Can I Get Plates With Only a CO 2026: Title-First vs Registration-First

You just bought a brand-new vehicle. Maybe it’s a trailer, a dirt bike, a UTV, or a car straight from the manufacturer. You handed over the cash, and in return, you got a shiny piece of paper that looks important. It has the VIN, the manufacturer’s name, and your name on it. It’s the Certificate of Origin (CO), sometimes called the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MCO).

You want to drive. right now. You want to slap a license plate on that bad boy and hit the road. But the DMV looks at your CO and laughs.

What is a Certificate of Origin?

Here is the cold, hard truth: A Certificate of Origin is not a title. It is the vehicle’s birth certificate. And just like you can’t get a passport with a hospital birth certificate alone, you generally can’t drive legally on just a CO. You have to convert that CO into a state Title.

However, the speed at which you get plates with CO during that conversion process depends entirely on where you live. Some states make you wait in purgatory; others hand you plates over the counter.

Let’s break down the bureaucratic nightmare of Title-First vs. Registration-First states, and how you can skip the line entirely with the Montana advantage.

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The Great Divide: Title-First vs. Registration-First

When you walk into a DMV (or tag agency) with a CO, you are asking for two things:

1. Titling: The legal process of the state recognizing you as the owner.
2. Registration: The state giving you permission (plates/tags) to operate the vehicle on public roads.

How the state handles the order of these events determines whether you are driving home or taking an Uber.

1. Title-First States (The “Wait and See” Club)

In these jurisdictions, the DMV acts like a suspicious bouncer. They will not issue you a license plate or registration until the title has been fully processed, printed, and mailed to you.

• The Process: You submit the CO, pay the taxes, and file the application.
• The Wait: The state vets the paperwork to ensure the CO isn’t fraudulent. This can take weeks.
• The Result: You have a car you own but can’t drive legally because you have no plates. You are at the mercy of the slow-moving wheels of bureaucracy.

2. Registration-First (or Concurrent) States

These states are more pragmatic. They understand that if you paid sales tax and submitted the CO, you probably own the car.

• The Process: You submit the CO and title application.
• The Result: They issue you license plates (or a metal tag) immediately—right over the counter—while the title processes in the background.
• The Catch: If the title application gets rejected later (bad VIN, lien issue), they will revoke the registration. But for 99% of people, this is the preferred method.

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Real-World Scenarios

To understand how this affects you, let’s look at three distinct scenarios: The California nightmare, the Texas transition, and the Montana cheat code.

Scenario A: The California Buyer (CO but No Plates)

California is notorious for making vehicle ownership difficult. If you buy a vehicle with a CO (especially from out of state), California treats you with extreme skepticism.

In California, you generally cannot get plates with CO just by waving a CO around. You must:

1. Submit the CO and Title Application.
2. Pass a Smog Check (even for many newer vehicles if they are out-of-state imports).
3. VIN Verification: A physical inspection by the DMV or CHP.
4. Pay heavy use taxes.

Only after the paperwork clears do you get your metal plates. In the meantime, you might get a Temporary Operating Permit (TOP), but these are strictly regulated. If you have a modified car or a “49-state” vehicle, the CO alone won’t save you from the CARB emissions hammer. You could be stuck with a vehicle you own (via CO) but can never register.

Scenario B: Texas (Instant Gratification… Mostly)

Texas generally operates on a concurrent system. If you walk into a tax office with a valid CO, proof of insurance, and an inspection report, you can usually walk out with your registration sticker and plates (or a temp tag) the same day while the title is mailed to you later.

However, Texas is cracking down on fraud. While this makes the roads safer, it adds a layer of scrutiny to your CO. If your paperwork isn’t perfect, you aren’t getting plates.

Scenario C: The Montana Advantage (Instant Plates)

This is where the magic happens. Montana is the ultimate “Registration-First” jurisdiction for out-of-state vehicle owners, provided you do it correctly.

When you use a service like Zero Tax Tags to set up a Montana LLC:

1. The LLC buys the vehicle: You transfer the CO to your Montana LLC.
2. Zero Sales Tax: Montana has 0% sales tax.
3. Immediate Plates: Montana accepts the CO as proof of ownership. They process the registration and title application simultaneously.

Because Montana doesn’t require vehicle inspections (smog or safety) for registration, the CO is essentially a golden ticket. You send us the CO, we handle the DMV, and license plates are mailed to you often before the physical title is even printed.

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Temporary Tags: The Bridge Between CO and Title

If you are in a Title-First state, how are you supposed to drive while you wait? The answer is the Temporary Tag (Temp Tag).

A temp tag serves as provisional registration. It tells law enforcement, “I bought this, I applied for the title, please don’t tow me.”

These are valid for varying periods depending on the state:

• 10-Day: Usually for transit/inspections.
• 30-Day: Standard for dealer purchases.
• 40-Day: Montana’s standard temp tag while plates ship.
• 90-Day: Used in states like Florida for complex issues.

Crucial Note: You generally cannot generate a temp tag yourself just because you have a CO. It must be issued by a dealer or the DMV.

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Why Some Dealers Won’t Give Temp Tags

You bought a trailer or a bike, you have the CO, but the dealer refuses to give you a temp tag to drive it home. Why?

Liability.

If a dealer issues a temp tag, they are verifying that the vehicle is roadworthy and that the transaction is complete. If you take that vehicle and crash it, or if the financing falls through, the dealer is in a sticky spot. Furthermore, some dealers (especially for trailers or off-road vehicles) are not authorized agent of the DMV for on-road registration, meaning they legally can’t issue a plate even if they wanted to.

This leaves you with a CO and a trailer you can’t legally tow. This is a prime situation where a third-party registration service saves the day.

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Insurance Complications: The “No Title” Problem

Can you insure a car with only a Certificate of Origin?

Yes, but it’s tricky.

Insurance companies track vehicles by VIN, not necessarily by title status. You can usually start a policy using the VIN on the CO. However, if a claim arises and you still haven’t secured the state title, the payout process becomes a nightmare.

If the vehicle is totaled, the insurance company needs the title to take possession of the wreck and pay you out. If you are stuck in “Title-First” limbo or, worse, if the DMV rejects your CO after you’ve already insured the car, you are paying premiums on a vehicle you might not legally own in the eyes of the state yet.

Getting the title processed quickly is the best way to protect your asset.

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Common Misconceptions About the CO

Let’s clear up the bad advice you read on forums.

Myth 1: “The CO is just as good as a Title.”

False. The CO is a manufacturer-to-dealer document. The Title is a state-to-owner document. You cannot sell a vehicle to a private party easily with just a CO; most smart buyers will demand a Title.

Myth 2: “I can drive on the CO for 30 days.”

False. Carrying the CO in your glovebox does not make you legal. You need a government-issued registration document or temp tag. If a cop pulls you over and you hand them a CO, you are driving an unregistered vehicle.

Myth 3: “I can just sign the back of the CO to transfer it.”

Partial Truth. You can assign the CO to a buyer, but if you skip the titling process (title jumping), you are committing a felony in many states. The CO is intended to be converted to a title by the first retail purchaser.

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The Zero Tax Tags Solution

If you are staring at a Certificate of Origin and dreading the trip to the DMV, or if your state is demanding inspections and taxes you don’t want to deal with, there is a better way.

We specialize in converting Certificates of Origin into street-legal titles and tags. By utilizing the Montana LLC loophole, we can:

1. Take your CO (remotely).
2. Register the vehicle to your new asset-holding LLC.
3. Send you the license plates, registration, and eventually the title.
4. Save you thousands in sales tax.

This works for cars, motorcycles, UTVs, and even military surplus vehicles. Don’t let a piece of paper stop you from driving.

See how Montana LLC registration helps owners in other situations:

• Off-Road CO 2026: How to Make Your UTV, ATV, or Dirt Bike Street Legal
• Trailer CO 2026: How to Transfer Certificate of Origin for Trailers and Boats