BA-49 — registering a car in New Jersey, and what MVC wants with it.
Buy from a New Jersey dealer and the dealer handles the registration. Buy from a private seller, at auction, or move a car in from another state, and it's yours to do, starting with Form BA-49. It's one page: who owns the car, which transaction this is, the VIN and insurance policy, a lessee section, and five questions. The form is the easy part. MVC also wants the title, ID, an insurance card, an appointment (no walk-ins) and, if nobody collected it at the sale, 6.625% sales tax. Here's all of it, with the fee table.
Registering a Car You Bought Privately?
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Quick Answer
- What is the BA-49 form in New Jersey?
- It's MVC's Application for Vehicle Registration. The current English version is BA-49E (R10/25). You complete it to register a car you bought from a private owner, an auction or a dealer that didn't do the paperwork, or one transferred in from another state, and for renewals, duplicates, transfers, replacement plates, code changes and weight changes.
- What do I need to register a car in New Jersey?
- An appointment (MVC says no walk-ins), the title, a driver's license or other ID meeting the 6 Points of ID, a New Jersey insurance card or company name and policy number, a completed BA-49, and a power of attorney if someone else is signing. Add dealer reassignment papers, lienholder details for a financed or leased car, and an Application for Certificate of Ownership if the car comes from another state.
- How much does it cost to register a car in New Jersey?
- Title $60 ($85 with one lien, $110 with two), plus the registration fee for the car's weight class and age: $46.50 for a car under 3,500 lb that's more than 2 years old, up to $84 for a newer one over 3,500 lb. Plates are included. A private sale adds 6.625% sales tax on the price, and zero-emission vehicles pay an extra annual fee.
Four steps to a New Jersey registration
The BA-49 is one page. The appointment and the paperwork around it take longer.
- 1Book the appointmentOnline at telegov.njportal.com/njmvc. The form and MVC's registration page both say to book before you come in.
- 2Complete the BA-49Owner and co-owner, transaction type, plate, VIN, insurer and policy number, and the five questions.
- 3Gather the restTitle, ID, insurance card, and the extras for a lease, a lien, an auction car or an out-of-state title.
- 4Pay at the agencyTitle fee, registration fee and, after a private sale, 6.625% sales tax on what you paid.
New Jersey Passenger Car Registration Fees
MVC's basic automobile registration fees by class, model year and weight, read on 28 October 2026. The class comes from the manufacturer's shipping weight.
| Class | Model year | Weight | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1970 or older | Under 2,700 lb | $35.50 |
| 2 | 1970 or older | 2,700–3,800 lb | $44.50 |
| 3 | 1970 or older | Over 3,800 lb | $65.50 |
| 4 | 1971–1979 | Under 2,700 lb | $38.50 |
| 5 | 1971–1979 | 2,700–3,800 lb | $49.50 |
| 6 | 1971–1979 | Over 3,800 lb | $72.50 |
| 7 | Older than 2 years | Under 3,500 lb | $46.50 |
| 7 | Within 2 years | Under 3,500 lb | $59 |
| 8 | Older than 2 years | Over 3,500 lb | $71.50 |
| 8 | Within 2 years | Over 3,500 lb | $84 |
Owners 65 and older and people with a disability pay $7 less in every passenger class. Zero-emission vehicles pay an extra annual fee: $250 from July 1, 2024, rising $10 a year for 4 years, and a new ZEV pays four years of it up front. A registration transfer is $4.50; a duplicate registration is $5.
What's on the BA-49
BA-49E (R10/25) fits on a single page and opens with two instructions: write clearly or the application will be rejected, and make an appointment online before coming to an agency. Applicant Information takes the owner's and co-owner's names, address, county, New Jersey driver license number or corpcode, gender, eye color and full date of birth.
Transaction Type has 7 boxes: Initial, Renewal, Duplicate, Transfer, Replacement Plates, Code Change, and Increase/Decrease in Registration Weight. Vehicle Information is the plate number and prefix, the VIN, and the insurance company and policy number, under a warning that the car must carry at least the minimum liability insurance required by law from a company authorized in New Jersey.
The Lessee section is completed only when the car is leased for one year or more: the lessee's details, the date the lease was signed, its term in months and any cancellation. Then come 5 questions: will the car be a rental; will it be used commercially; is your registration privilege revoked or suspended in any state; the federal tax ID if it's registered under a trade or company name; and an agricultural certificate number. A note warns that a trade or company name change can't be made at an agency; call (609) 292-6500.
The fine print covers inspection. All passenger vehicles, all gasoline-powered commercial vehicles and diesel vehicles up to 8,500 lb are subject to inspection at a state or licensed private facility. Diesel vehicles of 8,501 to 17,999 lb GVWR fall under self-inspection rules, and diesels of 18,000 lb or more need an annual smoke opacity test. The owner or lessee signs, certifying the statements are correct; misstatements can cost you the registration or your driving privileges.
BA-49 at a Glance
What to bring, what it costs and the rules that trip people up, on one card.
From BA-49E (R10/25) and MVC's registration, title and fee pages, read on 28 October 2026.
Sales Tax After a Private Sale
New Jersey dealers collect sales tax from New Jersey residents, so MVC doesn't collect it again. A private seller doesn't collect it at all, so you pay it at the agency, based on the actual amount you paid. The rate has been 6.625% since January 1, 2018. If you need help with the arithmetic, MVC's page points to the Division of Taxation at 609-984-6206. The same applies to a car bought from an out-of-state dealer that isn't authorized to collect New Jersey tax: it's due when you title the car.
Worked through: a $12,000 private purchase of a car under 3,500 lb that's more than two years old comes to $795 sales tax, the $60 title fee and the $46.50 class 7 registration: $901.50 at the counter, plates included. New cars can also owe the Luxury and Fuel Inefficient Surcharge, an extra 0.4% of the gross sales or lease price when the car qualifies.
Extra paperwork MVC asks for
- From another state: a completed Application for Certificate of Ownership.
- Untitled auction car: the last registration, a notarized bill of sale and a tracing or photo of the VIN plate.
- From a non-title state: a VIN tracing or photo, the seller's notarized statement and the last registration.
- Business owner: an MVC Entity Identification Number (EIN), applied for on a BA-8 first.
Bought It Privately? Check the VIN First
MVC registers the car on the title in front of it. Enter the VIN for a free preview of the title brands, salvage records and odometer readings on file.
What Gets a BA-49 Rejected or Delayed
From the form and MVC's own pages.
Unreadable writing
The form says applications that aren't written clearly will be rejected.
No appointment
MVC's registration page: schedule first, no walk-ins.
No New Jersey insurance
Liability cover from a New Jersey-authorized insurer is required.
Someone else signing
Bring a power of attorney if the purchaser isn't the one signing.
Company name change
Can't be done at an agency; call (609) 292-6500.
Late title
MVC: title the car within 10 days of purchase or face a penalty fee.
Bought From a New Jersey Dealer vs. Privately
Who does the BA-49, and who pays the tax.
New Jersey dealer
- The dealer handles registration and title for you.
- Sales tax is collected by the dealer, not at the agency.
- A new car that's never been titled gets a four-year registration.
- Financed? The original title goes to the lienholder.
Private seller, auction or out of state
- You complete the BA-49 and book the appointment.
- You pay 6.625% sales tax at the agency on what you paid.
- Title fee $60, or $85 / $110 with liens.
- Extra documents for auction and out-of-state cars.
MVC's title page says to title the car within 10 days of purchase.
Related Checks and Guides
The other DMV form guides, and the New Jersey pages they connect to.
Where These Facts Come From
From the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and the Division of Taxation, read on 28 October 2026.
CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or the Division of Taxation. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.
BA-49 — Frequently Asked Questions
What New Jersey buyers ask most.
Where do I get a BA-49 form?+
MVC posts it as a PDF on nj.gov (the English version is BA-49E, R10/25). Print it, fill it in clearly, and bring it to your appointment.
Can I walk in to register a car in New Jersey?+
MVC's registration page says to schedule an appointment, with no walk-ins, and the BA-49 itself says to book online at telegov.njportal.com/njmvc before coming in.
Do I pay sales tax on a used car from a private seller in New Jersey?+
Yes, at the agency when you title it, on the actual amount you paid. The rate is 6.625%. On a $12,000 car that's $795.
How long do I have to title a car in New Jersey?+
MVC's title page says that if a dealer didn't title it for you, you must title the car within 10 days of purchase or face a penalty fee.
Does the BA-49 need to be notarized?+
The form has no notary section; the owner and any co-owner sign and date it. Notarized documents come in elsewhere: MVC asks for a notarized bill of sale for an untitled auction car and a notarized seller statement for a car from a state that doesn't issue titles.
What does an electric car cost to register in New Jersey?+
The regular fee for its class, plus the zero-emission vehicle fee: $250 a year from July 1, 2024, increasing $10 a year for 4 years. A new ZEV pays four years of the fee when it's first registered.
Run the VIN Before You Book the Appointment
Enter any 17-character VIN for a free preview. The full report lists title brands, NMVTIS junk and salvage records, insurance total-loss records, odometer readings, and auction records with the damage the auction recorded and its photos.
CarCheckerVIN is an independent vehicle-history service and is not affiliated with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. This guide summarizes MVC's form, registration, title and fee pages and the Division of Taxation's rate, and is not legal or tax advice. Records in our reports reflect what was reported to our data providers. Our reports do not include police or repair-shop accident entries.
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