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How Old Do You Have to Be to Buy a Car?
Even if you can buy a car, you will need to be 18 to own it legally in most states.
Shannon Bradley Lead Writer | Personal finance, car buying, loans
Shannon Bradley covers auto loans for NerdWallet. While attending college to earn a journalism degree, Shannon completed an internship that led not to the newsroom, but to a bank marketing department. She spent the next 30-plus years as a writer and content manager in the financial services industry, creating educational content that covered a wide range of personal and business financial topics. After being a NerdWallet reader for many years, Shannon welcomed the opportunity to become a NerdWallet writer and help more people with financial decision-making. Shannon is based in Newburgh, Indiana.
Julie Myhre-Nunes Assistant Assigning Editor | Auto loans, consumer credit
Julie Myhre-Nunes is an assistant assigning editor at NerdWallet. She has been working in the personal finance space for more than 10 years. Before joining NerdWallet, Julie oversaw editorial teams at NextAdvisor, Red Ventures and Quote.com. Her personal finance insight has been featured on Forbes, The Boston Globe and CNBC throughout the years. Julie’s writing has been published by USA Today, Business Insider and Wired Insights, among others. Email: [email protected].
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
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Most states have no age requirement for buying a vehicle, but you will need to be at least 18 to register, title and insure it in most states. Also, you cannot get an auto loan if you are under 18.
If you aren’t 18 yet, you will most likely need the help of an adult to buy and insure a car. That’s because many transactions related to buying and driving a car require signing a contract. Businesses — such as car dealers, banks and insurance companies — are reluctant to enter into a contract with someone under 18, because minors can’t be held to the terms of the contract.
Here are some of the difficulties you will face if trying to buy a car before you turn 18.
Buying a car when you’re under 18
Buying a car from a dealership requires signing a sales contract, which isn’t legally binding in most states if you’re a minor. For that reason, you will most likely need an adult to sign a contract to buy from a dealership.
You may be able to purchase a car from a private seller, but even then, you will need an adult's help to register, title and insure the car.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
Since an auto loan is a legal contract between a borrower and lender, the majority of lenders will not make an auto loan to anyone under 18. The few that will require an adult to co-sign. Co-signers are responsible for paying a loan if the borrower fails to pay it back.
If you’re under 18, you can pay cash to buy a vehicle, but you will usually face additional roadblocks with registering, titling and insuring the car.
Registering and titling a car before you turn 18
All states require that vehicle owners register and title the vehicle before driving it. In most states, you need to be 18 to register a car.
To be listed as the car’s owner on the title, you must also be 18 in most states. Your only option may be to put the car’s title in an adult’s name and have that person transfer the title to your name when you reach your state’s legal age.
The age for registering and titling a vehicle is 18 in nearly all states, but there are some exceptions — like Texas — so check with the department of motor vehicles in your state.
Getting car insurance when you’re a minor
Car insurance coverage is mandatory for you to get behind the wheel legally in nearly every state. And since an insurance policy is considered a legal contract, you will most likely need to be a certain age to purchase insurance. The required minimum age varies by state and insurance company.
Again, a solution is to have your parents or legal guardians add you to their car insurance policy until you reach the minimum age to get your own insurance. As a plus, remaining on a parent’s or guardian’s insurance policy as long as possible can be cheaper than paying for insurance premiums on your own policy.
Emancipated minors are individuals who are legally responsible for themselves prior to reaching what is called the age of majority (typically 18). The most common ways a minor becomes emancipated include:
Enlisting in the military (which requires a parent’s consent).
Getting married (which requires a parent’s consent in most states).
Receiving a court order to be emancipated.
Emancipated minors can be legally held to a contract, so they can buy a car, get a loan and buy insurance in their own name. They can also register and title a vehicle in their name.