Car registration - 1 or 2 years??

Submitted by 0livia_1998 t3_11q1ga8 in massachusetts

Update : I managed to dig out my receipts from last years renewal and realized they only charged $35 instead of $60. Again, I don’t remember getting an option so I don’t know what that was about but I did renew last night after posting this and was charged the regular $60 so I think I’m good to go for 2 years! Thanks everyone

Howdy folks, when I renewed my registration last year I was shocked to see it was only for 1 year vs 2 and swear I was never given the option for 2. Anyone know the deal on this, is it still an option and if so what do I need to do?

Thanks!

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SofisticatdIgnorance t1_jc14pt3 wrote

Commercial is 1 year and a personal vehicle is 2

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153IQ_TURKISH_FARMER t1_jc1tvsd wrote

I bought a brand new car in February and they registered my car for 1.5 half years. That was so interesting but I didn't want to waste my time with it and enjoy the car.

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lilbitspecial t1_jc3mm6g wrote

Did you get new plates? If the month on the plate is not the same as when you bought it, your registration will be less than 2 years. When I worked for an insurance agency and we did in-house registry our plates were usually 6 months difference (registered in Feb, plates were August)

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Hoosac_Love t1_jc0xqg0 wrote

As far as I know registration has always been two years in Massachusetts

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DunkinRadio t1_jc1i81c wrote

Vanity plate? Those are only one year.

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0livia_1998 OP t1_jc1odbf wrote

Nope, normal plates. I’ve never been so confused. Paid for renewal last night so we’ll see what happens.

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PakkyT t1_jc1symj wrote

Still the same car? You didn't transfer the plates to another car the last time?

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0livia_1998 OP t1_jc22d3a wrote

Well the plates were originally on my old car back in March of 2022 when I renewed. Purchased my new car in November of 2022 and transferred the plates then. BUT, I did some digging and found my receipts from the last renewal and realized they only charged me $35 and not $60 which brings me back to never realizing 1 year was an option.

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PakkyT t1_jc39kel wrote

OK that is why then. Your registration never changes which month it renews. That is why the month is stamped right on the plate. Also did you know the last number on your license plate corresponds to the month your registration expires? Example "XYZ 123" and "0123 XY" both indicate expiring in March.

So when you transfer plates, it doesn't reset from March to November. It stays March as is literally stamped in metal on your plate. The renewal will be for anywhere from 1 to 2 years later depending on your month of your registration and where you are in the year. Your plates expire in March. Since you transferred them in November the year would move up but you still were stuck on March, so in November your new expiration for the transferred plates would be about 16 month later rather than a full 24 months.

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tapakip t1_jc1xhqr wrote

Did you get a vanity plate, by chance?

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0livia_1998 OP t1_jc22jps wrote

Nope, but I was able to find my receipts from the last renewal and realized they only charged me $35 and not $60. I did pay $60 last night so I think I’m back on track for 2 years lol

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tapakip t1_jc22vlv wrote

Very strange but at least you know why it happened.

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PakkyT t1_jc52iz6 wrote

Well as I asked on your other post, that that you confirmed, and then I explained why, if you TRANSFER a plate to a new car, the month your registration is literally stamped in metal on the plate and can not be changed. So if it is November and your registration expires in March, if you then buy a new car and transfer the registration in Nov. then the expiration still has to be March, so your new expiration date will be 16 months later rather than a full 2 years.

If you want the full two years, then you need to cancel your old plates and get new ones.

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0livia_1998 OP t1_jc6r81j wrote

I understand the registration follows the plate, my issue is I’ve never had a 1 year registration. Transfer of plates was never in question, it was why the registry defaulted me to 1 year vs 2. It seemed to fix it’s self though, thanks.

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PakkyT t1_jc79m5g wrote

>why the registry defaulted me to 1 year vs 2

They can not renew you for more than two years. So you generally get 1 year plus however many month until the plate's month comes up. They can do 1 year and 3 months for example, but they can not do 2 years and 3 months. So you get the shorter one and a little discount off the price.

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