Title Transfers

Transferring ownership of a motor vehicle from one person to another requires that both the seller and buyer complete the appropriate sections in the vehicle's certificate of title. Before the transfer can be completed, the seller must also complete the odometer certification portion of the title and furnish a notarized bill of sale. (Note that you don't have to have a driver's license to hold a title in Nebraska.)

If you are married, remember that spouses can't act as agents for each other during the title transfer process. If both of your names are on the title, you both need to sign the document. If the vehicle is registered in just your spouse's name, you can't sign on his or her behalf.

Once all parties have completed the necessary portions of the title, the buyer will need to take the document to the county official where the title was originally issued and pay a $10 fee to receive a new title.

Find further title application details provided by the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

If you need assistance transferring ownership of a motor vehicle, please call the DMV at (402) 471-3918.

Out-of-State Title Transfers

If you purchase a vehicle that has a title from another state, you need to obtain a Nebraska title before you'll be able to register your car.

Bring the following documents to your local county official:

• Proof of ownership (for instance, out-of-state title signed over to you, notarized bill of sale, or manufacturer's statement of origin)

• Completed Application for Certificate of Title

• $10 title fee

• Completed vehicle inspection report

• Security agreement (only if signed-over title indicates that a lien is open)

What Happens if I Lose My Certificate of Title?

If you have lost or damaged the title to the vehicle you are selling, you must submit an Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title to your local county official to request a replacement before you can sell the car. There is a $14 fee for this service.

You will also need to obtain a duplicate title if someone makes a mistake during the title transfer process. The Nebraska DMV is not authorized to accept titles with misplaced signatures or other factual errors.

Making Title Changes

Nebraska has different policies in effect for making various changes to a vehicle's title. Any time you transfer a vehicle's title, you must pay attention to any liens, too. Contact your clerk's office for details specific to your situation.

Add or Delete a Name

If you're adding or deleting a name on a vehicle's title, you'll need to:

• Sign your name as the seller if you're giving up ownership.

• Sign your name as the seller if you're adding a new owner.

Then, complete an application for a new title―including the new information―and submit it to your clerk's office.

Change Your Name

The process to change your name on your vehicle's title depends on the reason for a name change. Legal documents will be required (divorce decree, marriage license, or court order of name change). Take these, along with a completed application for a new title, to your clerk's office.

Gift

To transfer a vehicle's title when the vehicle is given as a gift, the giver simply needs to sign his or her name as the seller, while the recipient signs his or her name as the buyer.

Decedent Title Transfer

If you're transferring a title after the death of the original owner, the process you'll follow will depend on your situation. Nebraska provides the details online.

In any event, you'll need:

• A completed Affidavit for Transfer of Decedent's Motor Vehicle/ATV/Minibike/Motorboat

• The vehicle's title

• The deceased's death certificate (30 days must have passed since the date of death)