Mississippi
Vehicle Resource Center
There are more than two million licensed drivers throughout Mississippi, and each of them is expected to follow all the laws, renew their registrations, and file all the required paperwork to own a vehicle legally. Mississippi is home to a great deal of vehicle-related rules and regulations, and they can be overwhelming without the proper knowledge or resources.
Ownership and Maintenance
In Mississippi, maintaining and legally owning a vehicle really means keeping the vehicle insured, renewing the registration, and keeping an updated driver's license. These regular tasks all come with special procedures that must be understood to meet the state's legal requirements.
There are no inspections required to own vehicles in Mississippi. That means vehicles legally do not have to undergo safety checks or emissions testing in the state.
Mississippi requires every vehicle to be protected by liability insurance to pay for any injuries or property damage that's caused during vehicle accidents. Mississippi is an at-fault state. Drivers are held responsible for the damages caused during accidents, and liability insurance helps to pay for those costs and reduces the risk of lawsuits.
Minimum Insurance Requirements
A vehicle owner can face legal trouble if the vehicle isn't covered by enough insurance. The vehicle is said to be properly covered when it meets the following minimum coverage requirements:
When the minimum coverage amounts listed above are met, the vehicle is said to be covered by insurance. Drivers using a covered vehicle cannot be ticketed for lack of insurance. A driver could still be sued to cover the costs of an accident if the accident is so bad that it exceeds the coverage limits of the insurance policy. This is one good reason for vehicle owners to invest in more generous insurance coverage limits for additional protection.
To learn more about the insurance requirements in Mississippi, see the government information page on the matter.
Each year, a vehicle's registration must be renewed in Mississippi. This is known as renewing the tags. Residents will receive a notice in the mail known as a tag renewal notice. When they receive that notice, they can use their county's website to renew online or travel to a Mississippi DMV to renew in person.
No matter how a person decides to renew, they can go through the renewal process quickly and easily. They only need the renewal notice, proof of identity, and pay to cover all the renewal fees. If the owner can supply all these things listed, they can effectively renew their vehicle's tag for another year.
Get data about the registration renewal process from the Lafayette County website.
Every four or eight years, Mississippi drivers must renew their driver's licenses to continue driving. Mississippi residents can renew their licenses online, at license renewal kiosks, or in person at a local DMV office. Either way, they go through a straightforward process that results in them refreshing their license to last for many more years.
Drivers must renew every other renewal in person to take a vision exam and update their license. To renew, they should present their identification and documents proving their residence, and they should pay the renewal fees. The process is easy to go through, but it is necessary to continue driving legally.
Getting a Real ID
Mississippi residents who want to board flights traveling around the United States or go inside government buildings must obtain a Real ID. This special license serves as a reliable proof of identity for individuals. Real IDs must be obtained in person the first time, and this driver's license requires strict proof of identity and residence documents and proof of Social Security number. Learn more about Real ID requirements at this government information page.
Driver's License Renewal
Renewing a driver's license costs $24.00 for a 4-year and $47.00 for an 8-year. See more license fees in this fee directory.
Registration Renewal
In Mississippi, there is a flat fee of $12.75 to renew passenger vehicle registration, and there is a sliding use tax cost that can be hundreds of dollars. The use tax is determined based on the original value of the vehicle and its age. This information can be obtained from the county tax collector's office.
Buying & Selling
When buying or selling a vehicle in Mississippi, there are specific actions that must be taken to keep things legal. The seller must complete a few quick actions to prove they sold the vehicle and to protect themselves. The buyer must go through even more steps to ensure they end up with a legally titled and registered vehicle. Knowing these steps helps prepare buyers and sellers for success.
Take off the Plates
Sellers should remove the vehicle's license plates before allowing the buyer to leave with the vehicle. The plates must be returned to the state or used on a different vehicle instead. By returning the license plates to the Mississippi Department of Revenue, the seller can get some of their registration fees back for the year.
Provide the Original Title
No knowledgeable buyer will purchase a vehicle that does not come with an original title. As the seller, it's essential to have the title and to make sure it's clear of any liens. If the title is lost, a copy can be obtained from the Mississippi Department of Revenue by filing a request for a Copy of Title and paying small fees.
Cancel the Vehicle Insurance
After selling the vehicle, it's a good idea to cancel the liability insurance coverage. The vehicle is owned by another individual now, and the seller no longer has to pay to insure it. Canceling insurance on the vehicle will save the seller money each month.
Research the Vehicle
Before purchasing a vehicle from a private seller, it's essential the buyer researches the vehicle. The best way to do this is by using Vehicle History Search or Vehicle VIN Check tools from GoodCar. These simple searches provide in-depth information about the vehicle. The search gives the vehicle's ownership history, accident history, open recall information, data about vehicle features and specifications, odometer statements, and more. All this data is useful in deciding whether a vehicle is a worthwhile purchase or not.
Obtain an Odometer Disclosure Statement
When purchasing a vehicle, the buyer must obtain an odometer disclosure statement from the seller. This document should be brought to the tax collector's office so that the vehicle can be registered.
Get the Original Title
No vehicle sale is official without the title. All buyers must demand the original title for a vehicle when making a purchase. That title should be filled out on the reverse, complete with a signature from the seller. The title will be used when registering the vehicle to prove it was purchased properly.
Title and Register the Vehicle
Buyers are required to register their vehicle within seven days of making a purchase. They must travel to the tax collector's office in their county and provide their identification, odometer disclosure, vehicle title, and other required documents to title and register the vehicle.
Registration and Title
Standard registration renewals cost $12.75.For first-time registrations, there is a $14.00 fee as well. Both of these costs are in addition to the use taxes that are required by every vehicle owner during registration. There is an additional $10.00 fee if a new title is completed.
Sales Tax
Mississippi charges a 5% sales tax on vehicle purchases. These taxes must be paid in addition to the usage tax that's charged for vehicles in the state.
Usage Tax
A usage tax fee is required to register the vehicle each year. This fee is based on the original value and age of the vehicle. It can be hundreds of dollars for a vehicle, but the fee changes depending on the vehicle's age and county.
Laws and Regulations
Drivers in Mississippi are expected to adhere to strict laws. Many of those laws are common knowledge, but there are some details that drivers don't know. See information about some of the most common laws drivers don't understand fully:
Wearing seat belts properly makes riding in a vehicle far safer. Mississippi has specific laws mandating that everyone wear seat belts while traveling. There is a $25 fine for anyone failing to wear a seat belt properly.
Children under the age of four must be sitting in a rear-facing or forward-facing car seat. These children should be restrained in a seat that's appropriate for their weight and height. Normally, children under 20 or 30 pounds are in rear-facing seats, while children a bit larger graduate to forward-facing car seats with a five-point harness.
Children aged four and older are required to at least be strapped into a booster seat with the seat belt adjusted properly over the chest of the child. Children are expected to remain in a booster seat until they reach the height of 4'9".
Get more details about Mississippi seat belt laws and car seat guidelines on this Mississippi seat belt law guide page.
Being caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in Mississippi leads to serious fines of between $250 and $1,000 for first-time offenders. A driver charged with a DUI also faces a license suspension and jail time. The severity of the punishment increases dramatically based on the circumstances of the incident and whether it was the first DUI or not.
When is it a DUI?
Drivers are considered to be driving under the influence when they have a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of 0.08% as adults, 0.02% as minors under 21, and 0.04% as commercial drivers. When caught exceeding this BAC limit, the driver is charged with a DUI.
Get more information about the Mississippi DUI regulations at this informational page provided by the Mississippi Bar.
Adding window tint to a vehicle in Mississippi helps protect it from intense sunlight while making it more private as well. There are some specific regulations governing what tint can be used on a vehicle.
According to state laws, any non-reflective tint is allowed above the AS-1 line on the windshield of a vehicle. The side windows on the front and first row of passenger seats must allow 28% of visible light to pass through, which is the same rule for the rear window of a vehicle. The side windows on the third row of a vehicle can have any type of non-reflective tint on them.
Mississippi maintains a Lemon law that helps cover consumers when they purchase vehicles with significant factory defects. The vehicles are only covered when they're for personal use, within their first year of use, and within the terms of the manufacturer's warranty. If those conditions are all met, the vehicle is protected against significant defects that drastically reduce the value of the vehicle or that make it dangerous to operate.
An Obligation to Repair
The manufacturer has an obligation to repair the vehicle if it suffers from a defect that's covered by the manufacturer's warranty. Once the owner informs the manufacturer of the problem, the manufacturer has four attempts to repair the issue. If the issue is not resolved within four repair attempts, or the vehicle is in garages for a cumulative total of 30 business days, it's a lemon and must be replaced or have the purchase price minus use refunded. The Mississippi Lemon law details are available in this information from the Better Business Bureau.
Compensation Minus Use
Once a vehicle is determined to be a lemon, the automaker is responsible for replacing the vehicle or refunding the purchase price of the vehicle minus a prorated amount for the use of the vehicle assessed at $0.20 per mile driven.
Useful Things to Know
Drivers can rely on these additional resources to help give them the knowledge they need to remain safe and to meet the state's requirements to legally own and operate vehicles:
Get the Mississippi Driver's Manual: Any driver preparing for the written license test or just looking for information about driving in the state can learn a great deal from the Mississippi Driver's Manual: Printable Mississippi Driver's Manual
Schedule Appoints with the Department of Public: Residents can schedule appointments with the Mississippi Department of Public online for many vehicle services: Schedule Appointments with the Mississippi DPS
See Local Driver Service Locations: Residents who need driver's license services can visit one of the service stations for help: Driver License Service Locations
See the Most Common Driver Service Fees: See all the latest fees associated with a driving license and the other driver services offered in Mississippi with this fee chart: Driver Services Fee Chart
EV Charging Stations: Electric vehicle owners should learn where the public charging stations are located so they have the ability to charge their vehicles while away from home: Mississippi EV Charging Station Search Tool
Mississippi Crash Trends: In 2021, Mississippi was deemed the most dangerous state to drive in due to a total of 697 fatal car accidents and approximately 26.2 deaths per 100,000 drivers. Motor vehicle fatalities increased by more than 18% between 2019 and 2022. Get a full understanding using Mississippi car crash statistics from GoodCar.
Get the Latest Mississippi Vehicle Information with GoodCar
Mississippi vehicle owners owe it to themselves to have the most up-to-date information about state laws, maintenance requirements, recalls, and more. Refer to this useful resource for residents looking for help and GoodCar's VIN and license plate lookup tools for help getting additional information about specific vehicles.