The bottom line: Before you can sell a deceased person’s car, you need legal authority to sign its title. That means going through probate court, becoming an estate executor, or using a simplified procedure like a small estate affidavit.
If the car was jointly owned, had a Transfer-on-Death beneficiary, or you are the surviving spouse, most of that falls away. The transfer can be one visit to a counter.
Otherwise the route varies widely by state. Some let you transfer ownership with a simple form if the estate value falls below a certain threshold, and others require full probate.
Any car loan has to be settled. The paperwork is the same everywhere: the death certificate, the title, and whatever your state accepts as proof that you are the person allowed to sign.
Get legal help the moment it stops being simple, because an hour with a probate lawyer costs little against a title nobody can sign. Compare offers from multiple buyers before you set a price.
Key Takeaways
- Look for a beneficiary first: where a Transfer-on-Death designation was set up, the named person claims the car with a death certificate and an ID, and no court is involved at all.
- The small-estate route: most states let you skip full probate under a value limit, and the limit is the whole estate rather than the car. Your state’s figure, and whether it has one at all, is in its section below.
- Read the word between the names: “or” on a joint title usually lets the surviving owner transfer straight away, while “and” usually means probate or an affidavit from the heirs.
- Before the counter: in seven states the signature on the title has to be notarized, which means the estate’s signature too.
- If there’s a car loan, check the paperwork for credit life insurance. Some policies pay off the remaining balance automatically when the borrower dies.
- How long: full probate runs for months and can run past a year. A small-estate affidavit is a matter of weeks, and a survivorship or beneficiary transfer can be done in a single visit.
Automated assistant: general info, not legal advice
Answers come from our state paperwork data and published guides. Confirm anything binding with your state DMV.
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Step-by-Step Process to Sell a Deceased Person’s Car
Step 1: Figure Out Who Can Legally Sell the Car
The part that catches people out is that nobody can sign the title yet. Selling your own car only takes your signature; selling this one starts with proving you’re allowed to.
If there’s a will: The person named as executor in the will needs to apply for probate with the court. Once approved, they get “letters testamentary” that prove they can act on behalf of the estate.
If there’s no will: Someone (usually a close family member) needs to ask the probate court to become the administrator. They’ll get “letters of administration” instead.
The shortcut routes: Joint ownership, a Transfer-on-Death designation or a small-estate procedure can let you skip probate entirely.
Step 2: Check for Special Ownership Situations
Before you assume you need to go through probate, check if any of these apply:
Joint ownership with survivorship rights: If the title lists two names with “or” between them, or specifically states “with right of survivorship,” the surviving owner automatically becomes the sole owner of the car. They just need an ID and a death certificate.
Transfer-on-Death (TOD) designation: Some states let you name a beneficiary right on the title. When the owner dies, the car goes directly to that person without probate.
Surviving spouse transfers: many states have a shortcut for a surviving spouse that skips probate entirely. Your state’s section says whether yours is one of them and what it asks for.
Trust ownership: If the car was titled in a trust, the successor trustee handles the transfer according to the trust document.
Step 3: Deal with Car Loans and Liens
A car with a loan still on it cannot be sold until the debt is dealt with, and the estate is what deals with it. Selling a financed car works the same way here as anywhere else, with one extra signature.
Who’s responsible for the loan?
- The estate has to pay off debts before distributing assets
- If there’s a co-signer, they become fully responsible for payments
- In community property states (Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin), surviving spouses might be responsible for debts
Your options:
- Pay off the loan using estate funds
- Sell the car and use the proceeds to pay the loan (any extra goes to the estate)
- Let the heir take over payments if the lender allows it
- If there’s no money and no co-signer, the lender might repossess the car
Check for credit life insurance: Some people purchase insurance that pays off the loan in the event of their death. Review the deceased’s paperwork or call the lender.
Step 4: Gather Your Paperwork
Every state wants different documents, but you’ll almost always need:
- Death certificate (certified copy): Get several copies since everyone wants an original
- Vehicle title: If you can’t find it, apply for a duplicate in the deceased’s name first
- Proof of your relationship or authority: Court letters, family relationship proof, or signed affidavits
- State-specific forms: Each state has its own forms for transfers after death
Tell the insurer, but do not cancel yet. Give them the death certificate and ask what coverage the car has while it sits. Cancel only after the title has moved: until then, an accident or theft would leave a claim nobody covers.
Step 5: Transfer the Title to Your Name
There are three ways to get the title into your name, and which ones are open to you depends on your state.
Small estate affidavit: If the estate is under your state’s threshold, you can often use a simple sworn statement instead of going to probate court.
Probate transfer: The executor signs the title on behalf of the deceased and provides court letters proving their authority.
Direct heir transfer: Some states permit immediate family members to transfer titles directly, provided they have the necessary paperwork.
Where you go: a DMV office in some states, a county clerk, treasurer or tag office in others. Your state’s section names the office and the form, and there’s a transfer fee wherever you go.
Step 6: Get the Car Ready and Sell It
Once the title is in your name, selling works like any other used car sale:
- Clean and inspect the car: a clean car photographs better and answers half the questions a buyer would have asked
- Research the value: Use Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds to get a fair market estimate
- Decide where to sell: a private party sale usually brings the most and takes the longest, which matters more than usual when an estate is waiting on it
- Complete the sale: Sign over the title, provide a bill of sale, and handle payment securely
For a car in good condition, Carvana makes an instant online offer, but only once the title is in your name: it won’t accept a will, estate papers or power of attorney. It collects the car in some areas, where a fee may apply depending on location, or you drop it off free. For an older one, or one that no longer runs, Peddle and Wheelzy buy damaged and non-running cars and tow them away for free.
Each buyer has its own limits and document list, and the list for an estate sale isn’t the standard one, so say at the start that the car belonged to someone who has died. Our online buyer’s paperwork checklist covers the standard documents.
If you’re selling privately, KeySavvy protects both you and the buyer by handling the payment and title transfer securely.
General Rules by State Categories
Joint Titles: The Word Between the Names
The most common case isn’t a whole estate. It’s one car with two names on the title, and one of those owners has died.
What decides it is the word joining the names. “Or”, and wording like “with right of survivorship” or “full rights to survivor”, usually means the survivor already owns the whole car and can sign alone. “And” usually means two separate halves, so the deceased owner’s half belongs to the estate and somebody with authority over the estate signs for it.
The details are state rules, down to whether your state puts “or” on titles at all, so read your state’s section before you go to the DMV.
States with Small Estate Procedures
Most states offer a simplified procedure when the estate is small enough, which saves the time and the cost of full probate. Each state sets its own limit, and some set none.
Some states set a dollar figure for the whole estate. Some set none at all and decide the route by whether the estate is being probated.
There’s no national figure. Your state’s is the Value limit line in its section, taken from that state’s own DMV or revenue page.
The catch: the limit usually applies to the whole estate rather than to the car. If the person owned a house, the estate is over the line whatever the car is worth.
Some states are the exception. California and Hawaii both leave registered vehicles out of the estate calculation, so the car itself doesn’t push you over the line.
States with Transfer-on-Death Options
Many states let an owner name a beneficiary on the title. When the owner dies, the car goes straight to that person, with no court involved.
How it works: You fill out a form with your DMV, adding a beneficiary. The title will show something like “Transfer on Death to John Smith.” When you die, John brings the title, death certificate, and his ID to the DMV and gets a new title in his name.
The downside: Not everyone knows about this option, so many people don’t set it up.
Community Property States
Nine states have community property laws, which are marital property rules rather than DMV rules. They change who owns the car after a death, and who owes what is left on it:
- Arizona
- California
- Idaho
- Louisiana
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- Texas
- Washington
- Wisconsin
What this means: In these states, property acquired during marriage belongs to both spouses equally. This can make car transfers easier for surviving spouses, but it can complicate things if there are debts.
State-by-State Requirements (All 50 States)
Alabama
To sell a deceased person’s car in Alabama, you must determine whether the estate is going through probate.
What to file: Form MVT 5-6 (Next of Kin Affidavit)
Value limit: no dollar threshold, since a probate vs non-probate process decides the path
Alabama is strict about names matching exactly on all paperwork. If there are slight differences like “John Allen Smith” vs “John A Smith,” you might need an affidavit explaining the name variance.
Alaska
To sell a deceased person’s car in Alaska, read the title first. Where no surviving owner is named on it, the car is part of the estate and the affidavit below is what the DMV wants.
Arizona
To sell a deceased person’s car in Arizona, start with how the names are written on the title. Arizona’s rule is that with OR between the names either owner can sign alone; with AND or AND/OR both owners must sign.
What to file: Form 32-6901 (Non-Probate Affidavit)
Arkansas
To sell a deceased person’s car in Arkansas, keep up with car payments and registration while working on the title transfer. Penalties apply if you let the registration lapse.
What to file: Form 10-306 (Affidavit of Inheritance of a Motor Vehicle), or Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration if probated
Value limit: $100,000, the small estate threshold under Arkansas Code 28-41-101
Where you file it: any Arkansas state revenue office, or online through the MyDMV portal.
California
To sell a deceased person’s car in California, you need to submit several documents to the DMV. You’ll need the California title (or Form REG 227 if it’s lost) signed for the deceased person and countersigned by you as the heir, plus the affidavit below if you’re doing a transfer without probate.
What to file: Form REG 5 (Affidavit for Transfer Without Probate)
Even if the estate has other valuable assets, you can often still transfer the car title without probate. An odometer disclosure is required for model year 2011 and newer vehicles, with model year 2010 and older, trailers, and vehicles rated over 16,000 lbs exempt.
If the estate is going through probate anyway, you can use court documents like Letters Testamentary instead. Either way, once the title transfers to your name, you can sell the car normally.
Colorado
To sell a deceased person’s car in Colorado, you’ll need to visit your county motor vehicle office. You can’t handle this online or at state DMV offices.
What to file: Form DR 2712 (DMV Small Estate Affidavit), or Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration if the estate is probated
Colorado also lets an owner name a beneficiary on the title while they are alive. If the deceased person did that, the beneficiary route replaces probate court.
Connecticut
To sell a deceased person’s car in Connecticut, the executor or administrator of the estate must assign the Certificate of Title to the buyer. Connecticut has different processes depending on whether you’re transferring to an immediate family member or selling to someone else.
What to file: Form H-13B (Application for Registration and Title)
Once the probate court paperwork is in order and the title is assigned correctly, the sale process works like any other vehicle sale in Connecticut.
Delaware
To sell a deceased person’s car in Delaware, there’s a small-estate route and a probate route.
You’ll need to certify that no probate petition is pending, all debts are paid or provided for, and the deceased didn’t own any Delaware real estate. The form must be notarized and submitted with a copy of the death certificate.
Delaware reads immediate family narrowly: Spouse, parent, child, sibling and grandparent, including step-relations and in-laws. Delaware titles only.
Florida
To sell a deceased person’s car in Florida, a surviving spouse has much the easier route. If both spouses were on the title, or if only the deceased spouse was, the survivor can get a replacement title free of charge.
You’ll need a certified death certificate and proof of identity, plus a marriage certificate unless the surviving spouse’s name is on the death certificate. Every other situation goes through the estate.
What to file: Affidavit for Transfer of Motor Vehicle (non-probate) or letters testamentary/letters of administration (probate)
Value limit: no dollar threshold, since a probate vs non-probate process decides the path
Florida charges $10 if you want the new title the same day. Replacement title fees are waived for a surviving spouse, but you may still owe registration fees.
Georgia
To sell a deceased person’s car in Georgia, you’ll need to visit your county Tag Office with several documents.
What to file: Form T-20 (Affidavit of Inheritance) or Letters of Testamentary/Administration if probated
Value limit: no dollar threshold is published; Form T-20 is used when there are no Letters of Testamentary
Requirements: Inheritor must title the vehicle in their name first before selling or transferring ownership.
You’ll also need the original title, or a replacement if it’s lost. Where a lien is still showing on it, the lender releases the lien electronically, or signs the release section on a paper title, or gives you Form T-4 when the title isn't available; the released title is then mailed to you.
For an immediate family member there is one more form: MV-16, Affidavit to Certify Immediate Family Relationship.
Hawaii
To sell a deceased person’s car in Hawaii, the process depends on whether the car was jointly owned or owned only by the deceased person. If it was jointly owned, the surviving owner transfers it by filling out sections A and D on the certificate of title, then bringing it to your county motor vehicle office (Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, or Kauai) with the death certificate and current registration.
If the car was only in the deceased person’s name, you’ll need the affidavit instead.
What to file: Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property (Automobile) of the Decedent, Form 3C-E-312
The vehicle must have a current, valid State of Hawaii safety inspection certificate at the time of transfer. Hawaii also requires appointments through AlohaQ.org for vehicle transfers, and an expired registration has to be renewed before the transfer goes through.
Idaho
To sell a deceased person’s car in Idaho, a surviving spouse has the most direct route: apply for a duplicate title on Form ITD 3367 at your county assessor's motor vehicle office, and ask for the deceased spouse’s name to be taken off. Otherwise the estate takes over.
Value limit: $100,000, measured on the estate subject to probate less liens and encumbrances
After the sale, Idaho gives you 5 days to file the release of liability on Form ITD 3858. Miss it and you keep liability for death or injury, property damage, motor vehicle infractions, towing, storage, repair or service charges involving the vehicle after it is delivered to the purchaser.
Illinois
To sell a deceased person’s car in Illinois, you have three main options depending on the size and circumstances of the estate.
Illinois treats jointly owned titles as joint tenancy, so when one owner dies the survivor becomes the full owner and applies for a corrected title in their own name. There is a title fee on every transfer, plus registration and tax.
Indiana
To sell a deceased person’s car in Indiana, check first if the vehicle has a Transfer on Death (TOD) designation. If the title indicates something like “[Owner] transfers on death to [TOD Beneficiary],” the beneficiary brings the title and death certificate to a BMV branch and gets a new title in their own name.
The important thing about Indiana’s TOD system is that the original owner must have signed and dated the TOD signature line on the face of the title before they died. Otherwise, the designation isn’t valid. Without one on file, the vehicle passes through the estate.
What to file: Form 18733 (Affidavit for Transfer of Certificate of Title for a Vehicle/Watercraft Without Administration)
Value limit: $100,000 (gross probate estate, less liens and encumbrances) under Indiana Code 29-1-8-1(c)
Iowa
To sell a deceased person’s car in Iowa, the process depends on whether there’s a will and whether the estate is in probate. If you live in Iowa, you take the paperwork to any county treasurer's office in Iowa. Non-residents usually can’t get Iowa titles and should check their home state’s laws instead.
Iowa waives title fees if you’re transferring ownership to a surviving spouse, and any available registration fees can be transferred too. Every other case pays the usual fees. An odometer disclosure is required for model year 2011 and newer vehicles, with model year 2010 and older, trailers, and vehicles rated over 16,000 lbs exempt.
Kansas
To sell a deceased person’s car in Kansas, first check if the vehicle has a Transfer on Death designation. If it does, the beneficiaries named on the title claim it with the transfer-on-death affidavit, the death certificate and title verification. With no beneficiary named, you’ll go the affidavit route instead.
Value limit: $75,000 gross probate estate value for small estate procedures, raised from $40,000 effective July 1, 2023
Kansas requires at least one beneficiary to title the vehicle in their own name before transferring it to anyone else. Take the completed forms to your county treasurer's motor vehicle office.
Kentucky
To sell a deceased person’s car in Kentucky, you’ll need an original or notarized death certificate, plus proof of your identity and relationship to the deceased. Title notarization in Kentucky is required, so the person signing on behalf of the estate will need a notary.
Kentucky requires the same notary public to notarize both the death certificate and any letters you’re submitting.
A bank lien has to be cleared before any transfer can happen. In Kentucky, the lienholder files a Title Lien Statement (Form TC 96-187) at the county clerk's office.
Louisiana
To sell a deceased person’s car in Louisiana, the route depends on whether the succession was opened.
What to file: Affidavit of Heirship (Form DPSMV 1696), revision date 08/17/2023 or later
Title notarization in Louisiana is required. Louisiana also has special rules for minor children: where there are minors and no surviving spouse, whoever executes the affidavit needs certified documentation showing they can act on the minor’s behalf.
A surviving spouse only needs to execute a notarized Bill of Sale. With no surviving spouse, all the heirs execute the sale documents.
Maine
To sell a deceased person’s car in Maine, the process depends on your relationship to the deceased and whether you’re a Maine resident. Maine has separate instruction documents for surviving spouses, personal representatives, joint owners, surviving common owners, and heirs.
What to file: Form MVT-22 (Affidavit of Surviving Spouse or Personal Representative)
Value limit: $40,000 base, adjusted annually for inflation ($52,500 for 2026)
If you’re not a Maine resident, you’ll need to get the Maine title transferred first (using Form MVT-8, Request to Re-issue a Certificate of Title for duplicates if needed), then handle the rest in your home state. Maine also recognizes Transfer of Title Upon Death Designated Beneficiary Forms that can be completed ahead of time.
Where a lien is still on the title, the lender releases the lien using Form MVT-12 (Release of Lien) or signs the lien release directly on the title. Maine uses an Electronic Lien Titling system for participating lenders. Contact your lender to request the release before listing the car for sale.
Maryland
To sell a deceased person’s car in Maryland, the requirements depend on your relationship to the deceased and how you acquired the vehicle. Surviving spouses and co-owners have the simplest process. They just need the existing title with the assignment section completed, a death certificate, and sometimes a marriage certificate.
Value limit: $50,000 in property subject to administration, or $100,000 when the surviving spouse is the sole legatee or heir
Maryland waives the title fee for transfers between spouses when one is deceased, but all other transfers require the regular fees. Maryland also allows a Transfer on Death beneficiary designation on a vehicle title, which lets the car pass outside the estate entirely.
Massachusetts
To sell a deceased person’s car in Massachusetts, the transfer is done at an RMV Service Center, or through a licensed Massachusetts insurance agent's B2B service. The RMV does not take these by mail.
If you’re not keeping the car and want to sell it directly, you can give the buyer the deceased’s title assigned to the purchaser, the Affidavit of Surviving Spouse, and a copy of the death certificate.
Michigan
To sell a deceased person’s car in Michigan, check the title first to see if it says “Full Rights to Survivor.” If it does, the surviving owner needs only the title, the death certificate and ID to transfer it into their own name.
If the estate goes through probate, the Personal Representative gets a Letter of Authority and can assign the title to whoever is buying the car. If there’s no probate, an heir affidavit handles it, based on Michigan’s inheritance priority: surviving spouse first, then descendants, parents, siblings, and finally closest next-of-kin.
What to file: Form TR-40a (Certification from the Heir to a Vehicle); Form TR-40b from each heir giving up their claim
Requirements: Bring the affidavit and the original title to a Secretary of State branch office to transfer the title into your name first.
Michigan’s value limit rises each year with the cost of living from 2026, and the figure that counts is the one for the year you apply for the title, not the year of death.
Everyone involved has to appear at a Secretary of State branch office with valid ID.
The plates do not go with the car. Michigan plates stay with you, and after the sale you transfer them to another vehicle you own, or destroy them.
Minnesota
To sell a deceased person’s car in Minnesota, the requirements depend on how the title is set up. If “or” appears with the first owner’s name, the survivor can handle everything easily. If there’s no “or,” the path depends on whether you’re a surviving spouse, whether the vehicle is subject to probate, and whether there are legal heirs.
Minnesota also recognizes Transfer-on-Death beneficiaries and revocable trusts. Because of all the documents and signatures involved, Minnesota recommends going in person to any deputy registrar office in Minnesota rather than handling it by mail.
Mississippi
To sell a deceased person’s car in Mississippi, head to the county Tax Collector's office where the buyer lives with a completed title application and the existing title.
What to file: Title Application Form 78-002, with Affidavit of Heirship Form 78-014 when there is no will
Value limit: no dollar threshold, since the will and probate status decide the path
Mississippi makes executors and administrators use the same process as regular inheritance cases, and you’ll pay the usual title fees plus any other applicable fees or taxes.
Missouri
To sell a deceased person’s car in Missouri, surviving spouses and unmarried minor children get special treatment. They can transfer one vehicle without going through probate.
Value limit: $40,000 limit for the small estate affidavit process; estates over $40,000 require formal probate
Missouri charges $8.50 title fee plus a $9 processing fee for duplicate titles. Regular probate transfers have different fees depending on the vehicle type.
Montana
To sell a deceased person’s car in Montana, first determine if the vehicle needs a title (most do) and find the original title to see how ownership was set up. Montana has different processes depending on whether it was sole ownership, joint ownership, business ownership, or trust ownership.
What to file: Form MV12, Application for Title by Non-Probate Transfer
Value limit: $100,000, counting the whole estate less liens and encumbrances
Montana assumes joint tenancy for multiple names on titles, so a surviving owner can keep the vehicle or sell it.
Under House Bill 165, effective October 1, 2025, the signature acknowledgment requirement was stricken, so a notary is no longer needed to transfer a title between individuals. Bill of sale notarization is not required.
Nebraska
To sell a deceased person’s car in Nebraska, all names on the Certificate of Title must sign off in the seller’s section, which gets complicated when one of them is deceased. An odometer disclosure is required for model year 2011 and newer vehicles, with model year 2010 and older, trailers, and vehicles rated over 16,000 lbs exempt.
Any open lien has to be cleared before the sale: the lienholder notes the cancellation of the lien on the face of the title over their signature within fifteen days of the final payment and forwards the title to a county motor vehicle office; a lender in the electronic system notifies the department instead, and the title is then printed and mailed.
A bill of sale is required. The form is Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles Bill of Sale, or Department of Revenue Form 6 as an alternative, and notarizing it is not required.
Fill in the buyer’s section at the time of the sale. A title handed over with that section blank is an “open title”, and it can be refused or seized at the counter.
Nevada
To sell a deceased person’s car in Nevada, check for a Transfer on Death beneficiary designation first. If there is one, the beneficiary needs the title, a certified death certificate and the title fee. They can submit everything by mail or at a Nevada DMV office.
The plates do not go with the car: they stay with you. After a sale you keep the plates and either use them on another vehicle or turn them in, within 18 months for a standard or special plate and within 30 days for a discontinued special plate.
Nevada also requires new insurance and either a movement permit or full registration before the car goes back on public streets, and fee credits from the deceased person’s registration don’t transfer.
New Hampshire
To sell a deceased person’s car in New Hampshire, married residents get automatic joint tenancy with rights of survivorship for family-use vehicles unless the title specifically says otherwise. The surviving spouse can transfer the vehicle using just their signature on the certificate plus a copy of the death record.
For joint owners who specifically arranged survivorship rights, the process works the same way. If joint ownership uses “and” between names, they need to designate survivorship preference on their title application. Anything else runs through probate.
Value limit: no dollar threshold, since probate runs through the Circuit Court
New Hampshire’s law allows one joint owner to be a non-resident, and they’re exempt from certain requirements just for this survivorship purpose. The surviving owner doesn’t need to obtain a new title before selling. They can sign the existing record directly.
New Jersey
To sell a deceased person’s car in New Jersey, you can keep driving it until the current registration expires. You’ll need an appointment at an a motor vehicle agency, because this one can’t be done online.
What to file: Form BA-62
New Jersey also has Transfer on Death Beneficiary Forms that let you name who inherits the car without it going through the estate. If the title goes to the estate itself, you’ll need an Entity Identification Number (EIN). A surviving spouse already on the title pays the standard title fee for the new one.
New Mexico
To sell a deceased person’s car in New Mexico, you can continue driving it under the current registration until it expires, ownership transfers, or (for joint owners) the survivor assumes ownership.
What to file: Certificate of Transfer Without Probate (Form MVD-10011) or Affidavit of Claiming Successor (Form MVD-10013)
Value limit: $50,000, the value of the entire estate wherever located, less liens and encumbrances
For court-appointed situations, you need the Order Appointing Personal Representative from the District, Probate, or Tribal Court. The Transfer Without Probate option only works for vehicles previously titled in New Mexico.
New York
To sell a deceased person’s car in New York, surviving spouses get automatic ownership of one vehicle under state law. The surviving spouse can sell by printing the deceased’s name in the “Seller’s Name” section and signing as “surviving spouse.”
The executor or administrator signs the title and writes their role under their signature, like “Executor of the Estate of Mary Ann Smith.” New York won’t accept its simplified forms for out-of-state titles. You need proper executor or administrator appointment and must handle it through that state.
North Carolina
To sell a deceased person’s car in North Carolina, one affidavit handles most non-probate cases. It applies in two specific situations: when someone dies without a will and no administrator has been appointed, or when there’s a will but the estate is small and doesn’t warrant probate expenses.
What to file: Form MVR-317
The affidavit needs details about the deceased, whether they left a will, confirmation that all debts are paid or will be paid from the sale proceeds, and the names of all the heirs. Where there are minor or incompetent children without a guardian, the surviving spouse can sign for them.
Title notarization in North Carolina is required. For a jointly owned vehicle with survivorship rights, the surviving owner needs only the death certificate.
North Dakota
To sell a deceased person’s car in North Dakota, the process depends on how the title shows ownership and whether a Personal Representative has been appointed.
Value limit: $50,000, the estate must not exceed this to use the small estate affidavit
You’ll need to complete Parts 1 and 3 of the title, the seller’s assignment and the purchaser’s certification, and there’s a title transfer fee to pay. An odometer disclosure is required for model year 2011 and newer vehicles, with model year 2010 and older, trailers, and vehicles rated over 16,000 lbs exempt.
Ohio
To sell a deceased person’s car in Ohio, check first if there’s a Transfer on Death (TOD) designation. If so, the beneficiary just needs the original title, certified death certificate, Form BMV 3774 (Application for Certificate of Title to a Motor Vehicle), and ID to get a new title. Joint ownership with “Rights of Survivorship” (WROS) works similarly.
What to file: Form BMV 3773 (Surviving Spouse Affidavit), Letters Testamentary, or Letters of Administration, depending on the situation
Value limit: $65,000 in vehicle value
Ohio makes the distinction clear on the title itself: look for “OR,” “AND,” or “WROS”. Where two owners are named, dual ownership requires both parties to be present unless a notarized power of attorney is provided.
Title notarization in Ohio is required, so the executor or surviving owner signing will need a notary.
Oklahoma
To sell a deceased person’s car in Oklahoma, check for a Transfer on Death (TOD) designation first. If the owner completed one before they died, the named transferee claims the car by submitting it with the death certificate to Service Oklahoma (N Classen) or a Licensed Operator location.
The TOD form must have been properly signed by the vehicle owner before their death and notarized. If multiple owners are listed with “and” between their names, all must have died before the transfer can happen.
If there’s no TOD designation, you’ll go through the estate.
Value limit: $50,000, with estates under that amount needing no probate and able to use Form 405 Small Estate Affidavit
Title notarization in Oklahoma is required.
Oregon
To sell a deceased person’s car in Oregon, the process depends on whether the title shows survivorship and if the estate is being probated. For survivorship situations, the surviving owner needs proof of death (death certificate, court document, or police report) to transfer ownership.
What to file: Form 735 516 Inheritance Affidavit, signed and notarized by all heirs
Oregon has detailed procedures for various scenarios, including when all owners are deceased. They determine who died last in that case. Oregon also accepts inheritance affidavits from other states if they don’t reference other state laws and contain all required Oregon information.
Pennsylvania
To sell a deceased person’s car in Pennsylvania, the process depends on how the title shows ownership. Joint owners with right of survivorship, including married couples, can transfer with no entries on the title’s reverse side. Spouses pay no fee, others pay a title fee.
What to file: Form MV-39 (Notification of Assignment/Correction of Vehicle Title Upon Death of Owner)
Pennsylvania also allows unprobated wills if the vehicle goes to a surviving spouse, child, or parent, and lets the vehicle stay registered in the estate’s name during probate. Title notarization in Pennsylvania is required, so bring a notary or visit a bank before submitting your paperwork.
Rhode Island
To sell a deceased person’s car in Rhode Island, the documents you need depend on your relationship to the deceased and whether there’s an executor appointed. If there’s an executor or administrator, they need the original Notice of Appointment from the Probate Court and sign the title as the seller.
What to file: The Application for Registration and Certificate of Title (TR-1), submitted to the RI DMV with the estate documents
Value limit: not published (the requirements depend on whether the estate goes through probate)
For situations with no surviving spouse and no executor, Rhode Island uses a Sole Heir Affidavit that replaces the normal title transfer section, so you leave the back of the title blank.
Whether the car needs a title at all: yes (model year 2000 and older exempt if first registered to the seller before 1/1/2024).
South Carolina
To sell a deceased person’s car in South Carolina, check first for a Transfer on Death (TOD) designation on the title. If there is one, the beneficiary needs the title, the title fee and a certified death certificate for every owner named on it.
Where several owners are listed, all of them have to be deceased before the beneficiary can claim the car. With no TOD designation, the probate court decides the path.
South Carolina allows TOD designations only where the owners are individuals rather than businesses, and only where every owner agrees to add one. Adding or removing one while you are alive takes the designation form, the certificate of title and a title fee.
How the names are joined decides the rest: with "or" between the names, anyone on the title can complete any transaction for that vehicle without the other person's signature; with "and", both people must sign. You cannot add a TOD beneficiary at all where the ownership shows an “and” relationship.
South Dakota
To sell a deceased person’s car in South Dakota, check the title for a “Transfer on Death” (TOD) beneficiary. That designation is made at your local county treasurer's office, the beneficiary has no rights to the car while the owner is still alive, and where none was named the affidavit route applies.
The vehicle can’t carry an open lien for the TOD route to work: for a paper title the lienholder releases the lien on the title or provides a release; for an electronic lien held in the ELT system the lender releases it and the paper title is then issued.
When a TOD beneficiary was named, they apply for a new title and provide a copy of the death certificate. That path avoids probate entirely if it was set up ahead of time.
Tennessee
To sell a deceased person’s car in Tennessee, the process depends on whether an executor or administrator has been appointed and whether a will exists. If someone has been appointed by the court, they must sign the existing certificate of title to transfer ownership.
What to file: Form RV-F1310501 (Affidavit of Inheritance)
Value limit: $50,000 (small estate threshold for deaths after 2014; $25,000 for deaths before 2014)
Tennessee requires you to file everything at your local county clerk's office in person. They handle the title and the registration applications together.
Texas
To sell a deceased person’s car in Texas, check for a beneficiary designation first. Texas lets an owner name someone to inherit the car automatically, and the named beneficiary has a deadline to claim it before ordinary inheritance law takes over.
If there’s no beneficiary designation, the heirship route applies, and joint owners need a rights of survivorship agreement on file. The signing rule behind that: each owner named on the title signs it themselves, since a Texas title never joins two names with "or"; an owner who can't be there can give the other owner a power of attorney to sign for them.
What to file: Form VTR-262
Value limit: no specific threshold (used when there is no will and no probate)
Requirements: All heirs must sign it, and it must be notarized.
Texas makes it clear that wills don’t override beneficiary designations. The named beneficiary gets the car regardless of what any will says. You can change or revoke beneficiary designations anytime while you’re alive, but it requires submitting new paperwork with the applicable title fee.
Utah
To sell a deceased person’s car in Utah, you’ll need to complete a title transfer following the standard procedures. The seller must provide either the original certificate of title or Form TC-123 (Application for Utah Duplicate Title) with proper signatures releasing ownership.
What to file: Form TC-569C (Survivorship Affidavit), or the court documents a probate produces
Emissions testing is a buyer's registration requirement in Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Cache, and Utah counties based on vehicle model year. It is not a condition of sale for the seller. Utah also offers an online Person-to-Person Title Transfer Service to handle transfers electronically.
Vermont
To sell a deceased person’s car in Vermont, the route depends on whether the estate was probated.
What to file: Form VT-021 (Deceased Owner Informational Bulletin) with a copy of the death certificate
Value limit: not published
Vermont also offers a Transfer on Death option, and it only applies to a vehicle with one owner. Adding or removing a designated transferee takes a form, a fee and the original Vermont title. The current owner keeps every right until death, and the transferee takes the vehicle subject to any existing security interests.
The plates do not go with the car: they stay with you, and you remove the plates from the car at the handover, then either apply within 24 hours to move them to another vehicle you own or mail them back to the Vermont DMV.
The transfer is also subject to registration, tax and title fees, unless it is exempt under Vermont’s tax laws.
Virginia
To sell a deceased person’s car in Virginia, the process depends on whether you’re a co-owner with survivorship rights. If your name is on the title with “or” between names or it states “or survivor,” you only need a certified death certificate, the title, and payment of fees to obtain a new title in your name only. If you’re not a co-owner, or you don’t have survivorship rights, you’ll need more paperwork.
What to file: Form VSA 24 (Authority to Transfer Virginia Title Certification)
Value limit: $75,000 (small estate threshold, Va. Code § 64.2-601)
You won’t have to pay Sales and Use Tax if the vehicle transfers to you as an heir, which can save you a lot of money.
Washington
To sell a deceased person’s car in Washington, you have several options depending on the situation. The vehicle can be titled in the name of the estate, transferred by a personal representative, or transferred by a surviving owner if joint tenancy was indicated on the certificate.
What to file: Affidavit of Inheritance/Litigation (Form TD-420-041)
For joint tenants with survivorship rights, a copy of the death certificate is enough. Community property needs both a death certificate and a copy of the community property agreement.
The name on an estate title shows as “Estate of (deceased’s name).” The title assignment itself never needs a notary; the Affidavit of Loss requires notarization or signing in front of a vehicle licensing agent.
West Virginia
To sell a deceased person’s car in West Virginia, read how ownership is shown on the title first, because it decides how many signatures the DMV wants on the transfer.
What to file: Form DMV-185-TR (Legal Heir Affidavit), used when there is no will or appointed administrator
Value limit: no dollar threshold, since a probate vs non-probate process decides the path
West Virginia requires court appointment documents for executors or administrators, and won’t accept a copy of the will on its own. You’ll also need the properly assigned title, insurance information and the current registration card.
An odometer disclosure is required when the vehicle is sold or transferred, with exemptions set by vehicle class rather than by model year.
Wisconsin
To sell a deceased person’s car in Wisconsin, a surviving spouse or domestic partner has the shortest route and pays no title fee to use it.
They can either title the vehicle in their own name or sell it directly, signing as the seller and handing the buyer the transfer statement. Other heirs take a different route.
What to file: Form MV2300 (Statement of Transfer of Vehicles to or by a Surviving Family Member, Domestic Partner or Heir)
Value limit: solely-owned property not exceeding $50,000 in value, under Wis. Stat. section 867.03
Other heirs pay the standard title transfer fee. Wisconsin waives replacement title fees for surviving spouses, domestic partners and qualifying family members.
Wyoming
To sell a deceased person’s car in Wyoming, check first whether the owner left a transfer-on-death designation. Wyoming has a beneficiary designation form that arranges automatic title transfer to a named beneficiary on death.
County clerks provide beneficiary designation forms with fields for vehicle information, owner names, beneficiary information, and all owners’ signatures. Upon death, the beneficiary presents the form, proof of death, and title application fee to get a new certificate. Owners can revoke or change beneficiaries anytime while alive, and the beneficiary takes the vehicle subject to any existing liens.
Outside that system, the transfer happens at the county clerk's office, from the estate paperwork.
Value limit: no dollar threshold, since a probate vs simplified small-estate affidavit process decides the path
Title notarization in Wyoming is required.
Common Challenges and How to Handle Them
When You Can’t Find the Title
Every state has procedures for this situation, but you’ll need to get a duplicate title in the deceased person’s name first.
What to do:
- Call your state’s DMV and ask for a duplicate title application
- You’ll need the death certificate and proof of your authority (executor letters, etc.)
- Some states let you include a lost title statement in your small estate affidavit
- There is a duplicate title fee wherever you are: Texas charges $2 by mail, and Oregon charges its full title fee of $101 or more
Multiple Heirs Can’t Agree
When several people inherit the same car, selling it gets complicated fast.
Possible solutions:
- One heir buys out the others’ shares
- Sell the car and split the proceeds
- Get everyone to sign off on one person handling the sale
- If you can’t agree, you might need court intervention
Put it in writing. Where a state’s affidavit asks for every heir’s signature, one person who will not sign stops the transfer for everyone, and a written agreement is what gets them to the table.
The Car Needs Expensive Repairs
You’re not required to fix a deceased person’s car before selling it, but repairs might help you get more money.
Consider these factors:
- Cost of repairs vs. potential increase in sale price
- Whether the estate has money for repairs
- If the car is safe to drive and be shown to buyers
- Whether selling as-is makes more sense
Out-of-State Title Issues
If the deceased lived in one state but the car is titled in another, things get more complicated.
The rule: You usually need to follow the title state’s laws, not where the person died. If the title is from Texas, you follow Texas rules even if the person died in Florida.
What to do:
- Call the DMV in the title state
- Ask about transferring to an out-of-state heir
- Some states let you handle this by mail
- You might need to transfer the title to yourself in the title state, then transfer it again in your home state
Compare instant offers before you accept one
Compare instant offers before you accept one
FAQ
What paperwork do I need if one of two people on the title has died?
If the names are joined by “or”, or the title says “with right of survivorship”, the survivor already owns the whole car. They take a certified death certificate, their own photo ID and the title to the counter, and the new title comes back in one name.
If the names are joined by “and”, the deceased owner’s half belongs to the estate, and it takes whatever your state’s section below asks for: the inheritance form, or letters from the court where the estate is being probated.
Look at the title itself before you plan anything. That one word decides which of the two afternoons you are in for.
Can I drive a deceased person’s car while waiting for the title transfer?
Check your own state’s rule, because they differ: some allow it where you are the appointed executor or administrator, and others want the title moved first.
The insurance matters more than the rule does. Call the insurer, tell them what has happened, and ask in plain words whether you are covered to drive it. A policy in a dead person’s name does not automatically cover the person driving.
Will an online car buyer take a car that is still in the estate’s name?
Usually the title has to move into your name first, because what the buyer needs is a title someone living can sign over to them.
Some buyers will work from letters of authority and an estate title instead. It varies enough that the answer is a phone call, not a rule, and the first thing to say on that call is that the owner has died.
Our paperwork checklist for online buyers, linked above, is what the rest of it looks like.
Can I junk or scrap a car the deceased owned?
Yes, and it is often the right answer for a car that has sat for years. You still need the authority to sell it, so the estate paperwork is the same as for any other sale.
Where the title cannot be found, some states let a junk car go to a licensed recycler on other proof of ownership. Your state’s section above is where to check, and our guide to selling without a title covers the rest.
Does the title have to be notarized when the estate signs it?
In seven states it does: Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Wyoming. The estate’s signature is a signature like any other, so the same rule applies to the executor or the administrator.
Take photo ID and the court letters to the notary, not just the title. Most will want to see what gives you the authority to sign before they will stamp it.
How do I determine the value of a deceased person’s car for estate purposes?
Take a written valuation rather than an opinion: an instant offer, a dealer’s figure, or a Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds estimate. Keep whatever you use.
For a rare or classic car, pay for a professional appraisal. The IRS generally accepts the standard valuation tools, and an appraisal is what settles the cars they do not cover.
Do I have to pay taxes when inheriting a car?
Inheritance tax is a state matter and most states do not charge one. Federal estate tax only comes into it where the whole estate is very large.
For the car itself, the value is generally stepped up to what it was worth on the day of the death, so a sale soon afterwards rarely produces a taxable gain. Ask an accountant where the estate is big enough for the question to matter.
Article Update History
Each state's inherited-vehicle form, value limit and notary rule now come from its DMV and revenue department.
Each state's form names, fees and notary rules checked against its DMV or motor vehicle authority.
Originally posted and shared with our readers.
Sources
"Executor of Estate: What Do They Do?" Accessed Mar. 14, 2026
"What are letters of administration?" Accessed Mar. 14, 2026
"The Probate Process" Accessed Mar. 14, 2026
"Small Estate Affidavits: What You Need to Know" Accessed Mar. 14, 2026
"Community Property States" Accessed Mar. 14, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form MVT 5-6 (Next of Kin Affidavit)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"no dollar threshold, since a probate vs non-probate process decides the path" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form 827 (Affidavit for an Estate with Assets of $150,000 or Less), or Letters Testamentary/Letters of Administration if probated" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form 32-6901 (Non-Probate Affidavit)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form 10-306 (Affidavit of Inheritance of a Motor Vehicle), or Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration if probated" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Duplicate Title Application Form
"Form REG 227" Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form REG 5 (Affidavit for Transfer Without Probate)" Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form DR 2712 (DMV Small Estate Affidavit), or Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration if the estate is probated" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$88,000 for deaths in 2026, $86,000 for 2025, or $82,000 for 2024, adjusted each year for inflation under C.R.S. 15-12-1201, with at least 10 days elapsed since the death" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form H-13B (Application for Registration and Title)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form MV-11 (Survivor's Transfer Form for a Vehicle) for the small-estate path, or the title assigned by the executor with Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration if the estate is probated" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Affidavit for Transfer of Motor Vehicle (non-probate) or letters testamentary/letters of administration (probate)" Accessed Sep. 21, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form T-20 (Affidavit of Inheritance) or Letters of Testamentary/Administration if probated" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property (Automobile) of the Decedent, Form 3C-E-312" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$100,000 gross estate value; motor vehicles registered in the name of the decedent may be transferred regardless of estate value" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form ITD 3414 (Affidavit of Inheritance) where the owner died without a will, or Form ITD 3413 (Small Estate Affidavit) for a small estate" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$100,000, measured on the estate subject to probate less liens and encumbrances" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Small Estate Affidavit for estates under $100,000, Attorney's Affidavit if the Small Estate Affidavit doesn't apply, or Letters of Administration/Testamentary if probated; submit with Form VSD 190" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form 18733 (Affidavit for Transfer of Certificate of Title for a Vehicle/Watercraft Without Administration)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form 411083 (Affidavit of Death Testate, with a will) for non-probate estates with a will, or Form 411088 (Affidavit of Death Intestate) for non-probate estates without a will" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form TR-83b (Claim of Heir and/or Beneficiary Affidavit) for small estates, or Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from a Kansas probate court for larger estates" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$75,000 gross probate estate value for small estate procedures, raised from $40,000 effective July 1, 2023" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"required" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form AOC-830 (Petition/Order to Dispense with Administration) from a Kentucky District Court for small estates, or Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration for larger estates that require formal probate" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"required" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form MVT-22 (Affidavit of Surviving Spouse or Personal Representative)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$40,000 base, adjusted annually for inflation ($52,500 for 2026)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form VR-481, Application for Exemption from Estate Administration to Transfer a Decedent's Vehicle, otherwise the original Letters of Administration bearing the Register of Wills raised seal" Accessed Sep. 18, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Affidavit of Surviving Spouse (for surviving spouse), Voluntary Administration Statement Form MPC 170 (for small estates), or Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for probated estates)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$25,000 in personal property excluding one motor vehicle (small estate threshold for voluntary administration under MGL Chapter 190B Section 3-1201)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form TR-40a (Certification from the Heir to a Vehicle); Form TR-40b from each heir giving up their claim" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Form Requirements
"Bring the affidavit and the original title to a Secretary of State branch office to transfer the title into your name first." Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form PS2071 (Assignment of a Vehicle to a Surviving Spouse/Not Subject to Probate) for a surviving spouse, an Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property for a small estate, or court-issued probate documents for a probated estate" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$75,000 or less in the decedent's probate estate under Minn. Stat. section 524.3-1201, using the Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"the county Tax Collector's office where the buyer lives" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form 108 (Application for Missouri Title and License) plus probate documentation (Letters Testamentary, Small Estate Certificate, or Form 2305 for surviving spouse or minor children)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$40,000 limit for the small estate affidavit process; estates over $40,000 require formal probate" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Title Notarization Explanation
"Under House Bill 165, effective October 1, 2025, the signature acknowledgment requirement was stricken, so a notary is no longer needed to transfer a title between individuals" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Affidavit for Transfer of Decedent's Vehicle/Motorboat for a small estate, or Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration for a probated estate" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$100,000 or less in the decedent's total personal property, at least 30 days after death, under Nebraska Revised Statute 30-24,125" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form VP 024 (Affidavit for Transfer of Title for Estates Without Probate), or Form VP 239 (Transfer on Death) if the owner named a beneficiary, or court documents if the estate is probated" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"No dedicated DMV inheritance form; the executor or administrator signs the title using Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"no dollar threshold, since probate runs through the Circuit Court" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form BA-62" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"a motor vehicle agency" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Certificate of Transfer Without Probate (Form MVD-10011) or Affidavit of Claiming Successor (Form MVD-10013)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form MV-349.1 (Affidavit for Transfer of Motor Vehicle) for a surviving spouse or minor child, Form MV-349 (Transfer of Vehicle Registered in Name of Deceased Person) for next of kin when there is no surviving spouse or minor child, or Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from Surrogate's Court for a probated estate" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$25,000 vehicle value limit for the small estate path under EPTL section 5-3.1 using Form MV-349.1 (surviving spouse or minor child) or Form MV-349 (next of kin); estates with more than one vehicle, with a vehicle worth more than $25,000, or that require probate must use Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form MVR-317" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"no statewide dollar cap on Form MVR-317, though collection by affidavit requires an estate of $20,000 or less, or $30,000 when the surviving spouse is the sole heir" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property of the Decedent Form SFN 2916 for estates not exceeding $50,000, otherwise a personal representative signs the title" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Duplicate Title Application Form
"Form BMV 3774 (Application for Certificate of Title to a Motor Vehicle)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form BMV 3773 (Surviving Spouse Affidavit), Letters Testamentary, or Letters of Administration, depending on the situation" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$65,000 in vehicle value" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"required" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Letters testamentary plus the death certificate when probated, or Form 798 No Administrator Affidavit when no probate and no superior claim" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form 735 516 Inheritance Affidavit, signed and notarized by all heirs" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form MV-39 (Notification of Assignment/Correction of Vehicle Title Upon Death of Owner)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"no dollar threshold; process depends on whether the estate is probated and whether there is a surviving spouse, joint tenant, or other heirs" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"required" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"The Application for Registration and Certificate of Title (TR-1), submitted to the RI DMV with the estate documents" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"A Probate Court Order, an Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property Pursuant to Small Estate Proceedings, or a Certificate of Appointment for a Personal Representative, submitted with Form 400 to the SCDMV" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form 1013 (Succession Affidavit) for a non-probated estate, or Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration if the estate is probated" Accessed Sep. 19, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$100,000, the value of the entire estate less liens and encumbrances, for collection by affidavit under SDCL 29A-3-1201" Accessed Sep. 19, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form RV-F1310501 (Affidavit of Inheritance)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$50,000 (small estate threshold for deaths after 2014; $25,000 for deaths before 2014)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Form Requirements
"If probated: Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration with the title. If not probated: completed Affidavit of Inheritance signed by all heirs plus a copy of the death certificate, filed with the local county clerk." Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form VTR-262" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Duplicate Title Application Form
"Form TC-123 (Application for Utah Duplicate Title)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form VT-021 (Deceased Owner Informational Bulletin) with a copy of the death certificate" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form VSA 24 (Authority to Transfer Virginia Title Certification)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$75,000 (small estate threshold, Va. Code § 64.2-601)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Form Requirements
"If the estate went through probate, submit a certified copy of the Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration plus the death certificate to transfer the title into your name. If the vehicle passed outside of probate, such as through a TOD (Transfer on Death) designation, submit the death certificate and proof of your relationship. For small estates under $75,000, an affidavit may be used instead." Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$100,000 in the entire estate subject to probate, less liens and encumbrances, at least 40 days after death, under RCW 11.62.010" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"no dollar threshold, since a probate vs simplified small-estate affidavit process decides the path" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"required" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form DMV-185-TR (Legal Heir Affidavit), used when there is no will or appointed administrator" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"no dollar threshold, since a probate vs non-probate process decides the path" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Affidavit of Inheritance/Litigation (Form TD-420-041)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"required" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"with OR between the names either owner can sign alone; with AND or AND/OR both owners must sign" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"required for model year 2011 and newer vehicles, with model year 2010 and older, trailers, and vehicles rated over 16,000 lbs exempt" Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
"your county motor vehicle office" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"if there is more than one owner named on the front of the Certificate of Title, all owners must print and sign their names as the seller, and each signature must match the name exactly as it is printed on the front of the title" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"Spouse, parent, child, sibling and grandparent, including step-relations and in-laws. Delaware titles only" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Expedited Title Replacement Fee
"$10" Accessed Sep. 21, 2026
"county Tag Office" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"the lender releases the lien electronically, or signs the release section on a paper title, or gives you Form T-4 when the title isn't available; the released title is then mailed to you" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"MV-16, Affidavit to Certify Immediate Family Relationship" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"your county motor vehicle office (Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, or Kauai)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Safety Inspection Conditions or Status
"The vehicle must have a current, valid State of Hawaii safety inspection certificate at the time of transfer" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"your county assessor's motor vehicle office" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Release of Liability Filing Deadline
"5 days" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Release of Liability Form Name
"Form ITD 3858" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"BMV branch" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"your county treasurer's motor vehicle office" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"the lienholder releases the lien electronically, fills in the lien release section on the face of a paper title, or completes the notarized Form TR-150 (Lien Release) and gives it to the owner or buyer or faxes it to the Titles and Registrations Bureau" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"the lender releases the lien using Form MVT-12 (Release of Lien) or signs the lien release directly on the title. Maine uses an Electronic Lien Titling system for participating lenders. Contact your lender to request the release before listing the car for sale." Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"an RMV Service Center, or through a licensed Massachusetts insurance agent's B2B service" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"a Secretary of State branch office" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"with you" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"any deputy registrar office in Minnesota" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Title Notarization Explanation
"the designated agent who takes the buyer's title application identifies the person signing it and witnesses that signature" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"required" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles Bill of Sale, or Department of Revenue Form 6 as an alternative" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"dual ownership requires both parties to be present unless a notarized power of attorney is provided" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"Service Oklahoma (N Classen) or a Licensed Operator location" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"yes (model year 2000 and older exempt if first registered to the seller before 1/1/2024)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"with "or" between the names, anyone on the title can complete any transaction for that vehicle without the other person's signature; with "and", both people must sign" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"your local county treasurer's office" Accessed Sep. 19, 2026
"for a paper title the lienholder releases the lien on the title or provides a release; for an electronic lien held in the ELT system the lender releases it and the paper title is then issued" Accessed Sep. 19, 2026
"local county clerk's office in person" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"each owner named on the title signs it themselves, since a Texas title never joins two names with "or"; an owner who can't be there can give the other owner a power of attorney to sign for them" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"Emissions testing is a buyer's registration requirement in Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Cache, and Utah counties based on vehicle model year. It is not a condition of sale for the seller." Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"with you" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Title Notarization Explanation
"The title assignment itself never needs a notary; the Affidavit of Loss requires notarization or signing in front of a vehicle licensing agent" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"any lien on the title must be released by a deputy county clerk or accompanied by a lien release or termination statement from the lienholder before the title can transfer" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"the decedent's personal property, including vehicles, must not exceed $200,000, and at least 30 days must have passed since the death" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Affidavit of Heirship (Form DPSMV 1696), revision date 08/17/2023 or later" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$125,000 or less in Louisiana property valued at the date of death, or any value where the death occurred at least 20 years before the affidavit is filed." Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form MV2300 (Statement of Transfer of Vehicles to or by a Surviving Family Member, Domestic Partner or Heir)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"solely-owned property not exceeding $50,000 in value, under Wis. Stat. section 867.03" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"a Nevada DMV office" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$25,000 or less of the decedent's Nevada property, not counting any vehicle registered to them, or $150,000 for a surviving spouse, and at least 40 days after the death" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$100,000, the small estate threshold under Arkansas Code 28-41-101" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"any Arkansas state revenue office, or online through the MyDMV portal" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Duplicate Title Application Form
"Form ITD 3367" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"the lienholder notes the cancellation of the lien on the face of the title over their signature within fifteen days of the final payment and forwards the title to a county motor vehicle office; a lender in the electronic system notifies the department instead, and the title is then printed and mailed" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"any county treasurer's office in Iowa" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Duplicate Title Application Form
"Form MVT-8, Request to Re-issue a Certificate of Title" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form TC-569C (Survivorship Affidavit), or the court documents a probate produces" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$50,000 in personal estate, and no Delaware real estate, for the affidavit path under 12 Del. C. 2306; a larger estate or one holding Delaware real estate goes through probate" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"Form MV12, Application for Title by Non-Probate Transfer" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
What to Do With License Plates
"remove the plates from the car at the handover, then either apply within 24 hours to move them to another vehicle you own or mail them back to the Vermont DMV" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"required for model year 2011 and newer vehicles, with model year 2010 and older, trailers, and vehicles rated over 16,000 lbs exempt" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
"at the county clerk's office" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Title Transfer Form
"no single form: a beneficiary designation form recorded before the death, an affidavit of distributee for a small estate, or letters testamentary or letters of administration where probate is open" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Form Requirements
"If a will or administrator exists, attach a certified copy of the court appointment and a death certificate. For small estates outside formal probate, a simplified affidavit may be allowed. Contact your county clerk for the documents required." Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$208,850 for deaths on or after April 1, 2025 (next adjustment April 1, 2028), with registered vehicles excluded from the total" Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Inherited Vehicle Estate Value Threshold
"$100,000 in total vehicle value for title applications in 2024 and 2025; from 2026 the limit rises each year with the cost of living, and the Department of Treasury certifies each year's figure, under MCL 257.236" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
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