Title Transfers in Alaska

How to Transfer a Title in Alaska
  1. Seller & buyer sign title.
  2. Complete an Application for Title & Registration (Form V1).
  3. Bring title and $15 title transfer fee to the DMV.
  4. Continue reading below for complete instructions.

In Alaska, you have 30 days from the purchase (or receipt) of your vehicle to complete the auto title transfer to your name. Continue reading below to learn about DMV title transfer in Alaska.

New to Alaska?

If you're new to Alaska and you're bringing a vehicle from your previous state, you have 10 days to register it with the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Contact the Alaska DMV for information about transferring your out-of-state vehicle title to the state.

NOTE: If you have a lien on your title in your previous state, you will be issued an Alaska registration only. You'll be asked to provide the registration or a photocopy of the vehicle title.

Buying or Selling a Vehicle

The process for a car title transfer in AK differs depending on whether you're the buyer or seller of the vehicle.

Buying a Vehicle

New Cars

Alaska DMV title transfers are simple when you buy a new car from a dealer because the dealer typically takes care of the paperwork for you.

Used Cars

To complete a vehicle title transfer in Alaska after purchasing a used car, follow these steps:

  1. Have the seller:
    • Sign and date the title.
    • Record the vehicle mileage, if the vehicle is less than 10 years old.
    • Complete the Notice of Vehicle Sale for Transfer at the bottom of the title and detach it.
    • Remove any specialty or personalized license plates.
  2. Sign and date the title.
  3. Take the signed title and a completed Application for Title & Registration (Form V1) to the Alaska DMV office.
  4. Pay the title transfer fee of $15.

NOTE: If you live in a remote area of Alaska and do not have a DMV office within 50 miles, you can mail your paperwork and payment for fees to:

State of Alaska
Division of Motor Vehicles
4001 Ingra Street, Suite 101
Anchorage, AK 99503

Expect a maximum of 4 weeks for auto title transfer processing and mailing.

Selling a Vehicle

NOTE: Providing the vehicle's past history of maintenance and repairs can help you find a buyer faster. Order a vehicle history report (VHR) to provide to potential buyers and help validate your asking price.

Once you've found a willing buyer, follow the steps below to complete an Alaska auto title transfer:

  • Sign and date the title. If the vehicle is younger than 10 years old, record the mileage on the title.
  • Notify the AK DMV that you have sold the vehicle either:
    State of Alaska
    Division of Motor Vehicles
    ATTN: Mailouts
    4001 Ingra Street, Suite 101
    Anchorage, AK 99503
  • Give the signed title to the buyer.
  • Provide the seller with a bill of sale (optional).
  • Remove any specialized or personalized license plates from the vehicle.

NOTE: You cannot sell a vehicle if you don't have a title that is free of liens.

The buyer will be responsible for registering the vehicle in their name and completing the vehicle title transfer with the Alaska DMV.

Gifting, Donating, or Inheriting a Vehicle

Gifting a Vehicle

If you receive a vehicle as a gift, complete a car title transfer to your name by following these steps:

  1. Have the current registered owner sign and date the title and enter the current mileage.
  2. Sign and date the title.
  3. Complete and sign an Application for Title & Registration (Form V1).
  4. If the vehicle has specialty or personalized license plates, have the registered owner remove them from the car.
  5. Take the signed title, application form, and title transfer fee of $15 to your local Alaska DMV office.

NOTE: If you are the person gifting the vehicle, you must notify the Alaska DMV of the transfer either:

Donating a Vehicle

If you're thinking about donating your car to a charitable organization, you have literally thousands of options. Know what you're doing before you make any commitments.

Find out more about the process in our section on Donating a Car.

Inheriting a Vehicle

If you are an heir of a deceased person, choose one of the following options to complete a car title transfer:

  • Wait for the completion of the probate process, during which an executor will be responsible for distributing assets, including vehicles .
    OR
  • Submit a claim to bypass the above process (see below).
    • You must wait 30 days from the date of death.
    • You can submit the claim only if the entire estate―after expenses and debt satisfaction―is worth no more than $150,000.
    • You must be the next of kin or legal heir.

The probate process can be highly detailed. For more explicit information, please refer the to Alaska DMV website.

Bypass the Probate Process

If you decide to submit a claim and bypass the probate process, complete the DMV title transfer into your name by:

  1. Signing, dating, and entering the vehicle mileage on the title (as the successor of the estate).
  2. Signing and dating the title in the buyer's section.
  3. Completing and signing an Affidavit for an Estate with Assets of $150,000 or Less (Form 827).
  4. Completing an Application for Title & Registration (Form V1).
  5. Removing any specialty or personalized license plates from the vehicle.
  6. Taking the plates, signed title, affidavit(s), and application to an Alaska DMV office.
  7. Paying a $15 title transfer fee.

Title Transfer Fees in AK

The Alaska DMV charges the following fees for auto title transfers:

  • $15 for:
    • Title transfers.
    • Duplicate titles.
    • Name/address changes.
    • Adding/deleting names.
  • $15 ADDITIONAL fee if there is a lien on your vehicle.

Alaska Military Members and Titling

If you're an active-duty member of the military, you may be exempt from some of the standard titling requirements in Alaska. For more information about car title transfer exemptions, please refer to our Drivers in the Military section.

Changing AK Title Information

If you've changed your name or the owners of the vehicle have changed, you will need to update your vehicle title.

Changing Your Name

To change your name on your vehicle title, follow these steps:

  1. Sign the existing title with your previous name in the seller's section. You don't need to record mileage for this transaction.
  2. Sign the title with your new name in the buyer's section.
  3. Complete and sign an Application for Title & Registration (Form V1).
    • In the Affidavit section of the application, write “Name change only, due to [reason]" and list the reason for the name change.
  4. Take the signed title and application form to your local Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office.
  5. Pay a $15 title fee. An additional $15 fee will be added if there is a lienholder.

Deleting a Name

If the title says “AND" between the owners' names, everyone listed must sign the title as sellers.

To keep your name on the title, sign and date the document as buyer.

Take the following to your local AK DMV office to delete a name from the title:

  • A completed Application for Title & Registration (Form V1).
  • The signed title certificate.
  • Payment for the $15 title fee.
    • You will need to pay an additional $15 fee if there is a lien on the vehicle.

Adding a Name

To add a name to your vehicle title, visit your local Alaska DMV office and submit:

  • The certificate of title:
    • Sign and date the title as the seller and record the mileage.
    • Both you and the person whose name you're adding must sign the title as buyers.
  • A completed and signed Application for Title & Registration (Form V1).
  • Payment for the $15 title fee.

Obtain a Duplicate Title in AK

If you've lost or misplaced your vehicle title you can apply for a duplicate title either in person at an Alaska DMV office or by mail. For more information, please refer to our Replacing a Lost AK Title page.

Forms

827
Affidavit for an Estate with Assets of 150000 or Less
Use this AK DMV form when transferring the title of a vehicle into your name if you are the successor to an estate valued at $150,000 or less.
809
Application for Duplicate Title
Request a duplicate Alaska vehicle title from the DMV. MUST be notarized OR signed by an employee at the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles.
V1
Application for Title and Registration
Complete this form when you are applying for a transfer of ownership, registration, title, OR replacement title with the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles.
DMV.ORG BBB Business Review