You have important places to be and use your vehicle to commute to but are apprehensive about taking your vehicle on the road.
Nevertheless, you are not entirely sure about the consequences of getting caught with an unregistered vehicle.
You might be wondering, what happens if you get caught driving an unregistered vehicle?
Well, driving an unregistered vehicle is a criminal offense.
Depending on your reasoning and other factors, the outcome can fall between you having to pay a certain amount of fine or facing up to 90 days in prison.
In the majority of the cases, people driving unregistered cars are liable to pay between $150 – $300. However, the fine can get as high as $500 for certain individuals and cases.
On the other hand, the worst-case scenario entails your vehicle being confiscated by the state and the driver being sent to prison for a few months.
I have made this article to help you understand why keeping your vehicle’s registration up to date is important.
If you have little to no knowledge of registering your vehicle, then the first line of inquiry you need to carry out is to find more information on the laws passed in the state you live in.
Table of Contents
Why Do Vehicles Need Registration?
You may have been taken aback upon learning about car registration if you have bought a car for the first time in your life.
Cars need registration to prove that the owner has paid all the required taxes to drive it on the road legally.
If your car is not registered, law enforcement has a reason to believe that you might be involved in illegal or suspicious activities.
The logic behind the last statement is that a car registration establishes a link between a specific individual as owner and the car.
This allows law enforcement agents to quickly identify individuals of interest whenever there is suspicious behavior related to a vehicle in a criminal case.
With that being said, you might be delighted to know that registering your car does not take a long time.
Therefore, it is in your best interest to renew the registration or get your new car registered as soon as feasible.
Moreover, according to the state you live in, you may be required to renew your car’s registration annually, so make sure to research the relevant laws.
How To Get Your Car Registered
So you have done your research on the laws passed on unregistered vehicles, but how does one go about actually registering their car?
Again, it sort of depends on the state you live in; some states require you to show up at a geographical location where offices are available for you to register your car.
At these car registration dedicated offices, you will be required to provide the bill of sale given to you by the car dealership or the seller of the car, which includes basic information about your cars such as the car make, the model, and the year.
Along with that, you will also need to show proof of insurance and your driving license.
On the other hand, you may be able to get your car registered through online government websites that provide you with thorough instructions on getting your car registered.
On these websites, you are required to pay the registration fees along with proof of ownership of the vehicle, such as mentioned above.
However, not all states provide this convenience, and you should check for the states that do.
The Consequences Of Driving An Unregistered Vehicle
There are a number of different outcomes to getting caught by the law enforcement officer for driving a vehicle that has not been registered with the state.
While the consequences are not necessarily convenient, you can maneuver through the situation and face the least troublesome outcome.
The entire scenario may play out like this; you will first be stopped by the traffic police officer for no particular reason, which is standard procedure.
Next, you will be asked to provide your driving license, vehicle insurance, and registration papers.
Not having the required documents instantly leads to suspicion in the officer’s mind, and that is why it is essential to have your car registered and keep a copy of the documents in the car as their absence may escalate things in a not-so-good way.
The likely problems you may face are either payment of fines, getting your car impounded or a relatively short sentence of imprisonment, depending on the particulars of your specific case.
Fines
Getting fined for driving an unregistered car can come in hefty amounts, which cause an unnecessary dent in your wallet.
Some might even say your likelihood can be severely compromised. Therefore it is absolutely necessary to get your vehicle registered up to date.
In addition to that, getting fined can also negatively impact your driving record, which may have long-term consequences such as difficulty with securing the low cost of insurance and whatnot.
Moreover, the amount of fine can vary from state to state, but overall you should not have to pay more than $500.
Additionally, some states may even choose to fine you for not having insurance on your vehicle, so it is worth considering having that covered as well.
Impounding
Although the exact reasoning behind your car getting impounded can vary from state to state, the majority of them have the right to impound your car if you do not have the registration for it.
The authorities will take control of your car and keep it at a storage facility until you have cleared the fine payments.
Similarly, some states may also require you to clear your driving records in order for you to retrieve your vehicle.
In some states, however, the authorities have the right to auction your car right away without any conditions or exceptions.
This is just a source of funding for the law enforcement department of that state.
Imprisonments
If you have been avoiding the payments of the fine charges imposed on you for driving an unregistered vehicle for long enough, then be prepared to face even severe consequences such as having to complete a prison sentence.
Nobody would want to spend even just a night in prison only for driving an unregistered vehicle.
Hence you should be careful not to ignore the fines and just pay them to get it over with. We all know the nightmares of spending time in prison and is not pleasant for anyone.
What Should You Do When You Get Pulled Over?
I strongly advise you to remain as calm as possible throughout the entire process to avoid any unnecessary complications.
You should narrate to the traffic police officer every action you take and keep them updated as they will appreciate your respect and cooperation.
This little courteous act can go a long way and may help ease up your penalties.
In addition to that, make sure to provide for whatever documents the law enforcement personnel asks for regardless of whether any of them are outdated.
Tell the officer if you do not have the documents and the true reason behind it, this act of honesty will also help you overall.
In general, you want to make the officer’s job as easy as possible by proving the documents and not lying to them, which eliminates the need for them to look and inspect the documents along with other things.
Make sure to pay close attention to the officer and keep them posted on everything that you do.
Special Cases
There is one exception for driving an unregistered vehicle on the road, which is for the sole purpose of getting your vehicle registered by driving to the DMV.
Make sure to ask for a “pink slip” while you are getting your car registered, which will be used as proof or pass for law enforcement to let you go.
However, this is only accepted in some states and not each and every one of them.
The Age Of Registration Expiry And Its Important
It is quite common to have your car registered but not have current possession of the registration documents with you.
In addition to that, the expiry date of your vehicle’s registration can also play a role in changing the overall consequences you may face.
Similarly, the nature of the penalties you will face may depend on the state you live in and also, in some cases, the officer who stopped you.
For example, if your vehicle registration expired, let’s say a day ago, then you are much more likely to face a lighter penalty, and if you are very lucky, then you just get a warning and let go.
But if your vehicle registration expired more than a couple of months ago, then you better prepare to pay a fine of up to $500.
Again, it is best to check with your state and its requirements and laws to have an overall understanding.
Conclusion
I hope this article helped you with the information regarding what happens if you get caught driving an unregistered vehicle?
If you are still uncertain about whether to renew your vehicle registration or get a new one for your new car, then you need to go back and read the article again as it simply is essential and only in your best interest.
Moreover, getting your car registered is only half of the process.
The second half is to always carry the registration documents and other relevant paperwork to avoid any legal problems while driving on the road.
Always remain calm whenever you are pulled over and clearly follow the officer’s instructions.
I am Tahir Azam, and I have been writing amazing articles for TaxiHack for as long as I can remember. I know everything that is to know when it comes to automobiles and is always on top of industry news and developments. While I am not an expert by any means, I pride myself on knowing the ins and outs of many different problems and, of course, their solutions. The articles on our website are some of the best and well-researched content that you will find, and I spend countless hours making sure this remains to be true. This is why I ask you to take your time out and read some of my articles, especially if you find a topic that resonates with you or is something you are looking into. This way, you will find the perfect mix of information and tips on your desired topic. Learn more about Tahir.
