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State-by-state registration

Vehicle registration requirements by US state, written for non-US residents

A guide for non-US residents

If you are planning to buy a vehicle in the US, but don't live here, you may have discovered that vehicle registration in the US is handled by the US States, not the national government.

There are many resources on the internet that describe vehicle registration in each of the US states, but they are all written for an American audience.

They say things like "Bring your Washington State driver's license" or "Provide your proof of Tennessee residency," assuming that these are easy steps for the reader.

This guide is different - it's written exclusively for visitors to the US.

Below you'll find links to the registration requirements for each US state (plus Washington, D.C.), written for the international visitor.

They highlight the requirements that are the biggest hurdles to non-Americans:
- Proof of residency
- Identity (US-issued driver's license and/or US social security number)
- Vehicle inspection requirements, and
- Cost (sales tax and registration fees).

This guide won't magically solve each state's registration requirements for you (you do need a Washington State driver's license in order to register your vehicle in Washington State, and you do need proof of Tennessee residency in order to register your vehicle in Tennessee).

But we hope it will be a resource that helps you quickly and easily sort through each of the US states' vehicle registration requirements.

After all, non-US residents get to choose the best state in which to register a vehicle that they purchase.

And isn't it nice to have a choice?

The West Coast

How to register a vehicle in Alaska as a non-US resident

Alaska

How to register a vehicle in Alaska as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in California as a non-US resident

California

How to register a vehicle in California as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Hawaii as a non-US resident

Hawaii

How to register a vehicle in Hawaii as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Oregon as a non-US resident

Oregon

How to register a vehicle in Oregon as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Washington as a non-US resident

Washington

How to register a vehicle in Washington as a non-US resident

The Mountain West

How to register a vehicle in Arizona as a non-US resident

Arizona

How to register a vehicle in Arizona as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Colorado as a non-US resident

Colorado

How to register a vehicle in Colorado as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Idaho as a non-US resident

Idaho

How to register a vehicle in Idaho as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Montana as a non-US resident

Montana

How to register a vehicle in Montana as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Nevada as a non-US resident

Nevada

How to register a vehicle in Nevada as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in New Mexico as a non-US resident

New Mexico

How to register a vehicle in New Mexico as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Utah as a non-US resident

Utah

How to register a vehicle in Utah as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Wyoming as a non-US resident

Wyoming

How to register a vehicle in Wyoming as a non-US resident

The Midwest

How to register a vehicle in Illinois as a non-US resident

Illinois

How to register a vehicle in Illinois as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Indiana as a non-US resident

Indiana

How to register a vehicle in Indiana as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Iowa as a non-US resident

Iowa

How to register a vehicle in Iowa as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Kansas as a non-US resident

Kansas

How to register a vehicle in Kansas as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Michigan as a non-US resident

Michigan

How to register a vehicle in Michigan as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Minnesota as a non-US resident

Minnesota

How to register a vehicle in Minnesota as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Missouri as a non-US resident

Missouri

How to register a vehicle in Missouri as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Nebraska as a non-US resident

Nebraska

How to register a vehicle in Nebraska as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in North Dakota as a non-US resident

North Dakota

How to register a vehicle in North Dakota as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Ohio as a non-US resident

Ohio

How to register a vehicle in Ohio as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in South Dakota as a non-US resident

South Dakota

How to register a vehicle in South Dakota as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Wisconsin as a non-US resident

Wisconsin

How to register a vehicle in Wisconsin as a non-US resident

The South

How to register a vehicle in Alabama as a non-US resident

Alabama

How to register a vehicle in Alabama as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Arkansas as a non-US resident

Arkansas

How to register a vehicle in Arkansas as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Florida as a non-US resident

Florida

How to register a vehicle in Florida as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Georgia as a non-US resident

Georgia

How to register a vehicle in Georgia as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Kentucky as a non-US resident

Kentucky

How to register a vehicle in Kentucky as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Louisiana as a non-US resident

Louisiana

How to register a vehicle in Louisiana as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Maryland as a non-US resident

Maryland

How to register a vehicle in Maryland as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Mississippi as a non-US resident

Mississippi

How to register a vehicle in Mississippi as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in North Carolina as a non-US resident

North Carolina

How to register a vehicle in North Carolina as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Oklahoma as a non-US resident

Oklahoma

How to register a vehicle in Oklahoma as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in South Carolina as a non-US resident

South Carolina

How to register a vehicle in South Carolina as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Tennessee as a non-US resident

Tennessee

How to register a vehicle in Tennessee as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Texas as a non-US resident

Texas

How to register a vehicle in Texas as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Virginia as a non-US resident

Virginia

How to register a vehicle in Virginia as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Washington, D.C. as a non-US resident

Washington, D.C.

How to register a vehicle in Washington, D.C. as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in West Virginia as a non-US resident

West Virginia

How to register a vehicle in West Virginia as a non-US resident

The Northeast

How to register a vehicle in Connecticut as a non-US resident

Connecticut

How to register a vehicle in Connecticut as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Delaware as a non-US resident

Delaware

How to register a vehicle in Delaware as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Maine as a non-US resident

Maine

How to register a vehicle in Maine as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Massachusetts as a non-US resident

Massachusetts

How to register a vehicle in Massachusetts as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in New Hampshire as a non-US resident

New Hampshire

How to register a vehicle in New Hampshire as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in New Jersey as a non-US resident

New Jersey

How to register a vehicle in New Jersey as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in New York as a non-US resident

New York

How to register a vehicle in New York as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Pennsylvania as a non-US resident

Pennsylvania

How to register a vehicle in Pennsylvania as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Rhode Island as a non-US resident

Rhode Island

How to register a vehicle in Rhode Island as a non-US resident
How to register a vehicle in Vermont as a non-US resident

Vermont

How to register a vehicle in Vermont as a non-US resident

There are 38 states that

Don't require proof of residency.

There are 21 states that

Don't require proof of residency.
Don't require a US driver's license.

There are 7 states that

Don't require proof of residency.
Don't require a US driver's license.
Don't require vehicle inspections.

Montana is the only US state that

Allows non-residents to register vehicles through a company.
Doesn't require a US driver's license.
Doesn't require vehicle inspections.
Doesn't have vehicle sales tax.

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