Whether you’re purchasing a used car, or maybe you’re going to purchase a new one, you’re going to find that you’re going to need that important piece of paper.  Without a car title, you can’t claim ownership to the vehicle.

Since all states vary with their car titles, I wanted to show you step by step on how you can transfer your car title to a new owner, or vise versa.  By knowing what to do beforehand, it’s going to make the sales process a lot easier!

#1 Don’t worry about the dealerships

If you’re going to be purchasing a car at your local dealership, 99% of the time, you’re not going to have to worry about the car title.  They are going to do all of this for you.  If you find that the dealership isn’t going to work with you in this regard, keep following the steps.

#2 Sign over the title to the buyer

When you purchase from a private seller, or maybe you’re looking to sell, what you’re going to want to do is grab your title and fill out all the necessary fields in the back.  It’s actually not that hard as long as you follow the directions.  Just make sure that it’s complete.  If it isn’t complete, you will find that the title won’t be able to be transferred.

What happens if you lose your title? If you have lost your car title, you can refer to an older post that I wrote about on lost car titles.

#3 Head down to the DMV

Now, this is where every state is going to vary.  What you’re going to find is that every state is going to have it’s own fees and guidelines.  Be sure to refer to your local state’s DMV to ensure that you have everything.

Generally, what you’re going to need is the following…

  • A receipt / some sort of sale showing that you have purchased it.
  • Proof that the new title has been signed over to you.
  • A VIN for the vehicle.
  • What you purchased the car for.
  • How many miles are on the vehicle.

#4 Fill out forms at the DMV

Most DMV offices are going to make you fill out more paperwork in the office.  If they have more questions, they will ask you at the time.  As long as you have the following mentioned above, you shouldn’t have a hard time getting your title transferred.

#5 Register your new car

While you’re at the DMV, you might as well register your car as well.  You’re going to find that it’s going to be a lot easier to register your car at the same time.  In order to do this, you’re going to need your proof of insurance, proof that you have paid sales tax, as well as certifications showing the car has passed emissions tests, etc.

As you can see, it’s really not that hard to transfer over your car title.  By following these simple steps, you will soon find that it’s fairly a breeze!