If you’re making the Mountain State your new home, you’ll need to transfer the title of your vehicle. Some steps you need to take include:
- Provide your information and signature on the vehicle title
- Complete the title application
- Complete an odometer certification (if applicable)
- Gather payment for the required WV vehicle title fees and sales tax
All the above-listed documents need to be taken to your local WV DMV office. Here’s a more detailed look at how you can transfer your vehicle’s title to West Virginia.
Smog Certification/Vehicle Inspection
Smog certifications are not required for vehicles in West Virginia. However, this state does require a vehicle safety inspection every year. These inspections do not occur simultaneously with the vehicle registration renewals in West Virginia. If you are moving to WV and have a valid vehicle inspection sticker, you are not required to pass a WV vehicle safety inspection upon establishing residency in this state. In West Virginia, the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (WV DMV) works with the West Virginia State Police (WVSP) to perform the state’s vehicle safety inspection program.
How to Transfer Your Vehicle Title in West Virginia?
Whether you are buying or selling a vehicle in West Virginia, you are required to transfer the vehicle’s title. Here are the steps you need to take and the documents you need.
Transferring a Vehicle’s Title As a New Resident of West Virginia
As a new WV resident, you are required to title your vehicle with the WV DMV within 30 days of moving to the state. In order to obtain a valid WV vehicle title, you need to submit the following:
- Your out-of-state vehicle title (if you are paying a vehicle loan and your lender is in possession of the vehicle’s title, you can submit a copy or print out of the vehicle’s title and a letter from your lender stating the company is holding the vehicle’s title.)
- A completed Application for Certificate of Title (Form DMV-1-TR)
- A completed Odometer Certification (Form DMV-TM-1)
- Proof of a valid WV auto insurance policy (you can list your policy on the application)
- Payment for all applicable vehicle titling fees
If you are registering your vehicle at the same time you are titling your vehicle, you are required to show proof of a valid WV auto insurance policy.
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle Purchased From a Private Seller
Once you purchase a vehicle from a private seller, you are required to apply for a vehicle title transfer by submitting the following to your local WV DMV office:
- A completed Application for Certificate of Title (Form DMV-1-TR)
- The current vehicle title that is signed by you and the previous vehicle owner (you must also include your name and address, and odometer reading if your vehicle is less than 20 years old.)
- A notarized bill of sale or the DMV Bill of Sale (Form DMV-7-TR) if the vehicle is being sold at less than 50% of its current value (if you are submitting a notarized bill of sale, you are also required to submit a copy of yours and the seller’s driver’s license. The price provided on the bill of sale must match the sale price listed on the vehicle title certificate)
- Proof of a valid West Virginia auto insurance policy
- Payment for all applicable WV sales tax and title fees
If you don’t have a bill of a sale for a vehicle that has a purchase price under 50% of the current value, you will pay the full sales tax on the vehicle according to the current value. If you purchased the vehicle in West Virginia, you must have the vehicle inspected within 3 days.
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle Purchased From a Dealership
When you purchase a vehicle from a dealership in West Virginia, the dealer must submit all titling paperwork, title fees, and sales tax payments on your behalf.
If you purchase a vehicle from an out-of-state dealership, you need to submit the following to your local WV DMV:
- A completed Application for Certificate of Title (Form DMV-1-TR)
- An invoice with the vehicle’s purchase price (the dealer can use the bottom of the application form, or provide their own dealer invoice)
- The manufacturer’s certificate of origin, assigned to you by the dealer
- Proof of sales tax paid in a different state (if applicable)
- Payment for the vehicle title fees and sales tax
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle You’re Selling in West Virginia
When you’re transferring the vehicle title of a sold vehicle, as the seller, you must complete the vehicle title Application for Certificate of Title (Form DMV-1-TR) and complete an Odometer Certification (Form DMV-TM-1), if applicable.
The buyer must submit payment for the required vehicle title fees and sales tax. All documents and payment must be submitted at a WV DMV office.
How to Transfer a Vehicle Title When the Owner is Deceased?
When the owner of a vehicle passes away, if you intend on keeping the vehicle, and you are listed as the beneficiary on the will, you will need to transfer the vehicle’s title. You will need to know whether the vehicle is part of a probated estate.
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle in a Probated Estate
The vehicle title transfer process in the instance of probate depends on whether the vehicle’s title was solely in the individual’s name as a descendant or joint ownership. If the vehicle title was only in the descendant’s name, you need to know if the estate is being probated.
Probate is a legal process that involves administering the estate of the deceased individual. This legal process takes place when there is no beneficiary or living spouse presented on the will. The probate validates the deceased’s assets and property and proves the last will and testament are legitimate. The Probate Court will determine how you need to proceed with the individual’s belongings. During this process, the deceased person’s property will be distributed based on their will.
If the vehicle in the estate is part of probate, you are required to follow these steps to transfer the vehicle title of the owner who is deceased:
Contact an Attorney or Probate Court
A vehicle’s title will not be transferred until the probate process is complete, so the administrator of the deceased or the executor needs to contact the Probate Court or an attorney quickly to receive further instructions regarding the next steps in the probate process. When the probate process is complete, the heir will receive the vehicle, unless the vehicle was left to the executor. If the vehicle was left to the executor, they can choose to sell the vehicle.
Gather the Required Documentation
While the required documentation to transfer the vehicle title of a deceased person varies from one state to another, in the state of West Virginia, you need to submit all the following documents in order to successfully transfer the vehicle’s title:
- Certificate of title
- Order from Probate Court to transfer the vehicle
- Death certificate
- Odometer disclosure statement
- Transfer fee
Visit the Title Office
If you are listed as the administrator of the deceased individual’s estate or the beneficiary, you can visit your local WV title office with the above-listed documentation to initiate the vehicle title transfer process.
How to Transfer a Vehicle Title Without Probate
The process you are required to follow to transfer the title of a vehicle without probate will vary depending on the state in which you reside. In West Virginia, the deceased person’s property can’t exceed a certain amount and a specific amount of time needs to have passed since the person passed away before the vehicle title transfer can be initiated and completed.
If you are the administrator, spouse, joint-owner, or beneficiary, you may only be required to present the death certificate and the vehicle’s title to your local WV title office, and they will retitle the vehicle’s title without a court order or an attorney.
Transferring the Title of an Inherited Vehicle in West Virginia
If you inherited a vehicle in WV upon the owner’s death, the process you must follow to transfer the title of the vehicle is similar to buying and selling a vehicle in WV.
If you are the surviving owner of a jointly owned vehicle, with the conjunction “or” between your legal name and the name of the deceased, you are able to remove the deceased individual’s name from the vehicle title by completing the title assignment as both the buyer and seller of the vehicle.
If your name and the name of the deceased individual is connected by “and”, the legal heir, executor, or administrator of the estate is required to sign the vehicle title along with the surviving named owner.
When the deceased individual’s name is the only owner listed on the vehicle’s title, the administrator or the executor of the estate can transfer ownership of the vehicle by signing as the vehicle’s seller.
In addition to the required documents listed in the buying and selling a vehicle section listed above, you must submit the following documents in order to transfer owner of an inherited vehicle in West Virginia:
- A certified copy of appointment of executor or administrator of the estate (if applicable)
- Legal Heir Affidavit (Form DMV-185-TR) when there isn’t a will or administrator
How to Transfer Ownership of a Vehicle Without a Title in West Virginia?
In the state of West Virginia, you can’t transfer ownership of a vehicle without a vehicle title. If you have lost or damaged the title, or the vehicle title has been stolen, you need to apply for a duplicate West Virginia vehicle title.
Can I Gift a Car to a Family Member?
When you gift a vehicle, you are required to submit the following to the WV DMV to successfully transfer the vehicle’s title:
- The current vehicle title certificate with the individual gifting the vehicle acting as the seller, and the receiver of the vehicle acting as the buyer.
- A completed Affidavit of Transfer of Ownership Without Consideration (Form DMV-5-TR) This form must be signed by the vehicle’s seller and buyer. An application with this form attached reflecting a sale price will be REJECTED.
- A completed Application for Certificate of Title (Form DMV-1-TR)
- Payment for all applicable WV vehicle title transfer fees (if there is a lien on your vehicle, you will also be required to pay sales tax of 6% of the lien total)
If the vehicle title application is rejected, the original vehicle owner must apply for a duplicate WV vehicle title to use for reapplying.
Transferring a Vehicle Title When You Have an Out-of-State Title
In order to finalize the process of transferring an out-of-state vehicle title in West Virginia, you must meet certain requirements, such as submitting specific documentation and paying all applicable fees to the WV DMV.
The information you need to provide the WV DMV is as follows:
- The out-of-state vehicle title certificate and/or registration card
- A filled out application form
- Proof of a valid WV auto insurance policy
- An odometer statement
- An identification document, such as your valid driver’s license or state ID (if required)
In addition to the above-listed documentation, you may be required to provide additional information to complete the WV vehicle title transfer process.
Requesting a Duplicate Vehicle Title in West Virginia
If you need to replace your vehicle’s title because it is lost or has been damaged, you need to complete and submit an Affidavit of Duplicate Title for a Vehicle or Watercraft (Form DMV-4-TR) Be advised, you will also need to submit a copy of your valid driver’s license along with the replacement vehicle title fee.
Transferring a Vehicle Title With a Lien
Congratulations! You paid off your vehicle loan. Now, the lender will send you the vehicle title certificate reflecting the lien release on your WV vehicle title. Once you receive the vehicle title, you can apply for a clean vehicle title that is free from the lien hold.
How Much Does a Vehicle Title Transfer Cost in West Virginia?
There are different fees associated with vehicle title transfers in West Virginia. The following are base vehicle title transfer fees in the state of West Virginia.
- Title fee: $15.
- Duplicate title fee: $10.
- Lien fee (if applicable): $10.
- Sales tax:
- 6% on vehicles purchased for $500 and up.
- $30 on vehicles purchased for under $500.
If you purchased a vehicle for under 50% of the NADA Clean Loan Book value, you are required to submit a notarized bill of sale or a DMV Bill of Sale (Form DMV-7-TR) with your title application. Failure to include a bill of sale form will result in sales tax based on the NADA Clean Loan Book value.
Where Can I Go to Transfer a Vehicle Title in West Virginia?
There are multiple DMV locations in West Virginia where you can transfer your vehicle’s title and take care of other vehicle-related tasks.
West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles – Franklin Office
100 Thorn Creek Rd. Ste 300
Franklin, WV 26807
(800) 642-9066
Monday-Friday (8:30 AM to 5 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)
West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles – Beckley Office
107 Pinecrest Dr.
Beckley, WV 25801
(800) 642-9066
Monday-Friday (8:30 AM to 5 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)
West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles – Summersville Office
2 Armory Way
Summersville, WV 26651
(800) 642-9066
Monday – Friday (8:30 AM to 5 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)
How to Fill Out the West Virginia Title and Title Transfer Forms
In order to successfully complete the West Virginia vehicle title and title transfer forms, you need to ensure the required signatures of the vehicle’s seller and buyer are present in the designated areas on the vehicle title. You also need to create a bill of sale that provides information about the vehicle, such as its make, year, model, and color. Don’t forget to include the VIN of the vehicle!
If you sold a vehicle instead of gifting it, make sure you add the correct sales tax to the vehicle’s total price. In the “transfer of title by seller” section of the vehicle title, provide an odometer reading, and make sure the recipient of the vehicle provides their signature on the vehicle’s title in the designated spaces.
Be advised that you may be required to submit additional documentation, such as a valid West Virginia vehicle insurance policy that meets or exceeds the state’s minimum coverage limits. You may also be required to provide a valid government-issued photo ID or a foreign passport for valid proof of identification.
My Vehicle Title Was Signed But Never Transferred. What Do I Do?
When a vehicle’s title is signed but not transferred, the vehicle will have an open title. An open vehicle title means the vehicle’s seller didn’t transfer ownership of or register the vehicle in their name, and because of this, the vehicle seller’s name is not provided on the vehicle title, and they do not assume any legal responsibility for anything associated with the vehicle, such as taxes and other fees.
If the vehicle’s seller has lost the title, they can apply for a duplicate WV vehicle title (Form DMV-1-TR) and sign it over to you for you to put in your name. Keep in mind, the individual who is listed on the vehicle’s title must request a duplicate vehicle title.