Form BA-49 NJ Vehicle Registration: Sections, Fees, and Filing

Form BA-49 is the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission’s Application for Vehicle Registration. You use it to apply for an initial registration, transfer plates between vehicles, request a duplicate, change a registration code, or adjust a registered weight class.¹ Fill it out in advance, bring it to a scheduled MVC appointment with your supporting documents, and pay the registration fee at the counter.

Two situations do not need a BA-49 at all. If you bought the vehicle from a New Jersey dealership, the dealer handles the title and registration paperwork for you.² And if you are simply renewing, the Registration Renewal Notice the MVC mails you works as the application for online and mail renewals.³ The BA-49 is also not the form that gets a business its MVC identifier; that is Form BA-8, covered below.

What to Bring With Your Completed BA-49

Gather everything before your appointment. A missing document means rescheduling. For an initial registration of a vehicle bought from a private seller, an out-of-state dealer, or an auction, you need:²

The original vehicle title, signed over to you by the seller. If the vehicle is coming from another state, bring a completed Application for Certificate of Ownership (Form OS/SS-UTA) as well.
A valid New Jersey driver’s license or other ID meeting the state’s 6 Points of ID requirements.
Proof of insurance: a New Jersey insurance identification card (paper or electronic), or your insurance company name and policy number. The policy must include liability, personal injury protection, and uninsured motorist coverage from a company authorized in New Jersey.⁴
Lienholder name, address, and financing statement if the vehicle is financed or leased.
A power of attorney, if someone other than the purchaser is signing.
Your completed BA-49, printed from the MVC website and filled out before you arrive.

Filling Out the Form, Section by Section

The form warns at the top: “Please write clearly or your application will be rejected.” Use a black pen and print legibly throughout.⁵

Transaction Type

Check the box for why you are filing: Initial, Renewal, Duplicate, Transfer, Replacement Plates, Code Change, or Increase/Decrease in Registration Weight. Someone registering a newly purchased vehicle checks “Initial.” Moving plates from one vehicle to another is a “Transfer.”

Applicant Information

Enter the owner’s full legal name, street address with any apartment or unit number, phone number, city, state, zip code, and county. Add the owner’s New Jersey driver’s license number. A business uses its MVC-issued corpcode in that field instead. Fill in gender, eye color, and date of birth. If there is a co-owner, the same fields repeat for that person.

Vehicle Information

Enter the plate number if you already have one, the Vehicle Identification Number, your insurance company’s name, and your policy number. On an initial registration the plate number stays blank; the MVC assigns one at the agency.⁵

Lessee Information

Complete this section only if the vehicle is leased for one year or more. It asks for the lessee’s name, address, corpcode or driver’s license number, the date the lease was signed, and the term in months. If the lease has been canceled, note the cancellation date.

Specific Questions

Five questions determine how the MVC classifies your registration:

Rental use. Mark “Yes” if the vehicle will be used as a rental.
Commercial use. Mark “Yes” if the vehicle will transport persons or property for commercial purposes. Answering “Yes” opens the commercial fields at the bottom.
Suspended privileges. Disclose whether your registration privileges are revoked or suspended in any state, and if so, which state and the violation.
Trade or company name. If the vehicle is registered under a business name, enter the Federal Tax Identification Number.
Agricultural certificate. Enter your agricultural certificate number if applicable.

Commercial Registration Fields

If you marked commercial use, fill in the requested registration code, the requested registration weight, and the number of passengers the vehicle carries. The form also includes a certification that commercial applicants know and comply with the federal motor carrier safety regulations adopted in N.J.A.C. 13:60.⁵

Signature

The owner, or lessee, signs and dates the bottom. Both signatures are required if there is a co-owner. The signature certifies that all statements are correct; misstatements can result in suspension of registration or driving privileges.

Registering a Vehicle Under a Business Name

A business that wants to title and register vehicles in a company name needs an MVC-issued Entity Identification Number, historically called a corpcode, before using the BA-49. The corpcode goes in the “Owner’s NJ Driver License Number/Corpcode” field.⁵

You get the corpcode by filing a separate Form BA-8, not the BA-49. The MVC accepts BA-8 applications by email at MVCCorpcodes@mvc.nj.gov or by mail to NJ-MVC Business Licensing Services Bureau, PO Box 170, Trenton, NJ 08666.⁶ Supporting documents include proof of the federal EIN, a Certificate of Formation or Incorporation showing the business is authorized to operate in New Jersey, and, for sole proprietorships and partnerships, a Business Registration Certificate, Tax License from the New Jersey Division of Revenue, or proof of registration with the county clerk. Out-of-state applicants add a color photocopy of the authorized signatory’s driver’s license or photo ID along with a mailing address, fax number, and telephone number.

The business must already be registered with the New Jersey Division of Revenue before the MVC will issue a corpcode. Processing takes roughly five business days. You can check status after three business days by emailing MVCCorpcodes@mvc.nj.gov or calling (609) 292-6681. Approved businesses receive a 15-digit Entity Identification Number used on all future vehicle transactions.⁶

One limit worth knowing: trade or company name changes cannot be made at a motor vehicle agency. If the business name changes, call (609) 292-6500 for instructions on updating it through the Business Licensing Services Bureau.⁵

Fees to Bring to Your Appointment

Passenger vehicle registration fees in New Jersey depend on weight and model year:⁷

Under 3,500 lbs: $59.00 within two model years, $46.50 for older vehicles.
Over 3,500 lbs: $84.00 within two model years, $71.50 for older vehicles.
Motorcycles and autocycles: $65.
Registration transfer: $4.50, plus any prorated increase for a heavier weight class.
Title transfer: $60, or $85 if the vehicle has a lien.
Duplicate registration: $5.00.

Zero-emission vehicles pay an added annual fee that started at $250 in July 2024. A new zero-emission vehicle receiving a four-year registration owes all four years of that surcharge up front.²

Separately, New Jersey collects 6.625% sales tax on the purchase price of any new or used vehicle. The Division of Taxation must certify that the correct amount was paid before registration can be completed.⁸

Submitting the Form

Initial registrations have to be done in person at an MVC agency, and walk-ins are not accepted. Book an appointment through the MVC portal at telegov.njportal.com/njmvc before you go.⁵ Bring the completed BA-49, every supporting document from the checklist above, and payment for the registration fee and any sales tax owed.

A new vehicle that has never been titled receives a four-year registration. A leased vehicle receives a registration term matching the lease length.²

Inspection After Registration

The BA-49 spells out which vehicles have to be inspected. All passenger vehicles, all gasoline-powered commercial vehicles, and all diesel vehicles weighing 8,500 pounds or less must pass inspection at a state-authorized or licensed private inspection facility.⁵

Heavier diesel vehicles follow different rules. Diesels with a gross vehicle weight of 18,000 pounds or more need annual smoke opacity testing at a licensed diesel emission facility. Diesels between 8,501 and 17,999 pounds fall under self-inspection rules, and the person signing the BA-49 is certifying that the vehicle has been inspected and maintained as required. Commercial motor vehicles as defined in federal regulations also need an annual inspection under 49 CFR 396.17.

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New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. NJ MVC Forms
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New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Vehicle Registration
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New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Vehicle Registration Renewal
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New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Insurance Requirements
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New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Application for Vehicle Registration
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New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Titles for Business Vehicles (Entity Identification Number)
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New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Registration and Title Fees
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NJ Division of Taxation. Motor Vehicle Casual Sales Notices