. (You need title in your name for Mexico). I get registration in your name as soon as I visit DMV, no waiting. You don't need to be present, you don't need to sign anything, motorbike doesn't need to be present. You CAN ride the bike right away pending title transfer. By law you are required to have at least third party insurance cover to operate a vehicle on California roads. You DO NOT need insurance for initial registration...but you ARE REQUIRED BY LAW to have it to operate. This service is for motorbikes already currently registered in California. If you buy a bike in another State there are some pitfalls to avoid and I need the bike present to register it. DO NOT buy a bike without first contacting me and sending me a picture of the title and registration from seller.
I am a California DMV expert. Retired previously licensed California Vehicle Dealer. I have 50 years experience and tens of thousands of vehicle transfers....yes....that many....one year alone I did 3,600 transactions.
You can find me on facebook James Tucker (Claremont Los Angeles California)
ps: I used to do it for free....but it got completely out of hand...too successful! I have around 50 references. :palm: :scooter:

just got a confirmation from wisconsin DMV that foreign visitor "can obtain a Wisconsin title and registration", but you need to have a wisconsin address.

Registering a bike as a non-resident
 

I recently completed my registration in Vermont. Just so you know - you don't have to register in the same state that you buy the bike in. I bought my used,from a private seller bike in RI and transported it to VT on a pick up. You will need a local address to which the DMV will send the title and registration. There is less complication if the title is free and clear.
The reg was posted after 3 weeks, but the title only arrived after 7 weeks. The DMV gives you a plate and a temporary reg. to use in the meanwhile.
I used progressive for liability insurance - done over the phone with credit card, $120 for the year. Locals would only pay about $80, but as a foreigner you have no history and are considered a higher risk.

Buy a bike in the US
 

Hi,
How can I buy a bike in the US, as a foreigner? Not living in the US, but want to buy and ride the bike in the US and down south America?

Djin