Anyone planning to grab the upcoming 1,000-plus horsepower 2025 Corvette ZR1 and immediately flip it for profit needs to pump the brakes. General Motors confirmed it requires first owners to hold onto the supercar for a full year after buying it, putting rules in place to discourage quick resales.

When a customer takes delivery of their new ZR1, GM gives them a letter outlining this ownership retention policy. The rule is pretty straightforward: the original registered owner must keep the ZR1 for 12 months.

Selling or transferring the title before that year is up brings potential consequences from GM. Buyers of the high-demand Z06 and E-Ray models face a similar restriction, though their required holding period is six months.

GM makes the penalties clear for those who ignore the rule. The person who sells the car early risks GM blocking them from ordering future hot-ticket vehicles. For anyone considering buying a ZR1 that’s changed hands within that first year, GM states most of the factory warranty coverage will not transfer with the car.

Losing warranty protection significantly impacts the value and appeal of that second owner. Car world watchers, like YouTuber Rick Corvette Conti, pointed out that owners need care even with simple paperwork changes, like putting the car’s title under a business name soon after purchase, as this could potentially trigger GM’s system.

A past incident involving an Escalade-V owner briefly losing warranty after refinancing highlights this sensitivity, although GM eventually corrected that customer’s situation. GM explains this policy aims to slow down speculators who buy sought-after cars only to resell them instantly at huge markups, hoping it helps genuine enthusiasts get cars closer to MSRP.

This approach isn’t entirely new for GM’s hottest models. It’s worth noting, however, that this owner-focused rule doesn’t stop dealerships from adding their own significant markups over the sticker price.

The takeaway for prospective 2025 Corvette ZR1 buyers is simple: plan to be the owner for at least the first year. GM clearly wants to cool the flipping market for its new Halo car and puts warranty coverage and future buying privileges on the table as its enforcement tools.