What Happens If Your Temp Plate Expires Before You Can Register

Temporary Registration and Tags—Private

Temporary Registration

DC DMV offers a 45-twenty-four hour period, temporary vehicle registration and hard vehicle tag for District residents who must have their vehicles inspected earlier the vehicles can be fully registered—either because they are converting an out-of-state vehicle to a District vehicle or because they take purchased a used vehicle that must pass inspection before information technology can be registered.

If you lot purchase a used vehicle that all the same has an existing, unexpired DC DMV inspection, so yous volition non need a temporary DC DMV registration to take the vehicle inspected, and yous will be able to title and annals your vehicle for the full 1- or 2-year period.

If you purchase a used vehicle that does not have a valid inspection sticker, y'all will need to title and register your vehicle with a temporary DC DMV hard tag valid for 45 days. The hard plate is issued with the temporary registration in order for the customer to have the vehicle through inspection in 45 days.

To obtain a temporary DC DMV registration and hard temporary tag, you volition need to bring the following documents to a DC DMV service center:

Document of Title/ Temporary Tag Application
A properly endorsed title
Proof of valid DC insurance
DC DMV commuter license, learner permit, or identification card

Note: If you have recently move to the District and have a lien on your vehicle, you may provide your out-of-state registration reflecting you were the concluding registered owner on the vehicle and DC DMV volition result you a 45 day temporary tag then that you can become through vehicle inspection until the championship is received past the bank.

You volition accept to pay all fees associated with the title transaction, including the temporary registration fee, excise revenue enhancement, title fee, and lien recordation fee (if applicable) when obtaining the temporary DC DMV registration. Information on DC DMV fees is available at the link below:

DC DMV Fees

"Temporary Registration" will be printed on the registration window sticker, and law enforcement and parking officers volition recognize the temporary DC registration every bit valid even if the vehicle does non have a valid inspection sticker.

One time the vehicle has this temporary registration, you can take information technology to get inspected. More information on DC DMV inspections is available at the link below:

Vehicle Inspections

Skip the Trip Logo When the vehicle, with its temporary registration has passed inspection, you can renew your temporary registration as a regular DC DMV registration with either a 1-year or a 2-year period of validity, either online or by mail. The online arrangement for registration renewals is available at the link below:

Online Vehicle Registration Renewal

Information on postal service-in registration renewals is available at the link below:

By Mail Vehicle Registration Renewal

Note: You volition not be able to renew your vehicle registration in person.

Think: You cannot get a second temporary registration or an extension on a temporary registration, then it is important that you immediately take your vehicle through inspection and then that any necessary repairs can exist completed prior to the 45-solar day expiration flow of your temporary tag.

Temporary Tags

DC DMV bug five-day temporary paper tags to out-of-country residents who recently purchased a used vehicle in DC from an private (owner). DC DMV issues 45-day temporary tags to new District residents with expired out-of-state tags that take not been through DC inspection, and to new Commune residents with expired out-of-land tags who are waiting for their out-of-land title from the lienholder.

Constabulary enforcement and parking officers will recognize the temporary DC DMV tag equally valid even if the vehicle does not accept a valid inspection sticker.