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Vehicle Registration

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All About Vehicles

Original Registration

Get a registration and plates for your car, truck, motorcycle, RV or trailer.

Nevada Dealer Sale
Out-of-State Dealer Sale
Private Party Sale
Fleets (10 or more vehicles)
Heavy Duty (26,001 pounds or more)

More Vehicle Types

Renewal and Duplicates

Renew your registration online, at a kiosk or choose other options.

Renewal Options

Movement Permit

You need insurance and either a registration or a movement permit to drive any vehicle or trailer on public streets.

The DMV offers a number of options depending on your situation.

Movement Permits

Emissions

Smog checks are required on most vehicles, 1968 or newer, based in the Las Vegas and Reno areas.

Find out about your Check Engine light and how to report smoking vehicles.

Emissions

Insurance

You must obtain insurance from a Nevada-licensed carrier comply with verification requirements. How to respond to a mailed notification

Insurance

Titles, Loans and Liens

How to complete a title and the various options such as Lien Payoffs, Trusts and Transfer on Death.

Titles

Fees and Taxes

Nevada charges a Basic Registration Fee based on weight and Governmental Services Taxes based on vehicle value.

Registration Fees

Plate Surrender and Non-Op

Cancel your registration and surrender your plates if you are planning to drop liability insurance. Vehicles in storage.

Plate Surrender

License Plates

Nevada offers dozens of license plate styles to the public.

Plates Home Page

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Do I Have to Register My Car in Nevada?

You must register your vehicle in Nevada if you are a resident as outlined below or a non-resident who meets certain conditions.

New residents must obtain their driver license and vehicle registration within 30 days. See our New Resident Guide.

In most vehicle sales, the deadline to register the vehicle is 30 days from the date of the sale.

Laws and Exemptions

Nevada Revised Statutes 482.103 "Resident" defined.

"Resident" includes, but is not limited to, a person:
1. Whose legal residence is in the State of Nevada.
2. Who engages in intrastate business and operates in such a business any motor vehicle, trailer or semi trailer, or any person maintaining such vehicles in this state, as the home state of such vehicles.
3. Who physically resides in this state and engages in a trade, profession, occupation or accepts gainful employment in this state.
4. Who declares himself to be a resident of this state to obtain privileges not ordinarily extended to nonresidents of this state.
The term does not include a person who is an actual tourist, an out-of-state student, a foreign exchange student, a border state employee or a seasonal resident.

Non-Residents

Certain non-residents also must register their vehicles in Nevada. You must register your vehicle here:

if your vehicle is operated in Nevada for more than 30 days in a calendar year
if you engage in a trade, profession or occupation or accept gainful employment in Nevada
if you enroll your children in a public school in Nevada
if you furnish a vehicle to a Nevada resident for continuous use here

Exemptions

There are some exemptions. You are not required to register your vehicle here if you are:

on active duty in the military service of the United States
an out-of-state student
a registered student at a college or university located outside Nevada and in the state for a period of not more than 6 months to participate in a work-study program for which you earn academic credits from the college or university
a migrant or seasonal farm worker
a border state employee (commute into Nevada for employment within 35 miles of the border)

You do not have to maintain a registration or liability insurance if your vehicle is in storage or otherwise not being driven on public streets. You must surrender the license plates if you drop the liability insurance for any reason.

Laws

NRS 482.103 - Resident Defined
NRS 482.205 - 482.210 - Registration Required and Exemptions
NRS 482.385 - Non-Resident Owners and New Residents

Out-of-State Business Vehicles

You must obtain a permit to operate an out-of-state business vehicle in Nevada. See Movement Permits for vehicles 26,000 pounds and under.

See Motor Carrier Permits for vehicles 26,001 pounds or greater. Apportioned registrations are exempt.

Vehicle Types

Your Car, Light Truck or RV

Your Car, Light Truck or RV

Most personal and business vehicles are registered at DMV full service offices or online if purchased from a Nevada dealer.

RVs

There are no special registration requirements for recreational vehicles. Gasoline-powered RVs must pass emissions testing if required in the Las Vegas and Reno areas.

RVs are exempt from odometer reporting at registration. They are not eligible for online registration.

You may need special driver license classes or endorsements for large vehicles or multiple trailers. See Driver License Classes.

Commercial Vehicles

There are no special designations or license plates for commercial vehicles under 26,001 pounds. See Vehicles in Business for guidance and contact information on your business vehicle.

If you have 10 or more business vehicles, larger DMV offices have fleet counters to make registration easier and you may qualify as a self-insurer. See Fleet Registration.

Vehicles 26,001 pounds or more are registered through Motor Carrier.
Motorcycles & Trimobiles

Motorcycles & Trimobiles

Motorcycles and trimobiles must be registered and insured under the same procedures as cars and trucks.

Vehicles purchased from a Nevada dealer are eligible for online registration.

Riders must have a Class M driver license and wear a helmet. See Motorcycles.
Mopeds

Mopeds

You must have a driver's license (any class) to operate a moped on public streets.
Helmets and a one-time registration are required in Nevada. Liability insurance is not required. See Mopeds.
Trailers

Trailers

Utility and travel trailers must be registered to be operated on public streets. Trailers are titled in Nevada. Small license plates are issued for trailers under 1,000 pounds.

Trailers are exempt from insurance, odometer and smog requirements but are otherwise registered and titled in the same manner as motor vehicles. See Nevada Dealer Sales, Out-of-State Dealer Sales or Private Party Sales. They are not eligible for online registration.

Trailers may be registered for one year or three years.

Homemade Trailers

If you are assembling or building your own trailer, you must have it inspected before it can be registered or titled. See Trailer Equipment Requirements, the Construction Affidavit (VP 223) form and contact us before you begin work.

Towable Tools

Towable tools (air compressors, tow dollies, cement mixers, etc.) do not have to be registered unless they exceed 70 inches in width.
Low Speed & Neighborhood Electric Vehicles, Golf Carts

Low Speed & Neighborhood Electric Vehicles, Golf Carts

Low speed vehicles built to specific federal standards may be registered and operated on public streets where the speed limit is 35 mph or less. Golf carts, ATVs and homemade vehicles do not qualify and may not be converted.

Golf carts may be operated on public streets only in designated areas. See Low Speed Vehicles and Golf Carts.
Off-Highway Vehicles

Off-Highway Vehicles

All-terrain vehicles, pocket bikes, motorized scooters, snowmobiles and similar motorized vehicles are subject to registration and titling in Nevada. Nearly all OHVs 1976 and newer must be registered.

OHV transactions cannot be completed in DMV field offices.

Register your OHV through Off-Road Nevada website.

Off-highway vehicles may not be driven on public streets or sidewalks except on specific roads designated by local government.

There is no minimum operator age or driver license requirement for off-road use. A driver's license and helmet are required when driven on public streets.
Off-highway vehicles may not be converted to on-road use. The only exceptions are two-wheeled motorcycles.
Boats

Boats

Water vessels are registered and titled by the Nevada Division of Wildlife.

Trailers are registered with the DMV.
Salvage Vehicles, Restorations, Engine Swaps, Kit Cars
Salvage Vehicles, Restorations, Engine Swaps, Kit Cars

Contact us with specifics before you begin work.

Title

Make sure you own the car! You can do a title-only transaction and establish legal ownership of a vehicle without registering it. Vehicles coming from out-of-state must have a VIN inspection.

Inspections

Many salvage vehicles, kit cars and antiques have to be inspected by the DMV and/or a licensed mechanic. See the publications and forms under Vehicle Ownership Forms and contact a DMV VIN Inspector.

Engine Swaps

See the Nevada Engine Swap Fact Sheet (EC 054). Contact the Emissions Lab in Las Vegas or Reno for requirements if the vehicle will be based in an area where smog checks are required.

Salvage Vehicles

There are strict laws, special requirements and several classifications for vehicles that have been severely damaged. Review our Salvage Vehicles page carefully.

Vehicle Equipment Requirements
Buses and Big Rigs

Buses and Big Rigs

Vehicles 26,001 pounds or more and those registered under IRP/IFTA interstate licensing must be registered through Motor Carrier.

You need a Class A or B driver's license to operate these vehicles even if they are privately owned. See Commercial Licensing.
Special Mobile Equipment

Special Mobile Equipment

Special Mobile Equipment such as road graders and well-boring equipment does not have to be registered in Nevada but vehicles are subject to all other requirements on titles and purchases.

Motor Carrier offices can issue a license plate and/or special fuel license if needed.
Manufactured Homes, Commercial Coaches and Park Trailers

Manufactured Homes, Commercial Coaches and Park Trailers

These are regulated by agencies other than the DMV. See Manufactured Homes and Recreational Park Trailers.

The DMV issues titles for recreational park trailers of up to 400 square feet.