At the risk of stating the obvious, is it possible to talk to the buyer?

For future reference, I've learned to complete vehicle sales at banks. A freshly printed cashier's check handed to the seller right after the teller hands it to the purchaser is pretty trustworthy, and if lost/stolen is easily replaced, unlike cash (envelope falls out of a pocket, or you wake up with a headache and no cash) or a personal check (could be cancelled). Then we both go to a vehicle licensing office and register the transfer. As the OP is aware, many headaches if e.g. the seller doesn't bother to register the transfer.

I sent him a message asking to please get his own plates but he didn't respond, I'm sure he's just a lowlife trying to exploit this as much as he can. I guess I could point out that it's a crime and I'll report him to the police, but I feel like it wouldn't do any good

Considering what the guy is doing is repeatedly violating the law, you'd think the cops would be willing to deal with it.

I've definitely learned my lesson. We used Venmo, and I didn't have any problems with it, but I don't know if there are any risks.

"I feel like it wouldn't do any good " - isn't putting a stop to the hassle of repeated toll contesting "any good"

@whatsisname part of the problem is I don't actually have his address because what he wrote on the bill of sale is unfortunately illegible (I wish I had thought to check that before completing the sale)

@whatsisname I just mean I imagine he knows he's committing a crime and doesn't care, not sure saying so would change his mind

@Andy: he doesn't have to change his mind, but the police impounding the car until he pays to get new plates will solve the problem regardless what the guy thinks of it. If you are pretty sure you know where the car will be enough to take the plates, you can report that to the cops and they can BOLO the area. People that drive unlicensed vehicles tend to commit other crimes so the cops like stopping them.

Can you request new plates and cancel the old ones?

I assume I can't do that for a car I no longer own, especially after filing the vehicle transfer notification, but that's an interesting idea...

@AC however I bet if I get new plates then I'm liable for the car being driven with the canceled plates

(Non US resident here) Am I the only one greatly surprised that the plates could belong to a person and not to the car? Perhaps you could clarify that in your question, as this is a totally unexpected, even though lawful, behavior.

@gmauch It's also the case in Switzerland, where the plate is assigned to the owner, and one can have the same plate for several cars. My uncle even had a "quick-detach" system for his plate. In France, before the 2009 system change, the plate was assigned to the car, but still had to be changed at each owner change.

@gmauch the plates are assigned to BOTH a car and a person. Any change in either requires them to be re-registered with the state. This is true in many, perhaps all, US states. I have sold a car and re-registered the plates on a different car, in NJ.

@gmauch It varies by state. In some states, you must retain and turn in the plates. This is to give police a clear signal when the purchaser fails to re-register the vehicle, as in the OP's case. In other states, they are too cheap to re-issue plates and therefore plates remain with the car unless you have a personalized plate.

@gmauch Not only that, it belongs to the owner not the driver... which I discovered to my chagrin after I had renewed the tags on a lease which I was in the process of paying off - I had to pay for plates again because legally the ownership have changed from me being the lessee to the owner. (So much for the piddly few dollars I "earned" in interest by delaying paying it off!)

I'd be worried someone would try to shoot me first and ask questions later if they saw me taking the plates off their car.

@gmauch It's not just the US doing this. I vaguely recall the UK using a combined system. The plates belong to the car, but you could opt to carry them over to a new car by getting different plates issued to the car that previously held them.

@Mast - generally the plates go with the car, but you can opt to keep them & transfer them to your new vehicle. You can even sell the number itself [which doesn't have to be the exact plates, just the right to them] to any willing purchaser. Easier if the plates say S1MON than E324MPD, but there's nothing to stop you hanging onto any randomly-assigned plate if it takes your fancy. All you have to do is fill in the papers & pay the fee. There's quite a trade in 'cherished' numbers, you can even pre-order one that's never been issued & if it ever is, you're informed before it goes to auction.

contd… As UK plates give the age of the vehicle's first registration [since 1963], the only hard & fast rule is a plate's registration year can never be newer than the vehicle it is on. Older isn't any worry.

@RyanM Note that you're mistaken. The tag is reasonably clear about its intended use. Further, your argument is illogical. For instance, I filter out aspects of law that don't interest me. If United States law was one such aspect, by your argument, I'd have to include 50 (well, 51) filters, instead of just. Finally, while this question pertains to Texas, it applies equally to several other states (I can't be bothered to count how many)

Be aware that your problems will get a lot worse if he has an accident, maybe with leaving the scene... so better act sooner than later. Having a police report will help you a lot when they come for you.

@Strawberry "For questions specific to the United States as a whole, or that span multiple state jurisdictions" is quite clear. If you believe that isn't how the tag should be used, you should raise that (valid) point on Meta, at which point the tag's usage guidelines could be changed.

@RyanM I don't find your cherry-picking of said text remotely cute or amusing.

@Strawberry The second sentence (of two) also agrees with me. Again, you're welcome to raise this on Meta.

@RyanM The first sentence does not contradict my position, because, as mentioned, the question is valid for multiple jurisdictions - and would be of interest to anyone selling a car in those jurisdictions. And neither does the second. If you have any doubt, may I suggest you raise it on meta.

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