You may be wondering – what happens if you drive an unregistered car?
If you are driving in the United States, you definitely must carry with you a driver’s license that’s valid for use. Otherwise, you will not be able to drive worry-free if you fail to have this.
In fact, every American state requires a legal license for you to drive. Moreover, the vehicle needs to be registered. In the case of an unregistered vehicle being driven on the road, you will be subject to a crime, which can mean bad news to the offender.
Discover more about the penalties involved when driving an unregistered car so you stay informed and prevent yourself from unwanted hassle.
What Happens If You Drive An Unregistered Car?
A vehicle registration states a valid proof that the vehicle is legally yours. This document establishes a link between you and the vehicle, and you can also use this for crime detection or taxation purposes. Each DMV in every state manages the vehicle registration, and you need to have this document with you when you drive your vehicle.
In addition, this document must always be valid and up-to-date, along with your license and proof of insurance. Any vehicle – whether it is a boat, car, truck, or other motor vehicles – requires this registration. On the other hand, those that are stored and not of use anymore do not need a registration document.
There are also cases when the state may grant you a non-operating license. In this instance, you no longer have to get a registration in order to drive it.
If you are caught driving your vehicle without a registration, then you face a penalty. You will need to pay the fines involved. For others, they have experienced getting their vehicle towed away since their registration has already expired for over 6 months.
Thus, you will not only have to pay the fine for the penalty but you will also have to renew your registration.
In case you have none of the legal documents required when pulled over for driving an unregistered car, this means a more serious offense. It is a crime to drive an unregistered car, so you may be arrested for doing so.
Additional Facts About Driving An Unregistered Vehicle
It is also worth noting that driving without a vehicle registration proof is a moving violation. What this means is that your insurance rate may increase, and the more times you are caught, the more expensive your insurance will get.
But if the issue is merely an expired registration, it will be a bit lighter issue. The penalty largely depends on how many days, weeks, or months have lapsed since the validity of your registration.
If you never registered your vehicle, however, it is a different story. You will receive quite a significant fine, along with a possible 15-day jail time.
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Final Thoughts
Considering the importance of a vehicle registration, it only makes sense to keep it up-to-date and valid. You need to file paperwork for the Department of Motor Vehicles in your state, along with keeping ownership and registration documents updated.
By doing all of these, you can prevent serious problems down the road such as hefty fines, getting your vehicle towed, and worse, jail time, which can ruin your record and disrupt your life.