(Arizona) Bought a car with financing, do I take it to DMV/DOT?
Based on your description of what you were given, then you should not need to contact DMV/DOT However if you are not comfortable with that answer then contact/visit the dealer, you can ask them how long it normally takes, and do you pick up the real plates at the dealer, DMV, or will they be mailed to you. Also call them if the temporary plates will run out in a few days, to make sure everything is good to go. One other note. If the dealer is in one state, and you live in another they can give you temporary plate for their state but may not be able to file for the real plates in your state. Once everything is finalized go online to DMV and make sure that the car registration is OK. A few years ago the dealer gave me real plates, they gave me a registration good for two years. But the info sent to DMV was corrupted: the VIN was in the system, but the description was wrong and the plates were listed as none. This was only noticed when I tried to re-register the car two years later. In fact according to DMV the plates on the car were listed as never issued. If I had ever been pulled over it would have taken hours to resolve. No you dont need to take your car to DMV, They will send you the number plate and registration sticker to your home address.  Dealer would have already charged you for that, he will send all the information to DMV and the temporary plate is also created through DMV only.
"If your spouse wishes to buy a car and finance it with a car loan, they are free to do so. Once they have bought a car, they are free to let you use it. However, if you are the owner of the car, the loan is going to have to be in your name. Your spouse can't get a loan backed by an asset they don't own. They could get a personal loan and then give the money to you, but the interest rates would likely be rather high. Also, even if you aren't on any of the paperwork, you being married likely will affect the situation. It will depend on what state you're in. If you want to go that route, one of the best ways to find out is to simply have your spouse ask the people that would be providing the loan ""Can I finance this separate from my spouse, or will they be included in the credit evaluation?""" "What is your biggest wealth building tool?  Income.  If you ""nerf"" your income with payments to banks, cable, credit card debt, car payments, and lattes then you are naturally handicapping your wealth building.  It is sort of like trying to drive home a nail holding a hammer right underneath the head.   Normal is broke, don't be normal. Normal obtains student loans while getting an education.  You don't have to.  You can work part time, or even full time and get a degree. As an example, here is one way to do it in Florida.  Get a job working fast food and get your associates degree using a community college that are cheap.  Then apply for the state troopers.  Go away for about 5 months, earning an income the whole time.  You automatically graduate with a job that pays for state schools.  Take the next three years (or more if you want an advanced degree) to get your bachelors.  Then start your desirable career. What is better to have ""wasted"" approx 1.5 years being a state trooper, or to have a student loan payment for 20 years?  There is not even pressure to obtain employment right after graduation.  BTW, I know someone who is doing exactly what I outlined. Every commercial you watch is geared toward getting you to sign on the line that is dotted, often going into debt to do so.  Car commercials will tell you that you are a bad mom or not a real man if you don't drive the 2015 whatever.   Think differently, throw out your numbers and shoot for zero debt. EDIT:  OP, I have a MS in Comp Sci, and started one in finance.  My wife also has a masters.  We had debt.  We paid that crap off.  Work like a fiend and do the same.  My wife's was significant.  She planned on having her employer pay it off for each year she worked there.  (Like 20% each year or something.)  Guess what, that did not work out!  She went to work somewhere else!  Live like you are still in college and use all that extra money to get rid of your debt.  Student loans are consumer debt." Cash is very effective at getting a discount when buying from individuals (craigslist, garage sales, estate sales, flea markets, etc.).   I'll make an offer, then thumb through the cash while they consider it.   There eyes will dart back and forth between my eyes and the cash as they decide whether to take my offer. Car dealers do seem to be very unique.   The dealer I bought at recently said that 70% of their deals were cash purchases, JoeTaxpayer's dealer said 1% were cash purchases.   I've had good luck negotiating with cash for well-loved cars (under $10K) from both individuals or used dealers. I'm also looking for carpet for my house and the first vendor I went to offered at 5% discount if I paid up front (no financing). I'd suggest buying a used car for cash, car loans are a bad idea. I bought my last car a few years ago for $8k off of craigslist, and it is still running great. Make sure you get a car checked out by a mechanic before buying (usually they'll drop it off at a mechanic you want to have take a look, or perhaps just go with you). My general rule is to not take out loans for anything which decreases in value. So a home mortgage would be fine, a car loan is not a great plan. Buy cash, and save for the next purchase. If you buy a decent used Corolla (or other small import car), you can get it for $8k, it will likely last a few years at least. That could end up costing you less than $200 per month total, or less. Much better deal in the long run. My grandmother passed away earlier this year. When I got my car 3 years ago, I did not have good enough credit to do it on my own or have her as a co-signer. We had arranged so that my grandmother was buying the car and I was co-signing.  A similar situation was happening and I went to my bank and took out a re-finance loan prior to her passing. I explained to them that my grandmother was sick and on her death bed. They never once requested a power of attorney or required her signature. I am now the sole owner of the vehicle. Never buy a new car if cost is an issue. A big chunk of the price will disappear to depreciation as you drive it off the lot. If you want a shiny new car with the latest equipment (and if you can afford it!), buy a lightly-used car. Normally I would recommend a 1-3 year old car. 95% of the value, with a big cost savings. But this depends on your financial situation. Given that you just need a commuter car for mostly highway driving, in a place where the weather is easier on cars, you could be fine with a 5-6 year old import. Camry's, Accords, Civics, etc are all well-built, reliable, and affordable due to their numbers. As for financing, shop around. Don't blindly use dealer financing. Check with banks and especially local credit unions and see what rate they can offer you. Then, when you are ready to go, get pre-approved (this is when they pull your credit) and get the car. "I was in a similar situation about a year ago, and the expedient thing to do would be to remove your grandfather from the Title.  He would probably have to agree with this, but I think he will if you approach it correctly. In my case, I was the cosigner for my son's car loan and was told by the dealer that I ""had to be on the title"".  This is not true as far as Virginia is concerned (Illinois may be different).  I know this because when my son dropped his auto insurance I got the fine for having an uninsured vehicle and was told during the hearing that the dealer was mistaken. It all worked out in the end, but all we had to do was go down to the DMV and get my name taken off of the title. I'm sure if you approach it this way - you do not want him to be responsible for things that you do (who would get sued if you caused an accident?) he would agree to have his name removed from the title." In the U.S., most car dealers provide lease financing through one company (usually a subsidiary of the auto manufacturer). Whereas they provide loan financing through a variety of companies, some of whom offer very high interest rate loans and sell the loans as collateralized debt obligations (CDOs). Have you checked whether Chase or First Tech Credit Union offers a suitable car lease?