How to Transfer a Certificate of Title

A certificate of title is an official document used to establish ownership over an automobile. Several reasons may exist to transfer a certificate of title, including the sale or gift of the automobile, inheritance, adding or deleting an owner and paying the automobile’s note in full. Each state has different specific requirements to transfer title registration. However, the process generally involves going through the state’s department of motor vehicles.

Things You'll Need

• Certificate of title
• Signatures of previous and new owner
• Any department of motor vehicle fees and forms
• Supporting documentation

Instructions

Transferring Title

1. Obtain the necessary forms. Consult your local department of motor vehicles to ascertain which forms and supporting documentation are necessary to transfer the certificate of title from the previous owner to the new owner.

2. Fill out the forms and obtain supporting documentation. Most department of motor vehicles forms will require, among other things, the names and addresses of previous and new owners, the vehicle identification number, information regarding any liens on the vehicle, as well as any tax documents or other personal information.

3. Bring the certificate of title, forms and any fee to the department of motor vehicles. Once you have all the forms completed and have obtained the appropriate supporting documents, bring these materials to your local department of motor vehicles for processing.

Tips & Warnings

• Other supporting documentation necessary to transfer the certificate of title may be a vehicle inspection, an odometer disclosure and forms dealing with environmental regulations. Also, remember to hang on to your license plate because you can usually transfer that to your next vehicle.

• If you are selling your vehicle or inheriting a vehicle, you may have to declare the proceeds on your state or federal taxes. Consult a qualified accountant or tax specialist to ascertain whether the transaction imposes any tax liabilities on you.

References

• California Department of Motor Vehicles: How to Change Vehicle Ownership
• Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles: FAQs on Getting a Hassle Free Title
• New York Department of Motor Vehicles: Vehicle Registration and Certificate of Title

Resources

• The Unofficial DMV Guide