# Massachusetts dealer plates and the 20-day temporary registration, explained
> How Massachusetts dealers get a buyer driving the same day: the 20-day temporary registration, what it covers, and why dealer plates aren't for customers.
- Source: https://www.dealervlo.com/blog/ma-dealer-temporary-plates
- Published: 2026-06-22
- Updated: 2026-06-22
- Author: Chris Abouraad
- Tags: massachusetts, registration
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"Can I drive it home today?" Every customer asks it, and in Massachusetts the answer used to be awkward. It's better now — the RMV issues a real temporary registration — but there are four different paths depending on the buyer, and mixing them up means someone drives off illegally. Here's the map.
## The 20-day temporary registration (the normal path)
The MassRMV now lets dealers issue a **temporary registration valid for 20 days**. You print the temporary paper registration, the buyer puts it in a plastic sleeve on the back of the vehicle, and they drive off the lot the same day while the RMV mails the permanent metal plates to their home.
- **Fee: $20.**
- Issued by an **authorized dealer** through the RMV's Business-to-Business (B2B) services, or as a walk-in.
- Bridges the gap so a buyer with **no plates to transfer** can still leave legally.
This is the one that solves the old problem — a cash buyer who sold their last car (or never had one) can now drive home the day of the sale.
## The 7-day plate-transfer grace period (MA resident with existing plates)
If your buyer is a Massachusetts resident who **already has active plates** and has **lost possession of the old vehicle** (traded it to you or sold it), they get a **7-day grace period**: pull the old plates, put them on the new car, and drive — as long as they carry the transfer paperwork. The new registration gets filed within those 7 days.
The 7-day transfer only works when the customer no longer has the old car. If they're keeping both vehicles, the plates can't move — they need a new registration (and the 20-day temp gets them home in the meantime).
## The non-resident short-term registration (out-of-state buyer)
Selling to someone who'll register the car in another state? The RMV's **Non-Resident Short-Term Registration** gets them home: for a **$20 fee** you issue a **20-day temporary plate** so they can legally drive the vehicle back to their home state and register it there.
## Dealer plates are a different thing
Don't confuse any of the above with **dealer plates**. Dealer plates are issued by the RMV to your licensed dealership for **your** use — moving inventory, test drives, dealer errands — not for handing to a customer on a sale. A customer leaves on a temporary registration or transferred plates, never on your dealer plate.
## The desk cheat-sheet
| Buyer situation | What gets them home |
|---|---|
| MA buyer, no plates to transfer | 20-day temporary registration ($20) |
| MA buyer, has plates, sold/traded old car | 7-day plate transfer |
| Out-of-state buyer | Non-resident short-term registration ($20, 20 days) |
| You (moving inventory / test drives) | Dealer plates |
Get the customer registered at the point of sale and there's no awkward "leave it here overnight" conversation. The registration ties back to the [RMV-1](/guide/how-to-fill-out-rmv-1-massachusetts) and the rest of the [MA paperwork](/guide/massachusetts-used-car-dealer-paperwork-checklist) — handle them together and the car leaves clean.
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