Title Transfers

When and Where to Transfer a Title

A title transfer must take place within 10 days if you:

• Bought, sold, inherited, or were given a vehicle

• Paid off the vehicle loan

• Add or remove someone from the title

• Need to correct a misspelled name

You must do title transfers at the DMV office. Make an appointment for fast service.

Titling a New Car

The dealer will take care of new car title transfers.

Titling a Used Car

Buyers

The DMV demonstrates how to sign a title over.

1. Have the seller (and lienholder, if applicable) sign the Certificate of Title over to you. If the seller has lost it, you'll have to fill out a Request for Duplicate Title form.
2. Fill out your information on the back.
3. Write your car's odometer reading (mileage) in the space provided on the title.
4. Make an appointment at the DMV for registration and title change.
5. Bring the smog certificate (if applicable).

Sellers

Sellers must file a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability form with the DMV within five days. This protects you from liability, in case your buyer gets a ticket before registering the car.

Fees

• Title transfer fee: $15

• Duplicate title certificate fee: $17 (if your title is lost or destroyed).

• Corrections: Free

Name Corrections

1. Write the corrected name under "New Registered Owner" on your title.
2. Complete a Statement of Facts in the "Name Statement" section. Indicate the reason for the change and sign the form.

Fee: Free

Deleting or Adding a Name

To delete a name, both parties need to sign if the title says “and” between the names. If it says “or,” only one person needs to sign.

To include an additional name on a title, have that person complete the appropriate section on the back of the title.

Fee: $15

Removing a Lien

After you pay off your car loan, remove the lienholder from the title. Either:

• The lienholder signs off on the proper line on the title.

• Or, the lienholder completes a Lien Satisfied/Title Holder Release form.

Usually, the lienholder does this automatically.

Gift Transfers

1. Get a valid smog certificate (no older than 90 days) from the previous owner.
2. Complete a Statement of Facts (including the vehicle's current market value); don't forget to fill out the Statement of Use Tax Exemption section.

If the previous owner had renewed the registration and submitted proof of smog certification to the DMV within 90 days of giving you the car, no proof is required again―but you or the previous owner must sign a statement saying that the certification is on record with the DMV.

Transferring Between Family Members

The use tax and smog test requirement are waived between immediate family members (including grandparents and grandchildren, but not adult siblings). You need:

1. Certificate of Title.
2. Statement of Facts.
3. Odometer reading if the car is less than 10 years old.

Fill out the owner transfer just as if you sold it. Fee: $15

Transferring to a Rightful Heir

40 days after someone passes away, a rightful heir can claim a vehicle. You need:

1. A California Certificate of Title―signed by the heir with the deceased owner's name, and countersigned by the heir on line1.
2. An Affidavit for Transfer Without Probate.
3. Odometer Disclosure Statement.
4. The transfer fee.

An additional transfer fee will be due if the vehicle is to be registered to other than the heir.