If you buy a car in Puerto Rico, there is one thing that remains the same…the owner needs to sign the original title over to you. Here is where they spin you a little…if the owner is not around (like our truck) and they send you the signed title you will need to do the following;

  • Get a lawyer to notarize a letter stating the owner signed the car over to you but is not around ($20)
  • Go to the Department of Motor Vehicles and pay $10 for the new title
  • Pay $30 for physical inspection
  • Pay $20 for smog inspection

The easiest thing to do is have the owner go with you the local collectoria (local DMV office) and sign the title over to you there. That will only cost you $10 and you don’t have to worry about anything else besides showing up at the DMV within 10 days with the new paperwork to make it official.

Luckily, the old owner was in town this week, and after going to the DMV, I decided to call her and take the easy route. As of today, I have 10 days to make the transfer final.

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