The West Virginia DMV says new residents must have their vehicles titled and registered within 30 days of establishing residency. If the car is already titled in your name in another state, the 6 percent titling sales tax is not charged, as long as you meet the tests below and you pay the other fees within those 30 days. The fees printed on the page are $15 for the title, $10 for a lien if there is one, and $51.50 for a regular registration. Insurance must come from a company licensed to sell insurance in West Virginia.
What do I do, in order?
- Get West Virginia liability insurance from a company licensed in the state. The new-residents page says the insurance information can be listed on the title application.
- If you have the out-of-state title and no lienholder is holding it, submit that title with form DMV-1-TR and an odometer disclosure. The vehicle will be titled in the same name as the out-of-state title.
- If a lienholder has the title, submit DMV-1-TR, the insurance information, odometer form DMV-TM-1, a copy of the title or an electronic-lien printout, and a letter from the lienholder with the vehicle information and the correct mailing address. Give the lienholder's information at the appointment so the DMV can request the title. The moving page says the title must be received before you can register.
- Show residency. A new West Virginia driver license works, or any other document the DMV accepts as proof of residency for a driver license. The out-of-state title in your name with an out-of-state address is the proof that you titled it in the previous state.
- Pay the $15 title fee, the $51.50 registration fee, and the $10 lien fee if it applies, within 30 days.
The driver handbook says a new resident who wants to drive must apply for a West Virginia license within 30 days, surrender the out-of-state license, pass a vision screening, and complete a brief alcohol awareness course. That is the license step. It does not replace the title application.
Who qualifies for the tax exemption?
All of the following, as the new-residents page lists them:
- You were not a West Virginia resident when you bought or otherwise acquired the vehicle. The out-of-state title in your name with an out-of-state address is the proof. There is no limit on how long it was titled in your name elsewhere.
- You present evidence of having titled it in the previous state.
- You have relocated and can show bona fide residency.
- You apply and pay the fees required by law within 30 days.
The same exemption applies to vehicles that are only registered and have no title, and the page gives motorboats, trailers, and ATVs as examples. It does not apply to a leased vehicle, because the tax on a lease is different. To get a tax credit later, when you trade this car for one purchased in West Virginia, the trade-in must first be titled in West Virginia.
The titles page describes the 6 percent tax for a purchase. It is 6 percent of the net purchase price when that price is over $500, or a flat $30 if the net price is under $500, plus the $15 title fee and the $10 lien fee. A West Virginia dealer can certify the price on DMV-1-TR. An out-of-state dealer purchase needs the dealer invoice. Trade-in credit requires the trade-in to be titled in West Virginia in the applicant's name. Manufacturer rebates are taxable. The titles page also says West Virginia does not charge the 6 percent tax to an out-of-state resident who is not titling in West Virginia, and that it does not grant credit for sales tax paid to another state on that non-resident purchase. That non-resident sentence is not the new-resident exemption above.
Inspections and temporary tags
The new-residents page does not state a safety inspection, an emissions test, a VIN inspection, or a temporary tag. The driver handbook says proof of West Virginia liability insurance is shown at the annual vehicle inspection, and that a car used for a license road test must have a valid inspection sticker. It does not say you must complete that inspection before the first title. Confirm the order with the DMV. The Offices of the Insurance Commissioner list the same liability limits and tell you to contact the DMV about compulsory insurance.
What insurance is required?
The driver handbook says every motorist on a public road must carry West Virginia liability insurance of at least $25,000 for one death or injury, $50,000 for two deaths or injuries, and $25,000 for property damage. When you register, you sign a statement that you have that insurance and will keep it for the full registration year. If it is cancelled, you surrender the plate. Proof of insurance must be in the vehicle. An image on a phone qualifies under the handbook's citation to the code. The Offices of the Insurance Commissioner page states liability of $25,000/$50,000 and property damage of $25,000, and uninsured-motorist coverage at the same amounts. The new-residents page adds that the company must be licensed to sell insurance in West Virginia.
What if the car is shipped to West Virginia?
The truck does not title the car. The 30-day period still runs from the day you establish residency, and the tax exemption still depends on the out-of-state title being in your name. See car shipping to West Virginia, the cost page, and sales tax and use tax when a car moves. RideShipper compares quotes. It is not a carrier or a broker, and it does not file the title.