What Do I Need for a Minnesota Title Transfer?
In order to successfully transfer a vehicle title in Minnesota, you need different documentation. In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, you need to follow these steps to transfer a vehicle’s title:
- Complete an Application to Title and Register a Motor Vehicle (Form PS2000)
- Have the original vehicle owner sign the vehicle title certificate over to you
- Submit the required paperwork and applicable payments to the Minnesota Driver Vehicle Services (DVS)
Keep in mind, you may need additional documents to complete the vehicle title transfer process in Minnesota.
Smog Certification/Vehicle Inspection
Minnesota does not require emission tests at this time. This testing program came to an end in 1999 when St. Paul and Minneapolis failed to meet the requirements of the federal government’s air quality standards.
How to Transfer Your Vehicle Title in Minnesota?
When you need to transfer a vehicle title in Minnesota, there are different steps you need to take to ensure the process is completed successfully.
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle as a New Resident of Minnesota
Once you have moved to Minnesota, you have 60 days to register your vehicle and apply for a Minnesota vehicle title with the MN DVS.
To successfully complete a Minnesota vehicle title as a new resident, you need:
- Proof of ownership (either the current vehicle title or your current registration if you don’t have the vehicle’s title)
- A completed Application to Title and Register a Motor Vehicle (Form PS2000). Keep in mind, all vehicle owners are required to sign the application.
An odometer reading on the application - Valid identification
- The leasing agreement or power of attorney IF your vehicle is under lease (this paperwork must include the leasing company’s MN tax ID number)
Payment for all applicable MN title transfer fees and taxes
Once you have gathered the following documents and payment, you can visit your local MN DVS office and initiate the vehicle title transfer process.
Transferring a Title When You Are Buying or Selling a Vehicle in MN
Vehicle title transfers are required whenever the ownership of a vehicle changes. Here’s what you need to know when you are transferring a vehicle’s title if you’re buying or selling a vehicle.
Transferring the Vehicle Title When Buying a Vehicle From a Dealer
As the buyer of a vehicle from a dealership, you may not have to worry about the title transfer process because the dealer usually handles this process. All car dealers must submit the necessary vehicle title and registration paperwork to the MV DVS for you.
Transferring a Title When You Are Buying a Vehicle From a Private Seller
When you purchase a vehicle from a private seller, as the buyer, it is your responsibility to complete the vehicle title transfer process. The Minnesota vehicle transfer of ownership is made on the certificate of title. You and the vehicle’s seller need to provide the following information on the vehicle’s title:
- The buyer’s information, such as their full name and date of birth
- Signatures of all vehicle buyers (if the vehicle is subject to a loan, all buyers must sign the title and acknowledge the loan)
If your post office is delivering the vehicle title to a P.O. Box, you are required to submit a letter stating this fact.
- If the vehicle has a gross weight that exceeds 10,000 pounds, and the vehicle will be used as a commercial vehicle, you are required to provide the USDOT number
Once the MN vehicle title is complete, you need to submit the vehicle title certificate and all applicable payments to the MN DVS. You can submit this paperwork in person or by mail at:
Driver and Vehicle Services – Central Office
Town Square Building
445 Minnesota St, Suite 187
St. Paul, MN 55101
Transferring a Vehicle Title When You Are Selling a Vehicle
When you are selling a vehicle, you have different responsibilities and paperwork than you would if you were purchasing a vehicle in MN.
As the private seller of a vehicle in MN, you must provide the following information on the vehicle title certificate:
- Printing your name
- Signing the assignment area
- Providing the date of sale
- Providing the sale price in the sales tax declaration section of the title
- Proving an accurate odometer disclosure statement, unless the vehicle is over 10 years old, weighs over 16,000 pounds, or isn’t self-propelled
- Provide a damage disclosure (if the vehicle is less than 6 years old)
- Complete and remove the recorded owner(s) Record of Sale stub
You are also required to report the sale of the vehicle to the MN DVS in person or by mail. If you have lost your vehicle’s title, you are required to apply for a duplicate vehicle title to initiate the vehicle title transfer.
If you are reporting the sale of the vehicle by mail, send the notification to this address:
Driver and Vehicle Services – Central Office
Town Square Building
445 Minnesota St, Suite 187
St. Paul, MN 55101
How to Transfer a Vehicle Title When the Owner is Deceased?
When the owner of a vehicle passes away, and you plan to keep the vehicle, gift it or sell it, you must transfer that vehicle’s title. As the surviving spouse, beneficiary, or joint owner, you have the legal authority to transfer the vehicle’s title to someone else when the vehicle’s owner passes away. Before you try to initiate the MN title transfer process, you need to know if the vehicle is part of a probated estate.
When a vehicle’s owner passes away, and you want to transfer the title of their vehicle, the steps you take to complete this process depend on whether the vehicle’s title was solely in the descendant’s name or joint ownership. If the title is only in the descendant’s name, you need to know if the estate is being probated.
The probate proves the last will and testament are legitimate, and during this process, the deceased individual’s property is distributed based on their will. The Probate Court determines how to proceed with the individual’s belongings.
If the vehicle is part of a probated estate, you need to follow these steps to successfully transfer the vehicle title of a deceased individual:
Contact an Attorney and Probate Court
The executor or administrator of the individual’s estate needs to contact an attorney or Probate Court to receive further instructions on the next steps in this process. A vehicle’s title can’t be transferred until the probate is complete. When the probate process is complete, unless the executor was given the vehicle, the heir will receive the vehicle. If the executor was given the vehicle, they can choose to sell the vehicle or gift it to someone.
Gather the Required Documents
The required documents for this situation vary from state to state, but you need to make sure you have all the following standard documentation, including:
- Death certificate
- Order from Probate Court to transfer the vehicle
- Odometer disclosure statement
- Certificate of title
- Transfer fee
Visit the Title Office
Beneficiaries of the vehicle or administrators of the deceased individual’s estate can visit their local title office with the above documentation to initiate the vehicle title transfer.
How to Transfer a Vehicle Title Without Probate
If you’re transferring a vehicle’s title without probate in Maine, the deceased individual’s property can’t exceed a certain amount and a specific amount of time needs to have passed since the individual passed away.
A death certificate and the vehicle’s title may be the only document that beneficiaries, joint-owners, spouses, or administrators need to take to their local title office. Once at the title office, the vehicle’s title can be retitled, and no court order or attorney is required.
Inheriting a Vehicle in Minnesota
If you inherited a vehicle, there are specific steps you are required to take to transfer the title of the vehicle. In this situation, a will is not an acceptable document for transferring ownership of a vehicle in Minnesota.
Transferring a Vehicle Title as a Joint Owner
If you are listed as one of the owners on the vehicle’s title, you can successfully transfer the vehicle’s title in your name by taking the following documentation to your local MN DVS office:
- The current vehicle title
- Proof of death, which can be a copy of the death certificate, obituary notice, or memorial card
To complete this vehicle title transfer, follow the steps for buying or selling a vehicle in Minnesota.
Transferring a Vehicle as a Court-Appointed Executor
If you are appointed as the executor of a probate estate, you are allowed to complete a vehicle title transfer as the seller on the vehicle title certificate. To complete the vehicle title transfer, you are required to submit a certified copy of one of the following:
- Letters of Administration (if multiple executors exist, all executors are required to sign the vehicle title unless the letter indicates that the executors can act independently)
Probate Court order setting the vehicle aside for the surviving spouse - Decree of Partial Distribution awarding the vehicle to the person applying for the vehicle title
- Final Decree of Distribution noting new vehicle owners (all persons named on this decree who wish to not be named on the vehicle’s title are required to assign ownership of the current vehicle title certificate to the individuals who will remain on the vehicle title)
When you have the required documentation, you need to follow the steps to buy or sell a vehicle to complete the MN vehicle title transfer in this situation.
Transferring a Vehicle Title as a Relative or Friend (Estate Not Probated)
If you are dealing with an estate that is not probated, you can assign ownership of a vehicle on the certificate of title. To complete the vehicle transfer in this situation, you need to submit the vehicle title and proof of death documentation to the Driver and Vehicle Services Division with one of the following documents:
- Affidavit of Surviving Spouse/Not Subject to Probate (Form PS2071) (this form is for surviving spouses or heir at law, such as an adult child, parent, or sibling)
- Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property (applicable when no legal heir exists)
The signatures on the above-stated documents must be notarized or witnessed by an MN DVS office. Be advised, you may also be required to pay a vehicle title transfer fee.
Transferring the Vehicle Title as a Trustee
If you are appointed as a trustee, you can transfer ownership of a vehicle by titling the vehicle in the names of both the trust and the grantor(s) of the trust, such as the previous vehicle owner(s).
In addition to the assigned vehicle title, you must also submit the following to the MN DVS:
- A copy of the trust indicating you as the trustee
- Proof of death
- A declaration stating the applicant is inheriting the vehicle, or a copy of the trust that shows the beneficiary, if the new vehicle owner is a legal heir
- Payment for the MN vehicle title transfer fee
Transferring a Vehicle Title as the Legal Heir (Named in the Will)
If you inherited a vehicle as a legal heir, you don’t have to pay sales tax on the vehicle. You can use the will as proof of inheritance for tax exemption purposes. You will need to follow one of the vehicle title transfer processes listed above based on your specific situation to transfer the title of the vehicle.
Transferring a Title After a Lease Buyout
You’ve paid off your vehicle loan! Congratulations. Now that you’ve paid off the loan, the lender is required to release the lien on the vehicle. The lender must do this before you can obtain the vehicle’s title. The lender is responsible for releasing the vehicle lien by submitting the following documentation to the Minnesota DVS:
- The vehicle title
- Lien Notification signed by the lender (this form must be notarized)
- Completed Notification of Assignment, Release of Grant of Secured Interest (Form PS3017)
If the lender hasn’t initiated the process, contact your lender to determine the delay.
How to Transfer Ownership of a Vehicle Without a Title in Minnesota?
If you don’t have your vehicle’s title, and the MN DVS has no record of ownership for the vehicle, you need to submit the following documents and payment to your local Minnesota DVS to complete the vehicle title transfer process:
- A completed Application to Title and Register a Motor Vehicle (Form PS2000) The seller and buyer must complete the vehicle title. If the vehicle’s seller isn’t present, you can submit a bill of sale.
- A completed Statement of Facts (Form PS2002) The seller of the vehicle needs to provide as much information as possible regarding the vehicle, such as:
- When and how the vehicle was acquired
- Why there is no proof of ownership available
- Vehicle identification number (VIN)
- Make, model, and year of the vehicle
- A statement of Protection (required for the buyer) As the buyer in this situation, you must make the following statement and sign the vehicle title:
- “I agree to defend and protect the State of Minnesota against any and all future claims of ownership which may arise after I am issued a Minnesota title and registration card.”
- Vehicle buyers are required to submit pictures showing all sides of the vehicle
- Vehicle buyers may be required to obtain a surety bond to protect the state from any and all claims of ownership (the MN DVS will notify you if you’re required to meet these criteria)
These steps need to be followed exactly to ensure there are no delays or additional fees because of penalties.
Can I Gift a Vehicle to a Family Member?
The process for transferring the title of a gifted vehicle is the same as transferring the title of a vehicle being purchased or sold. Keep in mind, it’s the vehicle buyer’s responsibility to submit the assigned vehicle title and payment for the vehicle title transfer fees to their local MN DVS.
If you donate or gift a vehicle in Minnesota, you are required to complete a report of sale, which you can do online or by mailing the vehicle title’s recorded owner(s) Record of Sale stub.
Transferring a Vehicle Title When You Have an Out-of-State Title
If you have an out-of-state vehicle title, you need to register and title your vehicle within 60 days of establishing residency in MN. Your vehicle is required to be registered whether it is new or used.
You are responsible for submitting the necessary documents before the vehicle title transfer process can be initiated. You need the following documentation to transfer the title of an out-of-state vehicle in Minnesota:
- Proof of ownership
- An Application to title and register the vehicle
- Valid proof of identification
- A copy of the leasing agreement or power of attorney
- Proof of a valid MN vehicle insurance policy
You may be required to submit additional documents depending on your specific situation, such as the bill of sale. If you are required to submit a bill of sale, you need to include the vehicle’s purchase date, the price, and the names of the parties involved in the sale.
Requesting a Duplicate Vehicle Title in Minnesota
If you no longer have your vehicle’s title in your possession, you must order a duplicate MN vehicle title by:
- Completing an Application for Duplicate Title, Registration, Cab or Lien Card (Form PS2067A)
- Paying the Minnesota duplicate vehicle title fee of $7.25
- Submitting the above-mentioned document and payment in-person at your local DVS office or by mail to the address listed on the application
Whether your vehicle’s title has been lost, damaged beyond repair, or stolen, you are required to request a duplicate vehicle title.
How Much Does a Title Transfer Cost in Minnesota?
There are different fees associated with vehicle title transfers in Minnesota. The following fees are the standard vehicle title transfer fees in Minnesota:
- Filing fee: $11
- Vehicle title transfer fee: $8.25
- Per lien recordation fee: $2
- Public safety vehicle fee: $3.50
- Vehicle transfer tax: $10
- Security interest assignment: $1
- Duplicate vehicle title fee: $7.25
In addition to these fees, you may be subject to pay tax on your vehicle, which is calculated by your vehicle’s age and base value.
New residents of Minnesota who are transferring their vehicle title in this state may be required to pay either of the following:
- 6.5% of the vehicle’s purchase price
- A $10 In-Lieu tax if the vehicle is 10 years old or older AND its price and market value is less than $3,000
- A $150 In-Lieu tax if the vehicle is registered or will be registered as a Collector, Street Rod, Pioneer, or Classic passenger vehicle
Be advised there are other fees that may apply in this situation based on your unique situation.
Where Can I Go to Transfer a Vehicle Title in Minnesota?
There are different locations in Minnesota that allow you to transfer a vehicle’s title.
Driver and Vehicle Services
2455 Fernbrook Ln N
Plymouth, MN 55447
(952) 476-3042
Monday – Friday (8 AM to 5:15 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)
MN DVS Deputy Registrar Office
Department of Motor Vehicles
2929 Chicago Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55407
(612) 348-8240
Monday – Friday (9 AM to 6 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)
Department of Motor Vehicles
2737 Lexington Ave N
Roseville, MN 55113
(651) 792-7010
Monday – Friday (8 AM to 5 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)
How to Fill Out the Minnesota Title and Title Transfer Forms
All required Minnesota vehicle title and title transfer forms need to be filled out completely in order for them to be processed by the MN DVS. A bill of sale needs to created to disclose information pertaining to the vehicle, such as its year, color, make, and model. Make sure you include the vehicle’s VIN.
When you sell a vehicle instead of gifting it, you are required by Minnesota law to add sales tax to the vehicle’s total price. You must also provide an odometer reading in the “transfer of title by seller” section of the vehicle’s title, or provide it separately.
Depending on your specific situation, you may be required to provide additional documentation, such as proof of a valid MN vehicle insurance policy that meets or exceed the coverage minimums specified by Minnesota state law. You may also be required to provide a valid government-issued photo ID, but if you don’t have one, a foreign passport is an acceptable proof of identification.
My Car Title Was Signed But Never Transferred. What Do I Do?
If a vehicle’s title is signed, but not transferred, the vehicle’s title is considered open. In this situation, the seller of the vehicle didn’t transfer ownership or register the vehicle in their name. Since the vehicle is not registered in their name, they can’t be held responsible for anything associated with the vehicle, such as fees and taxes.
If the vehicle’s seller has lost the title, the seller or the person listed on the title is responsible for requesting a duplicate vehicle title. Once the seller has the vehicle’s title, they can sign it over to you for you to put it in your name.