To sign a car title in a company name, an authorized officer writes the company’s exact legal name on the seller line, signs their own name beneath it introduced by the word “By:”, and prints their name and official title on the line below. That three-part block is what tells the motor vehicle agency the sale is coming from the business entity rather than from the individual holding the pen. Get any of the three pieces wrong and the transfer is likely to be rejected at the counter.
Who Can Sign on Behalf of the Company
Not every employee has the authority to transfer a company vehicle. For a corporation, signing authority usually sits with officers named in the bylaws: president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer. For an LLC, the operating agreement designates who can bind the company, typically a managing member or manager. Partnerships work the same way, with the partnership agreement identifying which partners can act for the entity.
The company’s governing documents are the definitive source. If you aren’t sure, pull the bylaws, operating agreement, or partnership agreement and check. A board-passed corporate resolution can also grant a specific person authority to handle a vehicle transaction, which is useful when the usual officer is unavailable or the company wants to authorize someone lower in the hierarchy.
Some motor vehicle agencies ask for proof of authority: a corporate resolution, a letter on company letterhead, or a copy of the operating agreement. Even where the DMV doesn’t request it, keeping a signed resolution on file protects the company if the sale is later disputed. Signing without proper authorization can void the transfer, which leaves the company still legally responsible for the vehicle.
How to Format the Signature Block
The signature block has three stacked lines: the company’s legal name, the handwritten signature introduced by “By:”, and the signer’s printed name with their title. A correctly formatted block reads:
ABC Corporation
By: [handwritten signature]
Jane Smith, President
The company name comes first because it identifies the entity as the party to the sale. “By:” signals that the signature below belongs to an agent acting for the entity, not to someone conducting a personal sale. Skip it and many agencies treat the transaction as personal, which creates title clouds that are tedious to fix.
Use the exact legal name registered with your state’s secretary of state. “ABC Corp.” is not the same as “ABC Corporation” if the registered name spells it out. Small discrepancies between the title and the official registration trigger rejections. Look the name up on the secretary of state’s business search tool if you’re not certain.
Avoid abbreviations in the signer’s title unless the titling agency explicitly allows them. Write “President” rather than “Pres.” and “Managing Member” rather than “Mgr. Mbr.”
Filling In the Rest of the Title
Standard title forms have designated lines for the company name (sometimes labeled “Seller Name” or “Owner Name”), the printed name of the person signing, and their title within the company. Fill in every applicable field. Blank spaces raise questions during processing.
If the company is buying rather than selling, the same rules apply on the buyer’s side. Write the company’s full legal name on the buyer line, not the name of the employee picking up the vehicle. The individual signing as buyer uses the same “By:” format.
Record the actual purchase price where the title asks for it. Agencies use this figure to calculate sales tax, and understating it can trigger an audit or penalty. Most states also want a separate bill of sale showing the company’s legal name, the buyer’s name, the vehicle description (year, make, model, VIN), the sale price, the payment method, and the date. Both parties sign it.
Odometer Disclosure Rules
Federal law requires the seller to give the buyer a written odometer disclosure on every vehicle transfer, stating either the actual mileage or that the true mileage is unknown.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32705 – Disclosure Requirements on Transfer of Motor Vehicles This applies to companies just as it applies to individuals. Many titles include an odometer section on the back; if yours doesn’t, use a separate odometer disclosure statement.
For transfers happening in 2026, exemptions apply to:
- Vehicles manufactured in or before model year 2010, which have passed the 10-year threshold.
- Any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating above 16,000 pounds, regardless of age.
- Non-self-propelled vehicles such as trailers.
Vehicles model year 2011 and newer won’t reach their exemption threshold until 2031 at the earliest, so every 2011-or-newer vehicle your company sells in 2026 requires disclosure.2eCFR. 49 CFR 580.17 – Exemptions
The penalties are steep. Federal civil penalties reach $10,000 per violation, with a $1,000,000 cap for a related series of violations. Knowingly tampering with or misrepresenting a reading is a criminal offense punishable by up to three years in prison. A defrauded buyer can sue privately for three times actual damages or $10,000, whichever is greater.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC Chapter 327 – Odometers For a company transferring fleet vehicles in a short window, sloppy odometer practices compound quickly.
Signing Through a Power of Attorney
Sometimes the officer who would normally sign isn’t available. They may be traveling, the company may have vehicles moving at different locations, or the business may want a fleet manager or attorney to handle the paperwork. A power of attorney lets the company designate someone else to sign the title on its behalf.
The POA has to be specific. It should name the agent, identify the vehicle by year, make, model, and VIN, and spell out exactly what the agent is authorized to do. General or vague POAs often get rejected at the counter. Most agencies require notarization and, for a company-issued POA, official letterhead. A corporate officer signs the POA with their title next to their signature.
When the agent signs the title under a POA, the format shifts. The agent signs their own name and indicates they are acting as attorney-in-fact for the company:
ABC Corporation
By: [handwritten signature of agent]
Robert Lee, Attorney-in-Fact for ABC Corporation
The original notarized POA typically has to accompany the title when it’s submitted. Keep a copy in the company’s files.
Notarization and What to Submit
Many states require the seller’s signature on the title to be notarized before the transfer is valid. Requirements vary. Some states require it for every transfer, others only in certain circumstances, and a few not at all. Check with your local DMV before you sign, because the notary has to witness the signing in real time. You can’t sign first and get it notarized later.
Where notarization is required, state-set maximum fees typically run from a few dollars up to $25 per signature act. Some states set no cap. Remote online notarization is available in most states, usually at a separate, higher fee.
Along with the signed title, you’ll generally submit:
- A bill of sale documenting the price, parties, vehicle details, and date.
- An odometer disclosure statement, if not printed on the title.
- A lien release, if the company had a loan on the vehicle. The lender provides this once the balance is paid off, though processing can take a few weeks.
- The buyer’s application for a new title, which they complete at their motor vehicle office.
- Transfer and registration fees, which vary by state and vehicle type and typically range from a few dollars to around $75.
If a lien is still active, resolve it before attempting the transfer. A title with an unreleased lien can’t be cleanly transferred, and the buyer’s agency will reject it.
Records to Keep After the Sale
If the company receives more than $10,000 in cash for the vehicle, federal law requires filing IRS Form 8300 within 15 days of the transaction. This applies to a single payment or to multiple related payments that together exceed $10,000. “Cash” here includes currency, cashier’s checks, bank drafts, and money orders, but not personal checks or wire transfers.4Internal Revenue Service. Form 8300 and Reporting Cash Payments of Over $10,000
Keep copies of the signed title, bill of sale, odometer disclosure, lien release, and any corporate resolution or POA used in the transaction. The IRS requires businesses to retain records tied to asset dispositions until the statute of limitations expires on the return that reports the sale: at least three years after filing, or six years if the company underreports income by more than 25% of gross income shown on the return.5Internal Revenue Service. Publication 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records Because a vehicle is a business asset, the disposal records tie to the depreciation schedule and to any gain or loss reported. Six years is the safer retention window, and your accountant will want the sale documents to calculate the tax result correctly.