Title Transfers

Registration Basics

When you either buy or pay off a car, you will go to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles to transfer the title. The DMV will take the old title, which the previous owner signed over to you during the sale, and issue you a new title in your name. This document is the official proof that you own the car, so you should keep it in a secure place―not in the vehicle itself.

The DMV issues Certificates of Title (MV-999) for cars, trucks, motorcycles, motorboats, travel or utility trailers weighing 1,000 pounds or more, and manufactured homes (mobile homes).

When you buy a new or used car from a dealer, the dealer will handle the paperwork and liaise with the DMV to issue the title; you don't need to lift a finger, and the registration and titling fees will be included in the transaction costs for the vehicle.

If you buy used from a private seller, however, you'll need to make sure the paperwork is handled correctly. Without proper proof of ownership, you won't be able to insure or register the car. Note that any lienholders (anyone you borrowed money from to buy the car) will also be listed on the title until the loan is paid off, at which point you may request a new, "clean" title from the DMV.

Title with Registration

So how do you obtain a title in the first place? In most cases, you'll receive a new title in your name automatically when you first register the vehicle. Follow the instructions on our Car Registration page for registering a newly purchased vehicle.

While you will receive your new registration and license plates on the spot when you apply at the local DMV office, the department won't issue the title right away. Instead, it will mail you the certificate after examining and verifying your proof of ownership documents; this can take several weeks.

Title Only

It's possible to conduct a "title only" transaction if you don't want to register the vehicle (for example, if you don't plan to use it for some time or if the vehicle is already registered in your name and you are buying out the lease).

You will have to pay the sales tax at a local DMV office if you haven't already paid it; bring your proof of ownership and proof of purchase price (such as Form DTF-802 (Statement of Transaction), which both the buyer and seller must complete). To apply for a title because of a lease buyout, take these documents, along with Form MV-82 (Vehicle Registration/Title Application), to a local DMV office.

To apply for a title only in all other cases, you must actually mail your documents to the DMV. Include the following:

• Form MV-82 (Vehicle Registration/Title Application)

• Proof of ownership (including any applicable lien release)

• Proof of sales tax payment (Form MV-50, Retail Certificate of Sale) or a receipt for sales tax payment (Form FS-6T)

• Form MV-103 (Odometer and Damage Disclosure Statement) for vehicles eight model years or newer

• A title fee of $50 (plus an additional $125 fee for a manufactured home) payable by check or money order to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.

Send these documents to:

• DMV Title Bureau

• NYS Department of Motor Vehicles

• TITLE ONLY

• 6 Empire State Plaza

• Albany, NY 12228-0322

Title Transfer

To transfer your title to a new owner when you sell your vehicle, first make sure the title certificate that you have isn't one that has already been signed over to you on the reverse side. If it has, you need to first apply for a title in your name from the DMV; only then can you transfer the title to a new owner by filling in the "Transfer by Owner" section on the reverse side.

Be very careful when filling out the transfer portion, and don't begin writing on it until you are actually finalizing the sales transaction. The DMV will reject any title that has cross-outs, erasures, or other errors or alterations on the "Transfer by Owner" section; similarly, do not write on the front of the certificate at all. If you need to make any corrections, such as to addresses, the title will be invalid and you'll have to apply for a duplicate title before you can proceed with the sale.

You'll notice an odometer disclosure statement on the reverse side of most titles. For vehicles 10 years old or newer, complete this statement; alternatively, you may use Form MV-103 for this. For vehicles eight years old or newer, also complete the damage disclosure statement that appears on title certificates issued since 1994. For older titles, complete Form MV-103.

Then, fill out the rest of the certificate: your name and address as the seller, the buyer's name and address, and the date of transfer. As soon as you sign the title, the vehicle will belong to the new owner.

Before doing any of this, you should remove both the license plates and the registration sticker from the vehicle and turn the plates in to the DMV (unless you transfer them to another vehicle). Otherwise, you may be liable for traffic or parking violations committed by the new owner.

Transferring a Title Following Death

According to New York law, a vehicle valued at $15,000 or less automatically transfers to the surviving spouse. He or she will be required to pay a $50 fee for an amended title certificate.

If the surviving spouse elects to give the vehicle to another person, he or she must complete an Affidavit for Transfer of Motor Vehicle and present the new owner with a copy of the death certificate.

If there is more than one vehicle or a vehicle valued at more than $15,000, a transfer must be made by an executor or an administrator of the estate. If you're the new owner, you'll need to submit:

• The transferred title certificate.

• Letters Testamentary and either Letters of Administration or a Voluntary Administrator's Affidavit (you can obtain all three from your county's surrogate court).

• A completed Vehicle Registration/Title Application.

• Proof of vehicle insurance.

• All applicable fees and taxes.

If there is no will, estate, surviving spouse, or surviving child under the age of 21, the next of kin holds the power to transfer. All surviving members of the immediate family will need to give their consent to the title transfer by signing a Transfer of Vehicle Registered in Name of Deceased Person form. This will also need to be notarized. In addition, the immediate family will need to provide a photocopy of the death certificate to the new owner.

Gift Transfers

Obtaining proof of ownership is imperative, starting with a bill of sale. On the bill, the giver must indicate that the title is being transferred as a gift and that the purchase price is $0.

Along with the original bill of sale, the recipient will also need to submit a completed sales tax form, making sure to mark the appropriate Gift box in Section D, Part II and the title itself.

The recipient should then mail these documents and all applicable fees to:

• DMV Title Bureau

• NYS Department of Motor Vehicles

• TITLE ONLY

• 6 Empire State Plaza

• Albany, NY 12228-0322

Changing Your Name on a Title

Complete a Vehicle Registration/Title Application form and drop it off in person at any DMV office. Be sure to bring the marriage certificate, divorce document, or court order certifying the name change. There is no charge.

Your new title will be mailed to you.

Deleting or Adding a Name on a Title

When it comes to adding a name to a title, you must jointly apply, in person, at any DMV office for a new title certificate by completing an aptly named Application for Title. Bring proper identification and check, cash, or credit card to pay the $50 fee.

To delete a name, the person exiting the title must sign off. The remaining owner must then bring the title to any DMV office along with proper identification and the $50 fee.

License and Age Requirements

You do not need a driver's license to hold the title to vehicle. To register it, however, you must be at least 16 years old.

TITLE TRANSFER LINKS

• Q&A About Your Certificate of Title
• Vehicle Registration/Title Application (Form MV-82)
• Instructions for Form MV-82
• Application for Duplicate Title
• Proofs of Ownership
• Statement of Transaction
• Odometer and Damage Disclosure Statement