What Documents Are Needed to Buy a Car?




You’ve been working through your list of things to do when buying a car and are getting ready to buy one. You’ve decided on a price range, whittled down your list of possibilities, and are now prepared to test drive and, ideally, drive off the lot your soon-to-be vehicle.

 

Pump your brakes first, though, before you hastily sign the dotted line. Although purchasing a car is an exciting experience, if you’re not prepared, the process may take longer due to the abundance of paperwork.

 

These are the six things you need to bring to the dealership.

A mode of exchange

 

Of course, you will almost certainly need to make some sort of payment in order to get an automobile. A bank or credit union preapproved loan check may be used as payment. A cashier’s check or personal check can be used as the down payment if you’re financing your car through the dealership.

 

License to drive

 

You need the driver’s license for two reasons: one, it verifies that you are the rightful owner of the vehicle (since you will be driving it off the lot), and second, it acts as identification for your check or other payment method.

 

Evidence of income

 

Upon buying a car through auto financing, you will need to present proof of income. Why? For the purpose of ensuring that you have a reliable source of income to repay the vehicle loan or auto financing over time. Therefore, remember to have a paystub or bank statement with you before visiting the dealership.

 

evidence of residency

 

To guarantee that the monthly bills you get are sent to the address you indicated on the papers, you will also need to present proof of residency. You can bring any kind of paperwork with you, such as a current power bill or the lease or mortgage agreement for your house.

 

Evidence of coverage

 

You need to obtain coverage before you can drive off the dealership lot with your new car. Presenting a legitimate proof of motor insurance card is sufficient if you already have insurance in place. The vehicle identification number (VIN) of the automobile you are buying can be given to your insurance provider over the phone if you did not arrange insurance beforehand. Your insurer will then either fax or email the dealership your evidence of insurance.

 

For a trade-in, title and current registration are required.

 

In the event that you are trading in an automobile, you will have to produce the title as proof of ownership. If the title has a lien or a co-signer, you should obtain the needed signature in order to release the lien as soon as possible. Make sure your vehicle registration is current before trading it in, since you will also need to present a copy of it.