Apply for a Non Resident Short Term Registration

To apply for a temporary plate for a vehicle purchased from a dealer for out of state residents, you will need the following:

• A completed Registration and Title Application
• Proof of insurance
  • Insurance Certification on the Registration and Title Application or a Non-Resident Short-Term Registration Standalone Insurance Certificate form
• Correct payment
• Identity requirements when registering for an individual or Proof of FID for a business

Information on Massachusetts Vehicle Excise Tax

• The registration and vehicle are subject to Massachusetts Excise (property) Tax

• Excise Tax is calculated on a calendar monthly basis
• If the registration is active from January 28 - February 5, it would be subject to two months of excise tax
• If the start and expiration of the registration is within a single month, it would be subject to one month of excise tax
• The Massachusetts Department of Revenue will send the Excise Tax Bill to the mailing address provided during the registration transaction

• Do not ignore this bill as the interest and penalties are substantial if unpaid by due date
• The tax rate is $25/$1000 of the net valuation which is further adjusted depending on whether the registration was active during one or two calendar months

• Your vehicle's value, for excise purposes, isn't the actual purchase price or "book value" of the vehicle. Instead, it's a percentage of the manufacturer's list price in the year of manufacture

• Visit https://www.mass.gov/guides/motor-vehicle-excise for additional details on excise tax and calculation.