You bought a car in another state, or you just moved to the St. Louis area with one, and now Missouri wants it titled in your name. Most of the process matches a normal Missouri title transfer, with one extra check on the VIN and odometer and a sales tax rule that can save you money. Here is the whole thing, in order.
The short answer: To title an out-of-state car in Missouri, take the signed title, Form 108, proof of insurance, and an ID/odometer inspection (a safety inspection also counts) less than 60 days old to a Missouri license office within 30 days of purchase. You pay $8.50 for the title plus $9 processing, and 4.225% state sales tax plus local tax, minus any tax you already paid the other state.
Updated October 9, 2026. Checked against the Missouri Department of Revenue, the Revised Statutes of Missouri, the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program, and the Illinois Department of Revenue. Sources are linked at the bottom.
Key takeaways
- Deadline: 30 days from the purchase date to title the car and pay sales tax. New residents get 30 days from the day they become Missouri residents.
- The extra step: a car with an out-of-state title needs a VIN and odometer check (ID/OD inspection) at an authorized Missouri inspection station. A current Missouri safety inspection covers it.
- Tax credit: sales tax you paid to another state is credited toward the Missouri tax. You pay the difference, if any.
- Moving here: if the car was titled in your name in another state for more than 90 days, Missouri charges no sales tax.
- St. Louis area: St. Louis City and St. Louis, St. Charles, and Jefferson counties also need an emissions test for most gas cars from 1996 and newer.
How do you transfer an out-of-state title in Missouri?
These steps follow the Missouri Department of Revenue buying a vehicle page. Start the clock on the purchase date printed on your bill of sale or title.
- 1. Get the out-of-state title signed over to you. The seller signs the title from their state and fills in the price, date, and odometer reading. If the title shows a lender, you also need a lien release.
- 2. Get the ID/OD inspection. An authorized Missouri inspection station verifies the VIN and odometer. If the car also needs a Missouri safety inspection, that one inspection covers both.
- 3. Get an emissions test if you live in the St. Louis area. Required in St. Louis City and St. Louis, St. Charles, and Jefferson counties for most cars. Details below.
- 4. Fill out Form 108. This is the Application for Missouri Title and License.
- 5. Gather proof of tax paid elsewhere. If you paid sales tax to the other state and the title does not show it, bring a tax receipt from that state.
- 6. Bring insurance and, for plates, a property tax paper. You need a current insurance ID card. For new plates you also need last year’s paid personal property tax receipt or a statement of non-assessment from your county assessor or the City of St. Louis.
- 7. Visit a Missouri license office within 30 days. Pay the title fee, sales tax, and registration. Find one with the DOR license office locator.
Buying a car that was already titled in Missouri? That is a simpler job. Our Missouri title transfer guide covers in-state sales, gifts, and inherited cars.
What documents do you need to register an out-of-state car in Missouri?
| Document | When you need it |
|---|---|
| Out-of-state title, signed over to you | Always (or the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin on a brand new car) |
| Form 108, Application for Missouri Title and License | Always |
| ID/OD inspection or safety inspection, under 60 days old | Any car with a title from another state |
| Emissions test, under 60 days old | St. Louis City and St. Louis, St. Charles, and Jefferson counties, most cars |
| Lien release | Only if the title shows a lender |
| Proof of insurance | To register the car |
| Tax receipt from the other state | If you paid tax there and the title does not show it |
| Personal property tax receipt or statement of non-assessment | For new plates |
DOR also says additional documents may be requested at titling, so bring the bill of sale too.
What is the Missouri ID/odometer inspection?
It is a quick check that the VIN on the car matches the title and that the odometer reading is right. The DOR additional help resources page lays out what counts as proof. The paperwork has to be less than 60 days old.
- Car is in Missouri and runs: an authorized Missouri inspection station completes the ID/OD form. Find one with the Missouri State Highway Patrol station locator.
- Car is in Missouri but does not run: a Missouri law enforcement officer can sign a statement verifying the VIN and odometer, or you can file Form 5062.
- You and the car are still out of state: send a notarized affidavit explaining why you cannot return, plus an inspection done by an authorized inspection station or a law enforcement officer.
- Brand new car: no ID/OD inspection if it transfers on a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin.
Does an out-of-state car need a safety inspection or emissions test in Missouri?
Safety inspection: under RSMo 307.350, a car is exempt for the 10 years after its model year if it has fewer than 150,000 miles. Older or higher-mileage cars need one, and it must be less than 60 days old. Gateway lists the safety inspection at $12. If your car needs it, it also counts as your ID/OD inspection.
Emissions test: the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program requires a test at any sale or title transfer for cars registered in St. Louis City or St. Louis, St. Charles, or Jefferson counties. It covers gas vehicles 1996 and newer and diesels 1997 and newer, 8,500 pounds or less. Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, motorcycles, and historic vehicles are exempt. The test is $24, and a car that fails gets one free retest at the same station within 20 business days, per Gateway’s test cost page. Live in the rest of Missouri? No emissions test. Our St. Louis emissions testing guide covers exemptions and what to do if a car fails.
Do you pay Missouri sales tax on a car bought out of state?
Yes, and it is based on where you live, not where you bought the car. The DOR titling FAQ sets three rules:
- You owe Missouri tax: 4.225% state sales tax plus the local tax of the city or county where you live, on the price minus any trade-in.
- Tax paid elsewhere is credited: if you paid sales tax to the state where you bought the car, it counts toward the Missouri amount. Bring proof. If the other state’s tax was lower, you pay the difference.
- Owned it 90+ days in another state: if the car was titled in your name in another state for more than 90 days, no Missouri sales tax is assessed. This is the rule most people moving to St. Louis fall under.
Example: you buy a $6,000 car out of state and pay no tax there. The Missouri state part is $253.50 (4.225% of $6,000), plus your local rate. If you had paid $200 in tax to the other state, that $200 comes off the Missouri total. Local rates vary a lot across St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County, so check our Missouri car sales tax rates for St. Louis or the DOR vehicle sales tax calculator with your address.
How much does it cost to register an out-of-state car in Missouri?
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Title fee | $8.50 |
| Title processing fee | $9.00 |
| Registration, 1 year (passenger car) | $18.25 to $51.25 by taxable horsepower, plus $9 processing |
| Registration, 2 years (passenger car) | $36.50 to $102.50, plus $18 processing |
| Sales tax | 4.225% state plus local, minus tax paid to another state |
| Emissions test (St. Louis area) | $24 |
| Safety inspection, if required | $12 |
| Temporary permit | $5 plus $9 processing at a license office |
| Late title penalty | $25 on day 31, plus $25 every 30 days after, up to $200 |
Registration amounts come from the DOR motor vehicle fees page. Need a title, plates, or both? See car registration vs title transfer.
How do you drive an out-of-state car home to Missouri?
Plan how the car gets home before you pay. You have three options.
- Missouri temporary permit: good for 30 days from purchase, $5 plus a $9 processing fee at a license office. You get one per vehicle, and you cannot buy one after you apply for the title.
- Permit from the selling state: ask the seller or that state’s motor vehicle office what temporary or transit tag it offers for a buyer leaving the state.
- Have it delivered: skip the drive. A car shipped on a transporter does not need plates for the trip.
Moving to Missouri with your car?
New residents have 30 days from the date they become Missouri residents to title the car, per the DOR FAQ. The paperwork is the same: your current title, Form 108, the ID/OD or safety inspection, emissions if you live in the St. Louis area, and insurance. If the car has been titled in your name for more than 90 days, you skip Missouri sales tax. If a lender holds your title, contact the lender early, since the out-of-state title has to reach Missouri.
Live in the Illinois Metro East instead?
Then Missouri rules do not apply, even if you work in St. Louis. The Illinois Department of Revenue says a car bought from an out-of-state dealer goes on Form RUT-25, due within 30 days of the purchase date or the date you bring it into Illinois. A private-party purchase goes on Form RUT-50, due within 30 days. You title the car with the Illinois Secretary of State. Our car auctions in Illinois guide covers buying on that side of the river.
Buying out of state online or at auction?
Online car auctions are how many St. Louis buyers end up with an out-of-state title. The catch is timing: Missouri’s 30-day clock starts on the purchase date, but title paperwork from an online sale can take weeks. Remarket Space’s How It Works page says title transfers typically take 8 to 12 weeks and out-of-state buyers may see added delays. Before you bid with anyone, ask when the title ships, then contact DOR through Ask Motor Vehicle if the title has not arrived as day 30 gets close. Our guide to buying a car at auction and transferring the title walks through the rest, and the vehicle inspection checklist helps you judge a car you cannot see in person.
Shopping for a car to bring home to St. Louis?
Remarket Space is an online car marketplace open to the public. You do not need a dealer license or a membership. Every listing has inspection info, a free Carfax, real photos, and the out-the-door total before you bid. Bid in a live auction or use Buy Now, and get the car delivered to the St. Louis metro with the delivery quote right on the listing, so there is no drive home to plan. Title issues are guaranteed for life.
See cars up for auction now, read how bidding works, and check the buyer fees up front. You can browse used SUVs, used trucks, and cars under $5,000. Those cars are currently in Minnesota and ship to Missouri with a quote. For local options, start with our St. Louis hub, car auctions in St. Louis, or see cheap cars in St. Louis under $3,000.
Frequently asked questions
Take the signed out-of-state title, Form 108, proof of insurance, and an ID/odometer or safety inspection under 60 days old to a Missouri license office within 30 days of purchase. St. Louis-area buyers also need an emissions test for most cars.
Yes. A car with a title from another state needs an identification number and odometer inspection at an authorized Missouri inspection station, less than 60 days old. A current Missouri safety inspection satisfies it. Cars on a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin are exempt.
No. Missouri credits sales tax you paid to the other state toward the Missouri amount, as long as you bring proof. If the other state’s tax was lower, you pay the difference. If you paid nothing there, you pay the full Missouri rate.
Buyers have 30 days from the purchase date. New residents have 30 days from the date they became Missouri residents. A $25 late penalty starts on day 31 and grows $25 every 30 days, up to $200.
The title is $8.50 plus a $9 processing fee. One-year registration for a passenger car runs $18.25 to $51.25 by taxable horsepower, plus $9 processing. Add sales tax, and in the St. Louis area a $24 emissions test.
Not if the car was titled in your name in another state for more than 90 days. In that case Missouri assesses no sales tax. You still pay the title fee, registration, and any required inspections.
Usually yes. Cars registered in St. Louis City or St. Louis, St. Charles, or Jefferson counties need a test at sale or title transfer if they are gas models from 1996 or newer or diesels from 1997 or newer. The test costs $24.
Sources
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Buying a vehicle
- Missouri Department of Revenue: ID/OD inspection and other help resources
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Titling and registration FAQ
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Motor vehicle fees
- Revised Statutes of Missouri 307.350: Safety inspection
- Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program: Does my vehicle need a test?
- Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program: Test cost and retests
- Illinois Department of Revenue: Tax requirements for vehicles
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and rules can change, so confirm with the Missouri Department of Revenue before you buy.
