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Do I have a legal three-day window to drive to NY in my new car without plates?

I'm buying a car in Virginia and want to drive it home to NYC. The Virginia DMV, which may otherwise issue me temporary plates, are closed and not answering phones. Can I drive it home without plates?

Nov 1, 2020 Fredericksburg, VA

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Kristine Lee

Manager, Content and Data

Credentials
  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty

Kristine is a licensed insurance agent who joined The Zebra in 2019 as an in-house content researcher and writer. Before joining The Zebra, she was a…

There is no legal window where you can drive without the plates. If you are buying through a dealership they should be able to assist you on behalf of the state of Virginia in obtaining a temporary plate. You would likely just need to show insurance at the point of sale to get that done. If you are buying from a private seller, you would need to still get a hold of the state DMV to obtain the documents needed.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

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