# Buying a car out of state from a dealer **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** 911, porsche\ **Created:** [March 15, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-car-out-of-state-from-a-dealer/62622 "2011-03-15T01:19:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hpowders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c6cbf5/32.png) [@hpowders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hpowders)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-car-out-of-state-from-a-dealer/62622/1 "2011-03-15T01:19:57Z")
I bought a car out of state from a dealer. My out of state dealer (Virginia) told me he will handle getting my Florida license plate for my vehicle. The vehicle was shipped to me on March 11th with a temporary cardboard Virginia plate which expires on April 8th. My question is does anyone know how long it usually takes to get the permanent plate from an out of state dealer? When I asked my salesman, he didn’t seem to know how long it would take. I don’t know why I can’t go to my local Florida motor vehicles dept. and simply do this myself. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-car-out-of-state-from-a-dealer/62622/2 "2011-03-15T02:06:46Z")
I’ve not done this myself. But how would a VA car dealer settle things with FL DMV? Everything would need to be done via fax or e-mail. Did you pay whatever the sales tax is in FL? Most out of state dealers would give you the temp plate and a signed title so you could handle the DMV in you home state yourself. I’d call the dealer and get the administration dept. Find out what if anything they are doing to transfer title and plates. If they are handling it, you’ll just have to wait. The FL plate will be mailed to the dealer and they will have to mail it to you. It is all a 'roundabout way to do business but it works if the dealer does their part in filing the appropriate paperwork. ---
**Author:** ![hpowders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c6cbf5/32.png) [@hpowders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hpowders)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-car-out-of-state-from-a-dealer/62622/3 "2011-03-15T03:04:54Z")
The sales tax in Fl for vehicles is 6% which I paid to the Va dealer. They looked it up and it was 6%. Seems roundabout to me too, but the finance guy told me “we handle everything. We will send you your Florida plate.” The temporary Va plate expires on April 8th, so I still have plenty of time, but I hate having that piece of cardboard on the rear of my car. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-car-out-of-state-from-a-dealer/62622/4 "2011-03-15T03:22:29Z")
You did it the hard way… next time, just buy the car with the local permit and register it yourself…I would run a temp plate forever if I could…They have many advantages… ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-car-out-of-state-from-a-dealer/62622/5 "2011-03-15T03:32:30Z")
You should be OK, just hold on until the FL plate arrive in the mail or FecEx. If you get into the last week your temp ezpires call the dealer to see if they have mailed the FL plate.