Delivery day for a new Tesla is not just about picking up the keys. Most of the required paperwork has to be finished before you ever arrive, through tasks in the Tesla app. According to Tesla’s support page on taking delivery, you submit your insurance details, final payment, and other required documents in the app ahead of your appointment, and vehicle availability timing depends on completing those tasks on schedule.
Proof of insurance comes first
You cannot take delivery without active auto insurance. Tesla’s support page states that you need insurance coverage before you can take delivery of your vehicle. Once your car is assigned a VIN, the app prompts you to upload proof of insurance. You can buy a policy through Tesla Insurance where it’s offered, or use coverage from any other carrier. Tesla does not require its own insurance product, only that a valid policy is active by delivery day. If you buy through the app, your insurance card and policy documents show up there once the coverage starts.
Bring a valid driver’s license
A current driver’s license is required both to get an insurance quote in the app and to complete the paperwork at delivery. Tesla’s delivery day support page lists a driver’s license, along with final payment and proof of auto insurance, as items you need at the appointment itself.
Financing paperwork depends on how you’re paying
If you finance or lease directly through Tesla, you e-sign the loan or lease agreement in the app before your appointment. If you arranged your own financing through an outside bank or credit union, Tesla generates a Motor Vehicle Purchase Agreement, or MVPA, in the app that most lenders ask for. According to Tesla’s delivery requirements page, delivery cannot take place until the full loan funding arrives, so getting your lender’s paperwork moving early matters more than almost anything else on this list.
Trade-in paperwork: title and payoff
If you’re trading in a vehicle, plan to hand over the title at your delivery appointment, along with the lien release if you still had a loan on that car. Tesla’s trade-in support page states that every owner listed on the trade-in vehicle’s title or registration must be present to sign the trade-in paperwork. If you still owe money on the trade-in, do not pay off the loan yourself before delivery. Tesla calculates the loan payoff amount and applies any remaining equity to your purchase agreement, and settling it on your own first can slow the process down instead of speeding it up. Buyers in Iowa, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Texas are mailed trade-in documents that must be signed and returned before the delivery date, rather than handled at the appointment.
Watch the app for your appointment and task list
Tesla notifies you in the app once your vehicle is ready so you can schedule a delivery appointment. The same app tracks a running list of pre-delivery tasks, covering insurance, payment, trade-in details, and registration confirmation, and each one needs to be marked complete before your appointment is considered finalized. It helps to check the app every few days as your delivery date gets closer, since new items, including the MVPA for outside financing, can appear as your car gets closer to the delivery location.
What happens if you show up without something ready
Tesla treats these tasks as prerequisites, not suggestions. If you arranged your own financing and the funds have not arrived in full, delivery cannot happen that day. If your insurance does not meet the minimum requirements, or your trade-in title and lien release are not in hand, expect your appointment to be rescheduled instead of completed on the spot. The more reliable approach is to finish every task in the app, insurance, payment, and any signed documents, several days before your scheduled date, so delivery day itself is just about inspecting and picking up the car.
Photo by Gustavo Fring.