How to Transfer a Car

Among the many things that you must do when purchasing or selling a vehicle, transferring the car’s title is one of the easiest if you know what you are doing. Most of the time involved is in the process centers where the paperwork that must be completed, as well as the necessary legwork required turning said paperwork over to the proper officials. About the only time that you can avoid the work involved in transferring ownership title is when you purchase a new vehicle. Purchasing a new car from the car dealership usually results in either the dealer or the lending institution taking care of the transfer process for you. In every other case, it will be up to you to fill out the requisite documents and wait in line at the local Department of Motor Vehicles to get them on file.

What you need

To transfer title on a vehicle, there are certain things that you will need to bring with you to the DMV. Though these items differ depending upon the state in which you live, there are some that are common in all states. These include the paperwork documenting the sale of the car – which must include the actual purchase price, evidence of the vehicle’s transfer, the current mileage reading of the car, and the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number – usually located somewhere on the sales bill). In addition, you should bring a couple of forms of identification to prove who you are, and confirmation that you have acquired insurance for the car.

The process

When you purchase a car from another person, it is his or her responsibility to assign the title to you. This is a simple matter of signing where indicated on the reverse side of the title document. The buyer – in this case, you – then takes the newly signed title document to the appropriate office so that the state governing officials can properly register the paperwork and acknowledge the lawful transfer of the vehicle. You may or may not also be required to fill out a separate form at that time. Any fees or charges owed in association with the title transfer must be paid at this time, and the officials will then issue a new title document that contains your name as the owner of the vehicle.

Registration

Be aware that you will also be required to register the vehicle, and that this can usually be done during the same visit in which you transfer the title. Again, there may be fees associated with this registration that must be taken care of at that time. In the event that your state’s DMV does not handle the registration process, it will be handled by another agency – often the county treasurer or records administrator.

You can be prepared prior to going to the DMV by going online to download any forms that you may need to fill out for transfer and registration. Having these forms filled out in advance can often shorten the amount of time that the transfer process requires - by as much as half in some instances. When complete, you will be the officially recognized new owner of your purchased vehicle.

Photo Credits: Mr.Thomas

This post involves:

car dealership, department of motor vehicles, dmv, paperwork, purchasing a new car, title document, vehicle identification number, vin vehicle identification number

... and focuses on:

Buying and Selling, Car Tips

Posted by How To Car on January 29, 2012 in Buying and Selling, Car Tips. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.