Can You Buy a Car Without a License?

While buying a car without a license may seem ironic, it’s fairly common. Maybe you have don’t have a license or your license is temporarily suspended, but you have better credit than your spouse, so it makes more sense for a car to be financed in your name. Or, maybe you’re purchasing your car now and getting your license later. Whatever the case may be, the short answer to the question, “Can you buy a car without a license,” is yes.

How Does Buying a Car Without a License Work?

Essentially, there’s no difference between buying a car with or without a license. You don’t need a license to pay cash for a car or finance it — just a state-issued I.D. Titling and insuring a car also doesn’t require a license. Registering your car, however, is a different story. License plates can’t be purchased for a car until it’s registered with your state’s department of motor vehicles or secretary of state’s office. This requires a valid driver’s license.

Paying cash for a car means you can title it under someone else’s name, assuming they have a valid driver’s license. They can then register the vehicle and drive it. Once this is done, however, the car will legally be theirs. If you finance a car without a license, your name will need to appear on the title and no one else’s. So, if you don’t have a valid license, you won’t be able to register the car or drive it around St. Louis.

Why Buy a Car Without Driver’s License?

We already covered two above, but there are many more situations where buying a car without a license makes sense. Here are a few more examples:

• Your business requires a vehicle that an employee with a valid driver’s license can drive.
• You’re disabled and would like your caregiver to have a car for quicker back-and-forth transport, but also want to own the car.
• You’re buying a car as a gift for a friend or family member with a license.
• You’re buying a car for your child who is licensed but underage, and can’t finance a vehicle on their own yet.
• You’re purchasing a vehicle to add to your auto collection, but don’t intend to drive it.

Finance a Car Today with Green Light Auto Credit!

Are you exploring your options for buying a car without a license? Green Light Auto Credit can help! From helping you get a car loan to explaining the differences between a secured and unsecured loan, our friendly experts can be your guides. Contact us with auto financing questions, such as “Can you transfer a car loan to someone else?” or visit us near Herculaneum and Florissant for one-on-one financing assistance.

Back To Top