How to Transfer a Car Title

Thanks for reading, Myriam. The personalized California license plate belong to the plate owner and not the vehicle, so you should remove your personalized plate from the car when you sell it. When the new owner registers the car, they will receive new plates with the registration. Meanwhile, you can fill out a Special Interest License Plate Application (REG 17) form and indicate that you want to use the plate on another vehicle or hang onto it for future use.

Hi Josh. Thanks for reading. Where you buy the car doesn’t matter much — any taxes are paid to the state where you register the car. Here’s an Autotrader article about taxes when buying a car.

Hi Jeanne. Thanks for reading. You summed it up. You’ll transfer the title as soon as you take possession of the car in Nevada, add it to your insurance policy, and keep an accurate bill of sale. Within 10 days of getting back to California, you’ll need to complete an emissions inspection and the DMV paperwork needed to register the vehicle in California. The biggest obstacle might be the expense of all the fees DMV collects! As for the loan, preapproval shouldn’t be necessary because you know the specific car you’re buying. Instead, the challenge might be that some lenders make used car loans only for those from franchise dealerships and restrict private party purchases. Check with your local credit union when shopping for a loan.

Hi Theresa. Requirements vary by state. In general, you’ll file an affidavit attesting to the family relationship and complete ownership transfer forms. There might be fees involved, but most states waive taxes for transferring to immediate family members. The forms you need are likely available on the website of your state’s DMV or Secretary of State.

Thanks for reading, Susan. Your hunch is correct: You’ll need to take proceeds from selling your car (or use your savings) and pay off the loan. The lender will send you the vehicle’s clean title, and you’ll then sign it over to the person buying your car. The processing time varies depending on the lender, but you can expect it to take two weeks or a month. While you’re waiting for it, the bank can send you a letter saying that the loan is satisfied and also send a lien release to your DMV. Your credit union or bank handles these situations daily, and it will be able to explain the details and answer questions specific to your situation.

Thanks for reading, Jon. When you receive the buyer’s money, you need to sign the back of the car’s title. The seller will then sign the title and take it to the DMV in Utah to register the vehicle in their name. Remember to remove the license plates when the carrier picks up the car you sold.

Hi Thomas. Thanks for reading. Assuming that you kept your address current for the vehicle’s annual registration, you should use your current address when transferring the title.

Hi Steve. Thanks for reading. If you sold (or gifted) the car to your friend in Georgia, you will need to sign the title to officially transfer ownership to her.

Thanks for reading, Abby. It’s not easy to avoid paying a tax on vehicle, and unless you get an incredible deal from another state, it’s easier to buy your car from a local dealer. You pay tax where the car is registered. If the registration changes to another state, you’ll pay (or get a credit for) any difference in tax collected at the time of purchase. So, if you buy a car in a state that has a tax less than 7%, you’ll pay the difference when you switch to Indiana. If you buy in a state and pay 5% tax, you’ll pay Indiana 2% when you transfer registration. If you buy it in Montana, you’ll then need to pay the full 7% Indiana tax when you transfer. That money is an out-of-pocket expense for you. However, if you finance your car purchase in your home state of Indiana with an auto loan, you likely can include the sales tax and other fees in the loan amount instead of directly paying the BMV. Additionally, you should factor in the expense of driving or shipping the car from Montana to Indiana.

Thanks for reading, Lynne. Requirements vary by state, so be sure to check with your local motor vehicle office for what’s needed. It’s not likely that your boyfriend’s brother will need to have anything notarized. Assuming that there isn’t a lien on the car, your boyfriend’s brother should draft a bill of sale (even if it’s for $1) that includes the VIN and mileage, and sign the title over to your boyfriend. Meanwhile, your boyfriend will need to get insurance coverage for the car before it’s shipped. When it arrives in Florida, you’ll get a VIN check and maybe an emissions or safety inspection, and visit the motor vehicle office to register the vehicle.

Thanks for reading, Mark. Generally, a state’s probate court decides what happens to a person’s belongings when they die without a will. Every situation is different, and state laws vary, but the court will distribute the property based on its established intestate succession laws. Each state also has a procedure for transferring ownership from the deceased person to the inheritor, which involves more paperwork than a typical title transfer. Your state DMV can tell you what documentation is required to title a vehicle inherited or purchased from an estate.

Thanks for reading, Jack. Transferring a car’s title from Canada takes more legwork than a local sale or an interstate transfer, primarily because of U.S. Customs and Border Protection requirements. In very broad and general terms, here’s how to do it. First, you’ll need to be sure the vehicle meets U.S. DOT safety requirements and the EPA’s emission standards. Then, you’ll need start working on completing various forms declaring the vehicle meets that criteria. After those documents are reviewed and stamped, and you pay the necessary fees and taxes to cross the border. From there, you can visit your DMV with the documentation and additional title and registration forms the local agency requires.