Oh no! My car's temporary tag is about to expire!

Question: I bought a car from a used car dealership almost 3 months ago, and I still do not have my tag.  I had to get an extension on the temporary tag, and that expires soon. Now, I cannot get in touch with anyone at the dealership. What can I do? 

Unfortunately, this scenario happens all too often in Georgia.  Here are 5 facts you should know when dealing with an expired temporary tag on a car you purchased from a dealership:

1.    It is against the law for a Georgia car dealership to fail to deliver the car’s title to you or your lender within 30 days of your purchase date.  And, without the title, you can’t get tags, and without tags you are at risk of getting a traffic ticket, and on and on.  You, not the dealership, are responsible for paying the fine for that traffic ticket!
2.    Your county tag agency can only issue one temporary tag extension.  If the car isn’t registered before the second temporary tag expires, then if you drive it you risk getting a traffic ticket (refer back to #1).
3.    The dealership is not allowed to give you more than one temporary tag.  Some dealerships will bring you back in and issue a new temporary tag to you.  They may accomplish this by having you sign all new paperwork, including a new finance agreement.  If you’ve started making payments, then the dealership may be violating State and federal laws.  
4.    There are government agencies that regulate used car dealerships. Check out the Resources page.
5.    If all else fails, then you may need to sue the dealership. Lawsuits can be time-consuming and they’re usually not free, but if the dealership is ignoring all your requests, then it may be time to hire an attorney who can take care of your title issue once and for all. Take the steps above first before hiring attorney, but don’t be afraid to do so if the time comes.

At the end of the day, if the dealership fails to provide you or your lender with your car’s title, then it is good to know that you have recourse. As a Georgia consumer, the law is on your side, and you can rest assured knowing there are many available resources to help you.