What do you need to buy a car from a buy here pay here lot?

Six things, and having all six with you is usually the difference between driving home today and making a second trip.

A valid driver's licence. Proof of income for the last thirty days — pay stubs, or bank statements if you're paid in cash or self-employed. Proof of where you live, which means something with your name and address on it: a utility bill, a lease, a piece of mail. References, normally four to eight names and working phone numbers of people who don't live with you. Your down payment, in whatever form the lot takes. And proof of insurance, or a plan to get it before you drive off.

Insurance is the one that catches people out most often. The lot holds the title until you've paid, so it will require full coverage rather than liability, and it wants to see it before the car leaves. You can usually arrange it on your phone in the office, but knowing that in advance beats finding out at the desk.

Two things people expect to need and often don't: a credit score above anything in particular, and a co-signer. Neither is typically required. Time at your current job matters far more than either — being brand new somewhere is the most common reason an application gets turned down.