Buying Motorcycle in Virginia

Motorcycles like other vehicles in Virginia must be registered and titled in order to be legally driven on the state’s roads. The state further requires that the buyers and sellers of motorcycles follow certain legal formalities in order for their transaction to be considered legal. Therefore if you are buying a motorcycle in Virginia follow the steps below:

  • If you are buying a motorcycle from a dealer then it is he/she who does the paperwork and submit it with the DMV for processing
  • If you are buying a motorcycle from a private individual then make sure that Section A of the title has been filled in by the seller including his/her signature
  • If you are buying a motorcycle from a charitable organization then ensure to receive in writing on the organization’s official letterhead that the organization is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a non-profit organization and that the motorcycle was not registered
  • Buy liability insurance for the motorcycle
  • You may have to pay Sales and Use Tax
  • Visit your local DMV to title the motorcycle

Once the motorcycle is titled, you may choose to register your motorcycle by paying the appropriate registration fees. For the license plates you have a choice between either getting new license plates or apply to transfer existing license plates and pay the transfer fee.

Your motorcycle needs to have a valid safety inspection sticker in order to be legally driven in Virginia. The sticker needs to be renewed yearly, showing that the motorcycle is safe to be driven on the state’s roads. The absence of the sticker or invalid sticker may get you a ticket.

Depending upon where you live you may have to register your motorcycle with the relevant local authority. Therefore check with your county office whether further registration is required. You may be asked to pay an additional registration fee.
In short, buying a motorcycle whether new or used requires certain legal formalities to be followed for the motorcycle to be legally driven on the roads in the state of Virginia.

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