If it's a pre-owned vehicle, usually you can slap an existing plate on it and drive it away in most cases. It doesn't matter if it's a dealer or private purchase. But this is not always the case. You should check with your insurance comapny first, or try and find it in the actual policy documents they mail you.
With my insurance company, I get 10 days cross over insurance automatically once an existing plate off a registered vehicle is put on the vehicle. That is Intact Insurance. This is under the assumption you no longer have or have sold/traded the other car. Some but not all insurance companies have the same policy.
If the vehicle is insured and used, you have 14 calendar days to transfer it at registries, just carry your bill of sale as proof of purchase.
If it is a brand new car same rules apply, but you better carry the NVIS (New Vehicle Information Statement) in the car, as the VIN will not exist in the system. Basically the NVIS is the birth certificate for the car, and gives the registry the info they need to activate the vehicle and registration in the system. If you don't have it, there's a good chance your car is getting hooked, because they will be suspicious the car is stolen/has a fake vin plate.
All of the above, is assuming you have an active registered license plate.
I work in the car business, and have dealt with this stuff for 20 some odd years, and as far as I know, the rules haven't changed.
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