To fill out a car title when buying a vehicle, complete the assignment section on the back of the original title with the seller’s printed name exactly as shown on the front, your full legal name and current address, the purchase price, the date of sale, and the exact odometer reading, then have both parties sign in blue or black ink. If your state prints a notary block on the title, do not sign until you’re in front of a notary. Everything else, from lien releases to state-specific forms, flows from getting that assignment section right.
What You Need Before You Write Anything
Gather the paperwork before you meet the seller. Both parties need a government-issued photo ID showing full legal name and current address. You need the agreed purchase price in writing, because the DMV calculates sales tax from the number recorded on the title or bill of sale. State sales tax on vehicle purchases generally runs between about 3% and 9% depending on state and local rates.
You must have the original physical title in hand. Photocopies and phone photos will not be accepted for a permanent transfer. If the seller can’t produce the original, resolve that before any money moves. Some states also require a separate bill of sale, and several require an emissions inspection or smog certificate before the vehicle can be registered. Check your state DMV’s website for the specific list.
Read the Title Before You Fill It Out
Two things on the front of the title decide whether you can complete a clean transfer at all: who is listed as owner, and whether a lienholder appears.
If the title lists two owners, the word between their names controls who has to sign. “And” means both owners must sign; if one is unavailable, the sale stalls. “Or” (or “and/or”) means either owner can sign alone. When a slash appears between names with no conjunction spelled out, most states treat that as “and.” Confirm which conjunction is on the title before you hand over payment.
If the title still lists a lender as lienholder, you cannot complete a clean transfer. The seller needs to provide either the title with a signed lien release in the designated section, or a separate lien release letter from the lender. In states that use electronic lien and title systems, the lender submits the release digitally and the state mails a clean title to the seller, which can take several weeks after payoff. Never accept a title with an unresolved lien; the DMV will reject the application and you could end up with a vehicle you can’t register.
While you have the title in front of you, also check for brands like salvage, rebuilt, flood, or lemon law buyback. Brands are permanent notations that follow the vehicle and cannot be removed once applied. They don’t change how you fill out the assignment section, but they do change what you’re buying, so know what’s there before you sign.
Filling Out the Assignment Section
Flip the title over or look toward the bottom of the front page for the section labeled “Assignment of Title” or “Transfer of Ownership.” That’s where the transfer actually happens. Use blue or black ink only, keep handwriting inside the boxes, and write legibly. DMV clerks flag anything that looks questionable.
Work through the fields in order:
- Seller prints their name exactly as it appears on the front of the title. Even a small mismatch, like a middle initial where the front shows a full middle name, can cause a rejection.
- Buyer prints full legal name as it appears on their driver’s license, along with current physical address.
- Purchase price goes in the field provided. Some states put this field on the title itself; others require it on a bill of sale or supplemental application form.
- Date of sale should be the exact date both parties agree on. That date establishes when liability shifts from seller to buyer.
Signatures need to match the printed names. If the seller’s name is printed as “Robert,” signing “Bob” can cause a rejection. Sign only on the designated signature lines.
Recording the Odometer Reading
Federal law requires the seller to record the vehicle’s exact mileage at the time of transfer. It’s a condition of a valid title under federal odometer disclosure regulations.1eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements
Write the mileage exactly as it appears on the dashboard. Don’t round, and don’t include tenths of a mile. If the odometer reads 87,342.6, write 87,342.
The title includes checkboxes for readings that aren’t reliable. If a mechanical odometer has rolled past its maximum (a five-digit odometer resetting after 99,999 miles, for example), the seller must check the box indicating the mileage exceeds the mechanical limit. If the seller knows the reading is inaccurate for any other reason, a separate “not actual mileage” box must be checked instead.1eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements
Falsifying an odometer disclosure is a federal offense. Civil penalties reach $10,000 per violation, with a cap of $1,000,000 for a related series of violations. Willful tampering can lead to up to three years in prison.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC Ch 327 – Odometers
When the Odometer Disclosure Is Not Required
Federal regulations exempt vehicles with a gross weight rating over 16,000 pounds, non-self-propelled vehicles like trailers, and vehicles sold directly by manufacturers to federal agencies. The age-based exemption is where everyday buyers most often see it: vehicles with a model year of 2010 or earlier are exempt if the transfer happens at least 10 years after their model year, which by 2026 covers all of them. Vehicles from model year 2011 onward use a 20-year window, so those won’t become exempt until at least 2031.1eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements
Even when a vehicle is exempt federally, many states still require the odometer field on the title to be filled in. The exemption removes the federal penalty exposure for older vehicles; it doesn’t override a state’s own paperwork rule.
Notarizing and Using a Power of Attorney
Several states require a notary public to witness the signatures on a title transfer. If the title has a notary block, don’t sign until you’re sitting in front of a commissioned notary. Signing beforehand can invalidate the document. Notary fees are typically modest, generally between $5 and $25 depending on the state, and many banks and shipping stores offer notary services.
If either party can’t be present, most states allow a power of attorney to authorize someone to sign on their behalf. The POA generally must be notarized, must name the agent specifically, and must be presented alongside the original title. The agent typically writes “P.O.A.” next to their signature on all forms. A general POA works in many states, but some require a POA that specifically mentions vehicle transactions.
Fixing Mistakes Without Ruining the Title
White-out, scratch-outs, and overwrites will almost certainly invalidate the title. Clerks are trained to reject altered documents because changes can mask fraud.
How you fix an error depends on how serious it is. A minor mistake, like a transposed digit in an address, can sometimes be corrected with a single line through the error, the correct information written nearby, and both parties initialing the change. Not all states accept even that. For anything more significant, you’ll likely need to file an affidavit of correction, a notarized statement explaining what went wrong and providing the accurate information. Your DMV can tell you which form applies.
In the worst case, when a signature line or a name is written in the wrong field, you may need to apply for a duplicate title and start over. Duplicate title fees typically range from about $5 to $20 depending on the state. That’s annoying but far less painful than trying to force through a document the DMV won’t accept.
Submitting the Title and Meeting the Deadline
Once the title is fully signed and notarized where required, the buyer takes it to the local DMV, tax assessor’s office, or equivalent agency. Most states require an in-person visit for the first submission, though some allow mailing in the paperwork. Bring your driver’s license, proof of insurance on the vehicle, and payment for title and registration fees. Title transfer fees vary by state but commonly fall in the $15 to $100 range.
Update your insurance to reflect the new vehicle the day you take possession, not when the new title arrives in the mail. A gap in coverage isn’t excused because paperwork is still in process.
Most states give you a limited window to submit title transfer paperwork after the sale date, commonly between 10 and 30 calendar days. Miss that window and you’ll face late fees that vary by state but can add $25 or more. Some states won’t backdate your registration, meaning you’ll owe fees for the gap period. Beyond the money, driving a vehicle that isn’t titled in your name creates practical problems if you’re pulled over or in an accident, and the seller stays on the hook as the registered owner until the transfer clears. Don’t sit on the paperwork.
If the Seller Can’t Find the Title
The easiest fix is for the seller to apply for a duplicate title from their state’s DMV before the sale. It typically costs under $20 and takes a few weeks. If the seller is unwilling or unable to get a duplicate, treat that as a red flag.
Many states offer a bonded title process as a backup. You purchase a surety bond, usually for 1.5 times the vehicle’s appraised value, and the state issues a title with a “bonded” notation. The bond protects against the possibility that someone else has a legitimate ownership claim. After a set period without any claims, typically three to five years, you can convert the bonded title to a clean one. Not every state offers this, and some exclude salvage vehicles.
Buying From Out of State
Buying from another state adds a few steps. Most states require a VIN inspection before they’ll title a vehicle that has never been registered in that state. The inspection confirms that the VIN on the car matches the number on the title and hasn’t been tampered with. You can usually get this done at a DMV office, and some states also accept inspections performed by law enforcement officers.
You fill out the title assignment section the same way, but your home state may require an additional application for title specific to out-of-state vehicles. Some states also require an emissions test before registration even if the selling state didn’t. Sales tax is typically owed to your home state, not the state where you bought the car, though a few states have reciprocity agreements. Call your home DMV before making the trip.
Receiving a Vehicle as a Gift
If you’re receiving the vehicle as a gift rather than buying it, the title transfer works the same way, but the tax treatment differs. Most states offer a full or partial sales tax exemption for vehicles gifted between immediate family members, typically covering spouses, parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings. Instead of paying sales tax on fair market value, you may owe only a nominal flat fee.
To claim the exemption, you’ll generally need to complete a gift affidavit or similar form specific to your state, signed by both parties and often notarized. On the title itself, write “gift” in the purchase price field instead of a dollar amount.
On the federal side, gifts of vehicles generally have no tax consequence for the recipient. The person giving the vehicle may need to report it to the IRS if the fair market value exceeds the annual gift tax exclusion, which is $19,000 for 2026, but no gift tax is actually owed unless the giver has exceeded their lifetime exemption.3Internal Revenue Service. IRS Releases Tax Inflation Adjustments for Tax Year 2026, Including Amendments From the One, Big, Beautiful Bill
Transferring a Title After the Owner Has Died
When the titled owner has died, transferring the title needs legal documentation beyond the normal process. Requirements depend on whether the estate goes through probate, whether the title listed a co-owner with survivorship rights, and the value of the estate.
If the title included a co-owner joined by “or” or listed a right of survivorship, the surviving co-owner can often transfer the title by presenting a death certificate along with the standard transfer forms. When there’s no surviving co-owner, the person handling the estate typically needs to present letters testamentary (issued by a probate court appointing the executor) or letters of administration to authorize the transfer.
For smaller estates, many states allow a simplified process using a small estate affidavit or an affidavit of heirship, which avoids full probate. This route usually requires all heirs to sign, often with notarization, and is available only when the estate’s total value falls below a state-specific threshold. Contact your local DMV and, if needed, a probate attorney to determine which documents apply.
Watch Out for Title Jumping
Title jumping happens when someone buys a vehicle and resells it without ever registering it in their name. The previous owner signs the title, the buyer’s information is left blank, and the vehicle gets flipped to the next person with no record of the middle transaction. It’s illegal in every state, and buying from a title jumper creates real problems for you.
The biggest risk is that you’re technically buying from someone who never legally owned the car. The chain of ownership is broken, which can make it difficult or impossible to register the vehicle. You may end up needing a bonded title, or worse, discover the vehicle was stolen.
Protect yourself by checking that the person selling you the car is the person named on the title. Compare the name on the title to their ID. If they say they’re selling it “for a friend,” or the title was signed by someone whose name doesn’t match the seller in front of you, walk away. A legitimate seller has no reason to avoid putting their name on the title.