If you’re driving a car, it has a title. A car title is required for any car, driving on any road, in the US. The car title states the legal owner of the car, this can be an individual or a business. You need to show the certificate of title when you go to insure, or register your vehicle, and may even need it if you find yourself in a legal dispute.
The car title states:
The name of the owner
Owner’s mailing address
The car’s VIN, or vehicle identification number
Type of car
What the car is used for
License plate number
The mileage that was on the odometer when the title was issued
The title of a car gets transferred when you purchase a used vehicle, or if you are selling a vehicle. Transfers also occur when a vehicle is gifted to a family member, and when a new license plate has been issued.
The most common title transfer is in the buying or selling of a used car. You want to be sure the title is properly transferred to confirm you are the legal owner of your new car. (This process is not necessary for the purchase of a new car. The dealer will arrange the title issued.) If you purchase a used car, you will need a completed bill of sale to prove the sale took place.
The bill of sale should include the name, address and signatures of the buyer and the seller, and the VIN number of the car. The year, make and model of the car, mileage and sales price. A bill of sale is necessary even if no money was exchanged in the transfer of ownership. If the owner of the car owed money on a vehicle loan, they need to be able to prove that the loan (lien on the car) has been paid off.
Every state has its own Department of Motor Vehicles or DMV. Visit DMV.org to check out the particular transfer of title requirements of your state.
There is a title transfer section on the title. Where it says “assignment of the title”, have the seller fill this section out completely. Make sure the current odometer reading, date, your full name, and the seller’s signature are included.
Once all of the necessary paperwork has been completed, you can either mail it to the DMV or go to the branch in person. Even though the DMV is known to be busy at times, visiting the branch in person may still be the fasted way to get a title transferred. If you arrive with all of the proper documentation, it only takes a few minutes, once you reach your turn in line.
Regardless of attending in person or sending the forms in the mail, all of the same information is necessary. Make sure to supply the DMV with the previous owner’s title form, and also a form that addresses paying taxes on the vehicle.
At Broward Auto Tags, we can help you with all of your tag and title needs. Whether you need a tag renewal, new registration, or title transfer, we can help with it all! No need to wait in a long line or get a headache like when you go to the DMV, we can help you with all of your auto tag needs. Give us a call or come visit one of our three locations today!