In the state of Nebraska, you are required to present specific documentation and payment to initiate a vehicle title transfer. In this state, you must have a vehicle title, vehicle inspection form, and other documentation, in addition to fees that must be paid during an NE vehicle title transfer.
Smog Certification/Vehicle Inspection in Nebraska
The state of Nebraska doesn’t require its residents to perform emission tests or safety inspections on their vehicles. However, as a resident of Nebraska, you are required to have a VIN inspection for registration purposes. You will also need an odometer reading. Be advised that certain vehicles are exempt and are not required to meet certain standards.
New Residents of Nebraska
As a new resident of Nebraska, you are required to have your vehicle inspected before you can title and register your vehicle with the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. Once you establish residency in Nebraska, you have 30 days to title and register your vehicle.
Vehicle Inspections in NE
Although smog checks and emission inspections are not required in the state of Nebraska, you are required to have a vehicle inspection performed to register your vehicle. Vehicle inspections check the vehicle identification number (VIN) against your odometer reading, current vehicle title and/or registration.
Keep in mind, your vehicle’s current odometer reading is strictly for the County Sheriff’s Office’s use, and this factor won’t determine if your vehicle passes or fails inspection.
Vehicle Inspection Exemptions in Nebraska
Unless your vehicle is currently on the exemption list, your vehicle is required to undergo the same inspection process for Nebraska vehicle registration. Exempt vehicles include:
- Vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), minibikes, and trailers that are moved in from a different state.
- Assembled vehicles, ATVs, and minibikes.
- ATVs and minibikes that don’t have titles.
- A vehicle, ATV, or minibike that possesses a Salvage Certificate of Title, IF you’re making an application for a regular Certificate of Title.
- Vehicles in need of Assigned ID numbers or vehicle identification numbers (VINs).
- Any vehicle the Nebraska DMV or County Sheriff’s Office decides needs an inspection to determine whether it meets the definition of a motor vehicle.
Vehicle Inspection Requirements in Nebraska
Vehicle inspections are a requirement of Nebraska residents. Nebraska vehicle inspections are performed at a County Sheriff’s Office. The inspection requirements in this state are as follows:
- Your vehicle needs to have all its major components properly attached
- Provide ownership documentation (if you have a lien on your vehicle, you are required to ask the appropriate county official to contact the lien holder or leasing company to request a copy of the vehicle’s title. Keep in mind, your vehicle can’t be inspected until your vehicle title is received)
- Payment for the $10 inspection fee
- The completed and signed Nebraska vehicle inspection form
- A completed and signed Application for Certificate of Title (Form RV-707)
- A properly assigned out-of-state Certificate of Title
- The Bill of Sale and/or Certificate of Title for all component parts (if the vehicle is assembled)
- The Salvaged Certificate of Title (if you’re applying for a previously salvaged certificate of title
When the county official receives all required documentation, you can initiate the vehicle registration process. If you are applying in person, you will receive your proof of registration, stickers, and license plates the same day.
Be advised, Nebraska vehicle inspections are valid for 90 days. Make sure you get another vehicle inspection before this time runs out.
How to Transfer Your Vehicle Title in Nebraska?
There are different steps you need to take to transfer a vehicle title in Nebraska. Be advised you will also have to pay one or multiple fees to complete the vehicle title transfer process.
Transferring a Vehicle Title As a New Resident of Nebraska
As a new resident of Nebraska, you have 30 days to title your vehicle with the NE Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
To apply for a Nebraska vehicle title, you need to submit the following to your local county DMV office:
- Proof of ownership by providing one of the following:
- Vehicle title certificate from the previous state
- Registration and notarized bill of sale (if your previous state does not issue vehicle titles)
- A completed Application for Certificate of Title (Form RV-707)
- Vehicle inspection form (you are required to pass a vehicle inspection of your vehicle identification number (VIN) and provide an odometer reading
- Payment for the NE vehicle titling fee of $10
Transferring the Title of an Out-of-State Vehicle with Liens in Nebraska
If your vehicle has a lien on it, the NE DMV will contact your lender and have the vehicle title sent to their office. The DMV needs to photocopy the vehicle title, so you can use it to get your vehicle inspected. When the vehicle title application is processed, the new vehicle title is sent back to your lender.
Transferring a Vehicle Title When Buying or Selling a Vehicle in Nebraska
Whether you are transferring the title of a vehicle you purchased or one you are selling, the state of Nebraska requires you to take certain steps to complete this task successfully.
Transferring a Vehicle Title When Buying a New Vehicle in Nebraska
In the state of Nebraska, you are required to title your vehicle within 30 days of the purchase date. In order to successfully transfer the title of a vehicle you purchased, you need to submit the following documents and payment to your local county DMV office:
- Proof of ownership documentation:
- Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO) for new vehicles that have not been titled
- Title certificate properly assigned to you by the seller
- A completed Application for Certificate of Title (Form RV-707)
- Payment for the Nebraska vehicle title fee of $10 (if there is a lien on the vehicle, there is a lien notification fee of $7)
Transferring a Vehicle Title When Buying a Used Vehicle
When you need to transfer the title of a used vehicle in Nebraska, there is certain documentation you need to provide. Make sure you submit the following documents and payment(s) to your county treasurer within 30 days of the purchase date to successfully complete the vehicle title transfer of a used car in Nebraska:
- The properly assigned vehicle title certificate (this vehicle certificate should include your name, address, signature, and an odometer certification completed by the seller) Be advised, older vehicle titles may not have a section to provide an odometer reading. You can provide a separate Odometer Disclosure Statement (Click here to download the form) Make sure you provide the vehicle seller’s signature.
- A bill of sale or Nebraska Sales/Use Tax and Tire Fee Statement for Motor Vehicle and Trailer Sales (Form 6) This form is only available at a county treasurer’s office, and the vehicle’s seller needs to provide this form.
- A vehicle inspection form (if you are purchasing a vehicle from out of state)
- A completed Application for Certification of Title (Form RV-707)
- Payment for the $10 title fee and sales tax (lien notation fee of $7 if applicable)
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle You’re Selling in Nebraska
It is the vehicle buyer’s responsibility to complete the NE vehicle title transfer process. However, as the seller of the vehicle, you are required to provide the vehicle’s buyer with the following:
- The vehicle title certificate (you are required to complete the seller section and odometer disclosure portion of the vehicle title) If there is no section for an odometer disclosure on the vehicle title, you must complete a separate Odometer Disclosure Statement (click here for the form)
- A bill of sale or Nebraska Sales/Use Tax and Tire Fee Statement for Motor Vehicle and Trailer Sales (Form 6) This form is available at any county treasurer’s office)
Be aware, you can’t make corrections on the vehicle title if you provide incorrect information on the title. If you need to make corrections on your vehicle title, you need to request a duplicate vehicle title certificate (Form RV-707a).
How to Transfer a Car Title When the Owner is Deceased?
If you are the beneficiary of the vehicle, if you decide you want to keep the vehicle, you need to transfer the vehicle’s title. As the beneficiary, you can gift the vehicle to a family member or sell the vehicle to another individual.
As a surviving spouse, beneficiary, or joint-owner, you have the legal authority to transfer the title of the vehicle in question to someone else when the owner of the vehicle passes away, but you need to know whether the vehicle is part of a probated estate.
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle That is Part of a Probated Estate
When the owner of a vehicle passes away, the steps you need to take to transfer the vehicle’s title vary depending on whether the vehicle title was 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 determine if the estate is being probated.
Probate occurs when there is no beneficiary or living spouse on the will. This legal process proves that the last will and testament are legitimate, and it administers the estate of the individual that has passed away.
Probate Court is responsible for determining how you need to proceed with the person’s belongings, and during this process, the deceased person’s property will be distributed based on their will.
If the vehicle in question is part of a probated estate, you need to follow these steps to transfer the vehicle title of a deceased owner:
Contact an Attorney or Probate Court
No steps can be taken until the probate is complete, including vehicle title transfers. The administrator or executor of the deceased needs to contact an attorney or Probate Court as soon as possible to receive further instructions on how to proceed in this situation. When the probate process is complete, the heir will receive the vehicle unless it was given to the executor. If the executor was given the vehicle, they can choose to sell it.
Gather the Necessary Documentation
In the state of Nebraska, you need to make sure you have the following documents and fees in order:
- Certificate of the title
- Order from Probate Court to transfer the vehicle title
- Odometer disclosure statement
- Death certificate
- Transfer fee
Visit the Title Office
As the administrator of the deceased individual’s estate or the beneficiary of the vehicle, you can visit a Nebraska title office with the above-listed documentation to initiate the vehicle title transfer process.
How to Transfer a Vehicle Title Without Probate
When there is no probate involved, in the state of Nebraska, the deceased individual’s property can’t exceed a certain amount of and a specific amount of time needs to have passed since the person passed away before the vehicle title transfer process can be initiated.
If you are the spouse, administrator, beneficiary, or joint-owner of the vehicle or the deceased person’s estate, you may only be required to provide a death certificate and the vehicle’s title at your Nebraska title office and have the vehicle’s title retitled. No court order or attorneys are required for this scenario.
Transferring the Title of an Inherited Vehicle in Nebraska
The steps you are required to take to transfer the title of an inherited vehicle vary depending on how you inherited the vehicle.
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle with a Joint Owner with Rights of Ownership
If you are listed as a joint-owner on a vehicle’s title, and the names on the vehicle title are separated by “or” with the “with rights of ownership” notation, you need to complete the vehicle title transfer process under your sole possession by submitting the following documents and payment to your local NE DMV:
- A completed Application for Certificate of Title (Form RV-707)
- The vehicle title certificate
- The death certificate of the deceased individual
- Payment for the NE vehicle title transfer fee of $10
Be advised if you are listed as a joint owner with the words “and” or “and/or” between the names, you do not have the rights of ownership, and the vehicle may be subject to probate.
Transferring the Title of a Vehicle on Death Beneficiary
If you are the person named as a “Transfer on Death” (TOD) beneficiary on the deceased individual’s title application, you can title the vehicle under your name or transfer it as a seller by completing the vehicle title assignment as “TOD”.
To complete the vehicle title transfer under these circumstances, you need the following:
- The vehicle title certificate
- A completed Application for Certificate of Title (Form RV-707)
- The death certificate
- Payment for the NE vehicle titling fee of $10
Transferring the Vehicle Title of a Vehicle That’s In a Probated Estate
If the estate of a deceased individual is being probated, the vehicle title must be transferred by the court-appointed administrator of the estate. To successfully complete the change of ownership of a vehicle in Nebraska, you must provide the following:
- A properly assigned vehicle title certificate with the letter of appointment from the court attached
- A completed Application for Certificate of Title (Form RV-707)
- Payment for the Nebraska vehicle title transfer fee of $10
Transferring a Vehicle with No Probate
If there are no joint owners with rights, survivorship, or TOD beneficiaries, and the estate is not probated, ownership of the vehicle in question may be transferred to a claiming successor. In order to transfer the title of a vehicle in this scenario:
- 30 days must have passed since the individual’s death
- There can be no pending appointments and there can be no grants for an estate, such as administrator, executor, or personal representative
Make sure you have the necessary documentation and required payment(s) to successfully transfer the title of a vehicle under these circumstances to avoid delays, fees, and other penalties.
Transferring a Title After a Lease Buyout
Congratulations on paying off your vehicle loan! Once your vehicle is paid off, there are certain steps that need to be taken.
When it comes to electronic liens, vehicle titles that are issued after November 1, 2010, that have a lien are stored electronically by the NE DMV. If the lien holder of your vehicle is a member of Nebraska’s electronic lien and title program, the lien holder is required to notify the NE DMV of the lien release within 15 days of receiving the final payment. The lien-free vehicle title will be printed out by the NE DMV and mailed to you.
If your vehicle title was issued after November 1, 2010, and your lien holder doesn’t participate in the state of NE’s electronic vehicle title program, the lien holder has 15 days from receiving the final payment to submit a Nebraska Electronic Lien and Title Non-Participating Lender Lien Release form to the NE DMV. The vehicle title will be printed and mailed to you.
In the state of Nebraska, there are also paper liens. If you have a lien on your paper vehicle title, the lien holder is required to:
- Note the cancellation of the lien on the face of the vehicle title
- List the date of the cancellation on the vehicle title
- Forward the vehicle title to the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
The Nebraska DMV will make note of the lien release at their office before mailing you the vehicle title. The lien holder is required to initiate the vehicle title transfer process within 15 days of the final loan payment.
How to Transfer Ownership of a Vehicle Without a Title in Nebraska?
In the state of Nebraska, you are required to have a vehicle title to transfer ownership of a vehicle. You can apply for a duplicate vehicle title if the vehicle is listed on the Nebraska DMV system. Be advised you may need to contact the seller of the vehicle and have them apply for a duplicate vehicle title since the car would still be in their name.
Can I Gift a Car to a Family Member?
Yes, you can gift a vehicle to a family member. To successfully gift a car to a family member in the state of Nebraska, you will follow the same steps you would if you were selling a vehicle. The only difference in this scenario is for the sales price, you would write “gift” instead of putting an actual price. In this instance, the receiver of the gift is exempt from paying vehicle taxes.
Transferring a Vehicle Title When You Have an Out-of-State Title
When you have an out-of-state vehicle title, regardless of whether the vehicle is new or used, you are required to request a vehicle title transfer when moving to Nebraska from a different state.
As a motorist in Nebraska, before you can transfer the title of an out-of-state vehicle, you need to have the following documents ready to present at your local NE DMV office:
- A completed application form for this procedure
- Acceptable payment method to pay all applicable taxes and fees
- Proof of ownership of the vehicle
- Bill of sale (if applicable)
- Proof of vehicle inspection conducted by the county sheriff
Be advised you may be required to submit additional paperwork depending on your specific situation to complete a Nebraska vehicle title transfer for an out-of-state vehicle.
Requesting a Duplicate Vehicle Title in Nebraska
You are required to apply for a duplicate NE vehicle title if the current title is lost, damaged, or stolen. To obtain a duplicate NE vehicle title (Form RV-707a), you must complete the duplicate Nebraska vehicle title and make sure the signatures are notarized. All individuals’ names who appear on the vehicle title are required to sign the title. Be ready to pay the Nebraska duplicate vehicle title fee of $14.
How Much Does a Title Transfer Cost in Nebraska?
In the state of Nebraska, you are required to pay certain titling fees. As a resident of Nebraska, you can expect to pay the following vehicle titling fees:
- Vehicle title: $10
- Lien notation: $7
- Duplicate vehicle title: $14
- Sales tax: varies according to the county (you can contact your county treasurer’s office for an estimate of the sales taxes you owe)
Where Can I Go to Transfer a Vehicle Title in Nebraska?
There are different locations in Nebraska that allow you to transfer a vehicle’s title.
Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
301 Centennial Mall S
Lincoln, NE 68508
(402) 471-3985
Monday-Friday (8 AM to 5 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)
Lincoln DMV
500 W O St
Lincoln, NE 68528
(402) 471-2823
Monday-Friday (7:30 AM to 4 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)
How to Fill Out the Nebraska Title and Title Transfer Forms
In order to complete a Nebraska vehicle title and vehicle title transfer form, you need to make sure all required forms are filled out completely and have the required signatures. You will also need to create a bill of sale that discloses details about the vehicle, such as the model, year, make, and color of the vehicle. Make sure you include the vehicle’s VIN.
If you sold your vehicle instead of gifting it to someone, you need to make sure you add the correct sales tax to the total vehicle’s price. In the “transfer of title by seller” section of the vehicle’s title, you need to provide an accurate odometer reading. The person buying the vehicle needs to sign the vehicle title in the designated spaces.
Be aware that you may also be required to provide additional documentation, such as proof of a valid Nebraska vehicle insurance policy that meets or exceeds the current minimum coverage limit set by the state of Nebraska. You may also need to provide a valid government-issued photo ID for proof of identification. However, a foreign passport will suffice in this scenario.
My Car Title Was Signed But Never Transferred. What Do I Do?
If a vehicle’s title is signed but not transferred, the vehicle has an open title. When a vehicle has an open title, the seller of the vehicle, or whoever is listed on the vehicle’s title, didn’t transfer ownership of the vehicle or register the vehicle in their name.
With an open vehicle title, the seller or owner of the vehicle does not possess any legal liability to the vehicle since their name is not listed on the vehicle’s title.
As the buyer of a vehicle, if you lose the vehicle title, you can request a duplicate Nebraska vehicle title (Form RV-707a). The seller of the vehicle or the individual who is listed on the vehicle’s title as the owner is responsible for applying for the duplicate vehicle title. Once the vehicle title has been filled out completely, the seller can sign over the vehicle’s title for you to put in your name.