How old do you have to be to buy a car?

How old do you have to be to buy a car? Buying a vehicle involves a lot of paperwork. In general, there is not a legal age to own a car. However, if you want to register, title, and insure it to drive it legally, you need to be at least 18 years old in most states. Laws vary by state, teens under 18 will most likely need the help of an adult to get a car they buy out on the road. Financing A contract that a minor has signed may be void or voidable, depending on the state. If you're under 18, even if you don't need to finance your purchase, you may have trouble getting your car on the road. Title & Registration States require vehicle owners to register their vehicles before driving them. In most states, you need to be at least 18 to register a car. You must be at least 18 to list your name as the vehicle's owner on the title in most states. If you're under 18, you typically must put the car's title in an adult's name and have the adult list you as a driver on the vehicle. When you reach your state's maturity age — usually 18 — you can legally transfer the car title to your name. Insurance You must have auto insurance to drive legally in almost every state in the country. Since an insurance policy is a legally binding contract, you may need to be a certain minimum age to purchase auto insurance, depending on the state and insurance company. Your parents or guardians can add you to their policy until you reach the minimum age requirement, so you can drive legally.