How do you register a new vehicle in Mississippi?
What about if you have an out-of-state registration?
If you’ve never registered a car in Mississippi before, the whole process can feel daunting. After all, this involves legal documents and taxes.
But don’t worry, we’re here to help you sort these things out.
Today, we’re going to give you a complete guide to Mississippi vehicle registration. On top of that, we’ll also show you how to renew your registration, as well as tell you about the vehicle laws in the state.
So are you ready?
Let’s get started!
How to Register Your Vehicle in Mississippi
Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds or less must be registered in person at your local county’s Tax Collector’s office.
So if you have a new sedan, pickup, or SUV, then you have to go to your county’s Tax Collector’s office.
Now, the requirements you need to present vary depending on the scenario:
- If you are a new Mississippi resident
- If you bought a car from a dealer
- If you bought a car from an individual
We’ll go through the specifics for each scenario in the following sections.
How to Register a Vehicle For New Mississippi Residents
First and foremost, welcome to Mississippi!
And because you are new, you are given a longer period to register your vehicle – 30 days to be exact.
If so, go to your local Tax Collector’s office and submit the following:
- State-issued photo identification
- Your car’s title
- If there’s a lien on the vehicle, provide a document showing the name and address of the lien holder
- Your current out-of-state registration
- An odometer reading
- Payment for the registration fees (price will depend on your vehicle)
When you’re at the office, you will also be asked to fill up a Vehicle Registration form.
How to Register a Vehicle For Mississippi Residents Buying from a Dealer
If you’re buying from a dealer, the dealer will most likely process your vehicle registration. Of course, always ask them if this is something they do, just to be sure.
If they’re handling the registration, you don’t need to visit the Tax Collector’s office. You can also apply for a temporary tag (license plate) for your vehicle while the registration is ongoing.
A temporary tag, also known as a drive-out tag, is only valid for 7 days.
How to Register a Vehicle For Mississippi Residents Buying from an Individual
Now, if you’re buying from an individual and not a dealer, you have to do the vehicle registration yourself.
You have to go to your county’s Tax Collector’s office with these documents:
- State-issued photo identification
- The car’s title signed over to you by the previous owner
- The car’s vehicle identification number (VIN)
- An odometer reading
- Payment for the registration fees (again, the price will depend on your vehicle)
And just like new residents, you will also have to fill up a Vehicle Registration form, which is found at the office.
How to Renew Your Vehicle Registration in Mississippi
Whenever your vehicle registration is about to expire, the Department of Revenue of Mississippi will send a renewal notice.
Now, there are several ways to renew your vehicle registration:
- Online
- In-person
- By mail
Your renewal notice will state whether you can renew in any of these channels. If you didn’t receive a renewal notice, that means you need to renew in person.
How to Renew Your Mississippi Vehicle Registration In Person
In Mississippi, vehicle registration renewal is pretty straightforward. You also don’t need to bring any other requirements except these:
- Your current vehicle registration
- Payment for renewal
All you have to do is bring these and go to your local Department of Revenue office. After settling your payment, your vehicle registration is already renewed.
It’s that simple!
How to Renew Your Mississippi Vehicle Registration Online
The fastest and easiest way to renew your registration is online.
Note: Your renewal notice must say that you are allowed to renew online. Not all counties can renew online.
If you’re lucky to renew online, here’s how to do it:
- Go to the Mississippi vehicle registration renewal website and click on your county.
- Type your tag number.
- Pay the fees indicated by the system.
As easy and convenient as that!
How to Renew Your Mississippi Vehicle By Mail
Renewing by mail is convenient if you don’t want to go to an office. However, this option takes longer. So if you are renewing near your registration’s expiry date, it’s better to renew in person or online.
To renew by mail, follow these steps:
- Prepare your payment by check or money order.
- Mail your renewal notice with the payment to the address indicated in your renewal notice.
- Wait for your new registration to arrive.
And that’s it!
Vehicle Laws in Mississippi
Like any other state, Mississippi has laws for vehicles registered in the state. Here are the laws that you need to comply with.
Registration
You already know that all residents are required to register their vehicles at the Tax Collector’s office.
For residents that bought from a dealer or an individual, you have 7 business days to register. If you are new to Mississippi, you have 30 days to register your vehicle.
License Plate
A license plate or tag is required for all vehicles in Mississippi. The license plate should be at the rear of your vehicle.
There should be no obstructions on any of the letters and numbers on the license plate. You must also install a tag light to make your tag number visible at night.
Certificate of Title
Like license plates, titles are required for every vehicle. Titles are furnished by dealers and private persons.
For individuals selling their vehicles, they should transfer the title of the vehicle to the new owner’s name. The Certificate of Title should also include the bill of sale and two years’ worth of tag receipts.
Auto Insurance
Auto insurance is another requirement for all vehicles in Mississippi. You can get higher coverages, but here are the minimum requirements:
- $25,000 bodily injury per person
- $50,000 bodily injury per accident
- $25,000 property damage per accident
Proof of your auto insurance should always be inside the vehicle.
Window Tint Certificate & Decal
Did you know that your window tint should have a certificate and a decal?
This doesn’t apply to everyone, only those who have purchased an after-market window tint. The reason behind this is that Mississippi requires that all window tints should have a light transmittance of at least 28%.
If you’ve bought an after-market window tint, you have to get it inspected by the Mississippi Window Tint Inspection Station.
Once your window tints pass inspection, you will be given a tint certificate and a decal. The certificate should always be in your vehicle while the decal should be placed on the lower left corner of the windshield.
Required Vehicle Equipment in Mississippi
Vehicles have critical parts that allow them to function properly. In Mississippi, there are several pieces of equipment that have to be present whenever you are applying for vehicle registration.
These are:
- Brakes – both foot and hand brakes are required and they should be able to stop the vehicle within 30 feet when it’s at a 20-mile-per-hour speed.
- Horn – should be heard 200 ft away. Sirens and other noise-making devices are illegal.
- Lights – vehicles should have two headlights and one tail light. The headlights should be able to see 200 ft ahead of you while the taillights should be red and can light up 500 ft behind you.
- Muffler – mufflers that make excessive noise or produce smoke are illegal in Mississippi.
- Tires – All tires should be properly inflated. It should have the right grip on the road regardless of the season.
- Windshield Wipers – These should be able to wipe away all the water from your windshield to ensure proper visibility during the rain.
Conclusion
And that’s your complete guide to Mississippi vehicle registration.
Vehicle registration is a requirement that all residents of Mississippi have to comply with. Yes, even those that are new residents.
Whatever your situation, you now know how to register your vehicle in the state. As we saw, it’s super easy. So don’t delay.
On top of that, you need to make sure you follow all the vehicle laws in Mississippi.
So go ahead and get registered today!