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What Do I Need for a California Title Transfer?

If you live in the state of California, there are different steps you need to take to transfer a vehicle title. Make sure you have the following documentation and other items to initiate a California vehicle title transfer:

  • An Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title (Form REG 227) or the California Certificate of Title
  • The signature of the seller(s)
  • The signature of the lien holder (if applicable)
  • The signature of the buyer(s)
  • Payment for the transfer fee

Depending on the type of title transfer you need to complete, you may be required to submit additional forms. You can submit your CA vehicle title transfer documents and fees (if applicable) to your local California DMV office or by mail to:

DMV
PO Box 942869
Sacramento, CA 94269

Start Your Title Transfer:

Smog Certification/Vehicle Inspection

The state of California requires you to get a smog inspection before you register your California vehicle or renew the registration for a California vehicle, but there are some exceptions.

Your vehicle is not required to have a smog inspection if the vehicle is:

  • A gasoline-powered vehicle and a 1975-year model or older (This exception includes trailers and motorcycles)
  • A diesel-powered vehicle and a 1997-year model or older OR the vehicle has a Gross Vehicle Weight that exceeds 14,000 pounds.
  • More than 14,000 pounds and is powered by natural gas
  • An electric vehicle
  • A gasoline-powered vehicle that is less than 8 model years old

If any vehicle you have meets any of these criteria, you are not required to have an emissions test performed.

How to Transfer Your Vehicle Title in California?

When there’s a change to a vehicle or vessel’s registered owner or lien holder, this change needs to be updated in California’s DMV records within 10 days, and the California Certificate of Title needs to be transferred to the new owner. A change in vehicle ownership often occurs because:

  • Inheritance
  • Sale, gift, or donation
  • Adding or deleting the name of an owner
  • Satisfaction of lien (full payment of car loan)

If you need the vehicle title in a hurry, you have the option to apply for a rush title.

Rush Title Processing

If you need to expedite the title process, you can do so by requesting a rush title process for an additional fee.

Transfer Fees

Depending on the type of vehicle title transfer you need, you may be subject to pay the following fees:

  • Transfer
  • Replacement title
  • Registration
  • Use tax, based on the buyer’s county of residence
  • Penalties

You are not required to pay renewal fees and parking/toll violation fees to receive your replacement California Certificate of Title.

Title Transfer Requirements When Selling a Car in California

If you’re purchasing a new car from a dealership, the dealer handles the paperwork, and you will receive your CA vehicle title from the DMV in the mail.

When the ownership of a vehicle is transferred between two private parties, it’s up to the private parties to transfer the vehicle title.

If you have possession of the California Certificate of Title for the vehicle, the seller will sign the title to release ownership of the vehicle. The buyer needs to take the signed vehicle title to their local CA DMV office to apply for transfer of ownership.

If you don’t have the California Certificate of Title, you can use an Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title (REG 227) to transfer ownership of the vehicle. If you have a lien holder release, it must be notarized. The buyer needs to take the completed form to their local CA DMV office and receive a new registration and title. Make sure you have all required signatures on the proper sections to avoid penalties and delays.

Other Steps the Seller Needs to Follow When Vehicle Ownership is Transferred

There are other steps the seller needs to follow when vehicle ownership is transferred in California, such as:

  • Disclosure odometer mileage reading on the Vehicle Transfer and Reassignment Form (Form REG 262). Use Form REG 227 if the vehicle is 10 years old or older, a commercial vehicle with a GVW or CGW weighing more than 16,000 pounds, or the vehicle is new and being transferred prior to its first retail sale by a dealer.
  • Complete a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL) (Form REG 138) within 5 days of releasing the ownership of a vehicle. Keep a copy of the transfer for your records.

Once the buyer receives the required documentation and the CA DMV receives the completed NRL, the seller’s part of the transaction is complete.

If the vehicle has been sold multiple times with the same vehicle title, a REG 262 form is required from each seller.

Other Steps the Buyer Needs to Follow When Vehicle Ownership is Transferred

There are other steps the buyer needs to follow then vehicle ownership is transferred in California, such as:

  • Check the vehicle registration card for:
    • Current registered owner(s), how the names are listed (“and/or”), and lien holder/legal owner (if any). You also need to check for the license plate number, vehicle identification number (VIN), make, model, year, and registration expiration date, and title brands (if any). Pay attention to the words “Nontransferable/No California Title Issued,” meaning a California title was not issued, and a REG 227 form can’t be used.
  • Get a smog inspection (if applicable)

When the buyer provides the CA DMV with the proper documentation and fees, the vehicle’s record is updated to reflect the change of ownership, and a vehicle registration card is issued. A new CA vehicle title is issued from the DMV headquarters within 60 calendar days.

How to Transfer a Car Title When the Owner is Deceased?

When a vehicle owner passes away, the process for transferring the car title of a deceased person varies depending on whether the vehicle’s title was in the individual’s name as a defendant or whether the vehicle was in joint ownership. If the vehicle title was solely in the descendant’s name, the individual will need to determine if the estate is being probated.

Probate occurs when the estate of an individual who has passed away is administered. This legal process happens when there are no living beneficiaries or living spouses listed on the will. The probate is proof that the last will and testament are legitimate and checking out the deceased person’s assets and property.

After these steps are taken, the Probate Court will determine how to proceed with the deceased individual’s belongings. During this process, the deceased individual’s property is distributed based on the instructions in their will.

If the vehicle is part of a probated estate, follow these steps to transfer the car title of a deceased individual:

Contact Probate Court and Attorney

A vehicle’s title can’t be transferred until the probate process is completed. In this situation, the executor or administrator of the deceased individual needs to contact Probate Court or an attorney as soon as possible and await further instructions. Once the probate process is complete, the heir will obtain the vehicle, or the executor can choose to sell it if he or she was the individual given the vehicle.

Gather the Required Documents to Transfer the Car Title of a Deceased Individual

The required documents required to transfer the vehicle title of a deceased individual vary from state to state, you need to obtain the following for a CA car title transfer of a deceased individual:

  • Order from Probate Court to transfer the vehicle
  • Certificate of title
  • Odometer disclosure statement
  • Death certificate
  • Transfer fee

Visit the Title Office

If you are the administrator or beneficiary of the deceased individual’s estate, you can visit your local title office with the above-stated documents to start the CA vehicle title transfer.

How to Transfer a Car Title Without Probate

To transfer a CA vehicle title without probate varies depending on the state you reside. In California, this state requires the deceased individual’s property not to exceed a specific amount and for a certain amount of time to pass since the individual has passed away before the vehicle title transfer can be initiated.

In California, if you are the joint-owner, beneficiary, administrator, or spouse, you may only be required to take the death certificate and title of the vehicle to your local title office, and they will retitle it for you. During this process, no attorneys or court orders are required.

Transferring a Title After a Lease Buyout

In order to change your name on a vehicle title after a lease buyout when you purchase a vehicle from a leasing company, you are required to have the vehicle title issued in your name. The title must also be issued in your name before you can transfer or sell the vehicle. You can transfer the vehicle’s title in person at your local CA DMV office or by mail.

How to Transfer Ownership of a Car Without a Title in California?

If you do not have possession of the California Certificate of Title, you need to request an Application for Duplicate or Transfer of Title (Form REG 227) to properly transfer vehicle ownership. If you require a lien release, it must be notarized. The buyer of the vehicle needs to complete the Transfer of Title form and take it to their local CA DMV office to receive a new vehicle registration and title.

Can I Gift a Car to a Family Member?

If you are signing over a vehicle’s title to a family member or other owner, you are required to provide the recipient of the vehicle with:

  • A signed vehicle title (the title must be signed by the new owner and the transferor, plus the signatures of any lien that is attached to the vehicle (if applicable)
  • Transferors who are missing their vehicle’s title must apply for an Application for Duplicate of Transfer of Title, and it must be signed by both the new owner and transferor.
  • Odometer reading (if there isn’t any space to provide the odometer mileage, complete a Vehicle/Vessel Title Transfer and Reassignment Form (Form 262)
  • A smog certification, unless you’re gifting the vehicle to a family member or your vehicle is 4 model years or fewer and not diesel-powered

You are required to complete the title transfer process within 5 days from the date you gift the vehicle. You will also need to submit a release of liability form to your local CA DMV. Once the DMV receives this form, you are no longer held accountable or responsible for the vehicle.

Transferring a Vehicle Title When You Have an Out-of-State Vehicle Title

As a resident of California, you are required to title your out-of-state vehicle within 20 days of establishing residency in the state. If you’re currently a resident of CA, you are required by the CA DMV to transfer the vehicle title in your name 10 days after the purchase date.

Requesting a Duplicate California Vehicle Title

In order to request a duplicate vehicle title in California, you need to visit your local CA DMV and:

  • Complete an Application for Duplicate Title (Form REG 227)
  • Payment for the duplicate title fee of $23

Once you finish these steps, return the application to the CA DMV in person or by mail.

Applying for a Duplicate CA Vehicle Title

If you need to apply for a duplicate California vehicle title, you can submit your request for a duplicate vehicle title in person or by mail by:

  • Downloading, printing, and completing the Application for Duplicate Title Form (Form REG 227). Keep in mind the legal owner of the vehicle must sign this form and have it notarized. When filling out this form, remember to include:
  • Owner’s full name and current address
    • Owner’s driver’s license number
    • Vehicle’s license plate number
    • Signature to the state of facts regarding why the vehicle’s title needs to be replaced (lost, damaged, etc.)
    • Damaged title (if applicable)

As a California resident, you can also use a duplicate vehicle title form for paperless title certification, transfer of title with duplicate title, or transfer a vehicle title with a paperless title.

How to Submit a Duplicate Title Application in California

You can submit a duplicate CA title application:

  • Online
  • By mail
  • In-person

By Mail

Mail the duplicate vehicle title application to:

Department of Motor Vehicles
Vehicle Registration Operations
PO Box 942869
Sacramento, CA 94269

In-Person

You can also apply for a vehicle title in person at your local California Department of Motor Vehicles. Don’t forget to bring your valid driver’s license.

Application Fees

The application fee you are required to pay depends on the type of vehicle you have, and this fee is subject to change. The standard duplicate title fee is $23.

How Much Does a Vehicle Title Transfer Cost in California?

If you complete the vehicle title transfer on time, the CA DMV charges a $15 fee to process your title transfer. California vehicle owners have 30 days from the date they purchase the vehicle to complete a vehicle title transfer. Additional fees can include registration fees and use-tax.

Where Can I Go to Transfer a Vehicle Title in California?

California has a variety of DMV locations you can visit to handle all of your vehicle titling needs.

Department of Motor Vehicles
7 Foursquare Tips
3190 S Higuera St
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 543-3994

California Department of Motor Vehicles – Oakland Office
5300 Claremont Ave
Oakland, CA 94618
(800) 777-0133
Monday-Friday (8AM to 5PM)
Saturday and Sunday – Closed

State of California Department of Motor Vehicles
1365 N. Grand Avenue
Suite 102
Covina, CA 91724
Monday-Friday (7Am to 4PM)
Saturday and Sunday – Closed

How to Fill Out the California and Title Transfer Forms?

California vehicle owners are required to complete the California vehicle title transfer process on each occasion the vehicle possession changes regardless of the circumstances that surround the change of vehicle ownership.

In addition to transferring an auto title after you buy or sell a vehicle, you are also required to meet the corresponding CA car title transfer requirements if you received the vehicle as an inheritance or as a gift.

In order to complete the corresponding title transfer for California vehicles, motorists need to meet several vehicle title transfer requirements, including submitting specific paperwork and paying the applicable fees. The fees you are required to pay will depend on the circumstances of the ownership transfer.

The California title transfer requirements that are needed to legalize the ownership transfer after a private sale are:

  • A correctly endorsed title containing the seller’s signature, buyer’s signature, and any lien release signatures (if applicable)
  • Bill of sale (if required)
  • An odometer mileage statement (if the title does not have a designated section to provide the odometer mileage, and the vehicle is newer than a specific number of model years, a separate odometer mileage statement is required)
  • Proof of smog certification (if applicable)

If you are completing a California vehicle title transfer after the death of the original owner, you may be required to submit a particular DMV affidavit.

My Car Title Was Signed But Never Transferred. What Do I Do?

A car title that is signed but never transferred means the vehicle’s seller didn’t transfer ownership or register the vehicle in their name. A California vehicle title that is not transferred is considered an open title. Vehicles with an open title mean the seller did not put the vehicle in their name, so they are not legally responsible for the vehicle. In the event a buyer loses the vehicle title, the title is temporarily open. The solution to this problem is to request a duplicate vehicle title. The person whose name is listed on the title is responsible for requesting the duplicate title and signing it over to the buyer to put in their name.

Make sure you have the necessary documentation and payment for all applicable fees to avoid penalties and delays with the California title transfer process.

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