Can i purchase a new car in Texas and register the plates in Illinois?

Question

I would just use my parents address back home in IL but it would be driven primarily in texas.

Answer 1

Nope, that would be fraudulent.  The car has to be registered and insured to the address it "lives" at.  The exception is, if you are a full-time student, maintaining permanent residence in Illinois, you can get a student waiver.  Since you have not mentioned going to Texas A&M, I assume you are not a student.

Answer 2

I sell cars in St Louis, MO and sell to people in Ill. all the time.  But you are crossing a fine line with living in Texas and reg. a car in another state.  There are loopholes to the law that would allow you to do this, one would be that you have to have a Ill. drivers license and you must maintain a residence in Ill.  You also have to be a student in some states.  The best thing you can do is call the dmv in Texas and give them the sceniro and see what they say about it.  If Texas feels that you are ducking paying taxes on it, they can hammer you.  But you will also have to pay taxes on it in Ill.  if you reg. your car there.   Some states give you up to 60 days when you move to another state to surrender your drivers license and your car tags, and have you reg. in the state you live in.  So make sure you check with Texas before you make any decissions.