Alaska residents have 30 days from the time they purchase their vehicle or the day from receipt to complete the auto title transfer in their name. Here’s what you need to know about Alaska DMV title transfers.
What Do I Need for an Alaska DMV Title Transfer?
A vehicle title is not a car registration. Before you can initiate or complete a vehicle title transfer in Alaska, you require the following documentation:
- A completed title signed by the sellers and buyers
- A bill of sale
- An odometer verification
- A valid driver’s license
- A completed Title and Registration Application
- Payment for the title transfer fees
AK residents have 30 days after the purchase date of the vehicle to complete and verify the vehicle title transfer process.
Smog Certification/Vehicle Inspection
In Alaska, as of March 1, 2012, residents of this state are no longer required to have emissions tests performed, including Fairbanks North Star Borough and Anchorage. Although AK residents are not required to have emission testing performed, there are eco-friendly driving perks available, such as auto insurance discounts and tax breaks.
How to Transfer Your Title in Alaska
There are different steps that need to be taken and specific documentation that needs to be provided before you can transfer your Alaska vehicle title.
Title Transfer Requirements When Selling a Car
In order to transfer a vehicle title when selling a car in Alaska, it’s a good idea to have the necessary documentation ready before heading to an AK DMV. To complete an Alaska title transfer, you need to:
Notify the Alaska DMV that you have sold the vehicle by:
- Sign and date the title. (If the vehicle is less than 10 years old, you need to provide the vehicle’s mileage on the title. If you have lost the vehicle’s title, you can order a replacement.)
- Providing the necessary information online
- Completing a notice of transfer pending
- Printing and completing the “Notice of Vehicle Sale for Transfer” section of the title and submitting it in person at an Alaska DMV office. You can also mail it to:
State of Alaska
Division of Motor Vehicles
ATTN: Mailouts
3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101
Anchorage, AK 99503
- Provide the signed vehicle title to the buyer
- Get a bill of sale (for the seller) This step is optional.
- Remove all personalized and specialized license plates from the vehicle
NOTE: Keep in mind you can’t sell a vehicle if the vehicle’s title is not free of liens. The vehicle’s buyer is responsible for registering the vehicle in their legal name and completing the title transfer process with the AK DMV.
How to Transfer a Car Title When the Owner Is Deceased
If the owner of a vehicle is deceased and you want to keep the car, you need to complete the necessary paperwork for transferring a vehicle’s title in Alaska when the owner is deceased.
Spouses, beneficiaries, and joint-owners have the legal right to transfer the deceased individual’s vehicle title to another individual. The vehicle title transfer process in this situation depends on if the vehicle is part of a probated estate.
Vehicles That Are Part of a Probated Estate
A probate is a legal process where the deceased individual’s estate is administered. This process often occurs if the deceased individual does not have a living spouse or beneficiary listed on their will. The Probate Court will determine how to proceed with the individual’s belongings. During the probate process, the deceased individual’s estate will be distributed based on their will.
To transfer the vehicle title of a deceased individual in Alaska, follow these steps:
Contact Probate Court and Attorney
A car’s title can’t be transferred until the probate process is complete. The administrator or executive of the deceased needs to contact an attorney or Probate Court as soon as possible to receive further instructions regarding the next steps in the probate process.
Gather the Necessary Documents
It’s best to be as prepared as possible in this situation, so gather these documents to prevent delays in the title transfer process:
- An order from Probate Court to transfer the vehicle’s title
- Certificate of title
- Odometer disclosure statement
- Death certificate
- Payment for the necessary transfer fees
Schedule a Visit to an Alaska Title Office
Beneficiaries and administrators of the deceased individual’s estate can visit their local title office in Alaska with the above-listed documents.
Bypassing the Probate Process
The probate process is extremely detailed, taking weeks or months to complete. You may be able to bypass the probate process.
You can choose to submit a claim to bypass the probate process by completing a DMV title transfer in your legal name by following these steps:
- Signing and dating the title in the buyer’s section (don’t forget to include the vehicle’s mileage on the title.) If the vehicle title is lost, you can request a duplicate title (Form 809).
- Fill out and sign an Affidavit for an estate with assets of $150,000 or less (Form 827).
- Complete an Application for Title and Registration (Form 812).
- Remove all personalized and specialty license plates from the vehicle
- Take the vehicle’s plates, signed title, affidavit(s), and completed application to your local AK DMV office
- Pay the Alaska vehicle title transfer fee of $15
Transferring a Title After a Lease Buyout
As a resident of Alaska, once you purchase a vehicle, you have 30 days from the date of sale to transfer the vehicle’s title to your legal name. The AK DMV transfers titles for:
- Vehicles
- Trucks
- Buses
- Vans
- Motorhomes
- Manufactured homes
- Motorcycles
- Trailers
The Alaska DMV does not transfer titles for camper shells. As an AK resident, you need to follow specific steps to transfer ownership of a vehicle from a different state or to change the conjunction on an Alaska vehicle title. Follow these steps to transfer a vehicle title after a lease buyout:
- Provide ownership documents (vehicle’s title or Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO). These ownership documents must have the applicant’s name printed on the front. If the vehicle was purchased from a dealership, the dealership name must be printed on the front of the document, and a Dealer Reassignment to transfer the vehicle to you.
- Original Vehicle Transaction Application (Form 812). This form needs to be signed in ink by the vehicle owner. Vehicles that are less than 10 years old and weigh less than 12,000 pounds require an odometer reading. In the “contact information” section on the title application, make sure you provide your complete mailing and residence address.
- Registration is required if you are purchasing a used vehicle that has Alaska plates.
- Payment for the applicable fees
- Notarized Power of attorney (required for all transactions if you sign the title on behalf of the vehicle’s owner, including leased vehicles.
- Lien release (required when a lien is present on the MCO and has been paid. In Alaska, a lien release is necessary when a vehicle title has a current lienholder, and you are requesting an Alaska title whether the lien has been paid or not.
Make sure you follow these steps to help you transfer ownership of a vehicle without a title in Alaska.
Can I Gift a Car to a Family Member?
Yes, in the state of Alaska, you can gift a vehicle to a family member. To gift a vehicle to a family member, you need to consider vehicle ownership and vehicle insurance. Although the transfer and ownership process is not excessively complicated, it needs to be done correctly.
Ownership Transfer
Before you can legally transfer ownership of a vehicle in Alaska, you must legally own the vehicle. A lien check is performed to make sure you are the legal owner of the vehicle. If the lien check is clear, you can proceed with the next steps to transferring the vehicle’s ownership.
As the gifter of the vehicle, you are required to complete a Title Transfer Form (Form 827.) The title transfer information can be found on the back of the vehicle’s title. If the car title transfer form is not completed, the gifter of the vehicle will remain the legal owner of the vehicle. All information on the AK DMV forms needs to be legible.
Once all the required information on the title has been completed, the recipient of the vehicle can head to their assigned Alaska DMV location to complete the vehicle title transfer process.
Proof of Insurance
You also need to make sure you have a valid Alaska auto insurance policy. If you are the recipient of the vehicle, you need to make sure you add the vehicle to your insurance policy as soon as possible.
Transferring a Vehicle Title When You Have an Out-of-State Vehicle Title
New residents of Alaska need to transfer their vehicle’s title immediately whether you have purchased an out-of-state vehicle or once you move from one state to Alaska. This title transferring process is known as a cross-state car title transfer, and it allows motorists new to Alaska to transfer their vehicle’s out-of-state car title to Alaska.
Make sure you have the necessary documents before heading to an Alaska DMV.
Before visiting an Alaska DMV, make sure you have these documents ready:
- Proof of ownership (such as the car’s title or the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO)
- Vehicle Transaction Application (Form 812)
- Car registration
- Payment for the applicable fees
- Notarized Power of Attorney (if required)
- Lien release (if required)
New motorists in Alaska need to keep in mind that additional documentation may be required if their vehicle exceeds 8,000 pounds.
Requesting a Duplicate Title
If your vehicle’s title is lost or stolen, you can request a duplicate title. You can apply for a duplicate vehicle title in person or by mail.
In-Person
If you’re applying for a duplicate vehicle title in person, you need to visit your local Alaska DMV office and present:
- A completed Application for Duplicate Title (Form 809)
- A lien release from the lienholder (if required)
- Payment for the $15 title duplication fee
By Mail
You can also apply for a duplicate vehicle title by mail. To submit the duplicate Alaska vehicle title by mail, make sure you sign the Application for Duplicate Title (Form 809) and have it notarized. Mail the application to:
State of Alaska
Division of Motor Vehicles
ATTN: CORRESPONDENCE
3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101
Anchorage, AK 99503
Make sure you include the following information on the vehicle’s title:
- Your printed name
- The vehicle identification (VIN)
- A full vehicle description
- Reason for requesting a duplicate title
- Notarized signature
- $15 title fee
How Much Does a Title Transfer Cost in Alaska?
A title transfer in Alaska costs $15. If you’re a resident of Alaska who lives in a remote area of the state, and does not have a DMV office within 50 miles of their residence, you can mail your paperwork and payment for the fees to:
State of Alaska
Division of Motor Vehicles
3901 Old Seward Highway, Suite 101
Anchorage, AK 99503
It will take a maximum of 4 weeks to process the title and mail it.
Where Can I Go to Transfer a Vehicle Title in Alaska?
You can visit the nearest DMV to transfer a vehicle title in Alaska. Make sure you have the required paperwork to transfer the vehicle title, including payment for the necessary fees, to prevent delays and penalties.
Alaska DMV Hours and Contact Information
Alaska DMV offices are open Monday-Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. These offices are closed on Saturday and Sunday.
How to Fill Out the Alaska Title and Title Transfer Forms
Before you can submit an Alaska vehicle title or title transfer form in person or by mail, you need to ensure the form is complete. The Alaska vehicle title or title transfer form (Form 812) needs to be completed in blue or black ink. Make sure you correctly date and sign all necessary fields on these Alaska DMV forms.
My Car Title Was Signed but Never Transferred. What Do I Do Now?
A car’s title can be signed but never transferred, which is known as an open title. If the car title was never transferred, the seller of the vehicle never transferred ownership of the vehicle or registered the vehicle in their name. If your vehicle has an open title, you can request a duplicate title (Form 809).
The seller of the vehicle can then sign the vehicle over to you, and you can initiate the vehicle title transfer process. The person(s) listed on the vehicle title is responsible for requesting a duplicate title.
Before heading to an Alaska DMV, make sure you have the required documentation ready to prevent delays and avoid penalty fees.