In order to transfer ownership of a vehicle from one person to another, its owner must properly sign over, or "assign," the vehicle's title to the buyer.
This guide is designed to be a step-by-step guide. Each step asks a yes-or-no question about the vehicle's title, and each answer tells you what question to jump to next.
Title assignment can be complex. To fully understand this process, we strongly recommend reviewing our state-specific title guides alongside this guide.
This guide tells you how to handle title situations generally, for example, if the title lists multiple owners, or if the vehicle has a loan against it.
After consulting this guide, turn to the title guide specific to the state that issued your vehicle's title to learn specific title assignment steps.
If we don't have a title guide for the state that issued your vehicle's title, please email us at [email protected] and we'll write it.
Simply follow the steps below in order to determine proper title assignment.
Before proceeding, please note - a vehicle title is an official ownership document, which means that:
Copies, scans, photos, or images are not acceptable for ownership transfer, and
Cross-outs, write-overs, or white-outs may void the title.
If vehicle ownership documents are present and properly signed, nothing further (e.g., bill of sale, buyer's order, etc.) is required to register your vehicle.
If you think you have made a mistake on the vehicle’s title, STOP. Send photos of the front and rear of the vehicle’s title to [email protected], and we’ll advise how to proceed.
Step 1. Ownership Documents
1a. Did you receive an authentic (not a scan, photo, copy, or image of the) title document, issued by a US state, to the vehicle?
Yes. Proceed to Step 2.
No, I received a manufacturer’s statement of origin / manufacturer’s certificate of origin (MSO/MCO) for the vehicle. Proceed to Step 2.
No. Proceed to 1b.
1b. Did you receive a scan, photo, copy, or image of the vehicle’s title?
Yes - STOP. Authentic ownership documents are required. Return to step 1a when you have received the vehicle’s authentic ownership document(s).
No. Proceed to Step 1c.
1c. Did the seller give you a registration document instead of a title?
Yes. Proceed to step 1d.
No. Proceed to step 1e.
1d. Is the vehicle’s registration document from one of the following states, and does the model year of the vehicle fall within the indicated age for that state?
Alabama: 36 years or older. Proceed to Step 2.
Connecticut: 20 years or older. Proceed to Step 2.
Georgia: 1985 or older. Proceed to Step 2.
Maine: 1994 or older. Proceed to Step 2.
Massachusetts: 1980 or older. Proceed to Step 2.
New Hampshire: 1999 or older. Proceed to Step 2.
New York: 1972 or older. Proceed to Step 2.
Rhode Island: 2000 and older. Proceed to Step 2.
Vermont: 16 years or older. Proceed to Step 2.
None of the above. STOP. The seller needs to provide you an official ownership document. Return to Step 1 when the seller provides an official ownership document.
1e. Did the seller tell you that a lender holds the title?
Yes. STOP. The lender owns the vehicle, and the seller can’t sell it to you until the loan is paid off.
Return to step 1 when the seller has the title in hand, or arrange to use an escrow agent such as Keysavvy.
No. STOP. If you don’t have any documentation, you didn’t actually buy a vehicle.
Step 2. Ownership interest release
2a. Was the vehicle’s title issued by any of the following states?
Kentucky,
Louisiana,
Montana*,
North Carolina,
Ohio,
Oklahoma, or
Pennsylvania
Yes. Each seller’s signature must be notarized in order to release ownership interest in the vehicle. Proceed to 2b.
*Notarization of the seller's signature is not required for a Montana vehicle owned by a company (such as an LLC), when the vehicle will be registered in Montana. Other states (e.g., Texas) require the signature on a Montana vehicle title to be notarized, even the vehicle is owned by a company.
No. The seller’s signature releases ownership interest in the vehicle. Proceed to 2b.
2b. How many owners are listed on the face of the vehicle’s title?
Multiple. Proceed to Step 2c.
One. Proceed to Step 2d.
2c. Are the owners’ names separated by the word “OR” on the front of the title?
Yes. Only one owner’s signature is required to release ownership interest in the vehicle. Proceed to 2d.
No. Both owners’ signatures are required to release ownership interest in the vehicle. For each owner listed on the front of the title, complete step 2d.
2d. Is the owner listed on the front of the title a trust, a company, a living individual, or a deceased individual?
A Living Individual. The individual listed on the front of the vehicle’s title must fully complete and sign the seller’s section of the title. When signature is complete, proceed to Step 3.
A Company. An authorized individual must write the name of the company that owns the vehicle, sign on behalf of the company, and write his or her relationship to the company. For example:
Acme, Inc. by John Smith, president
When signature is complete, proceed to Step 3.
A Trust. The trustee must sign the title, as well as Montana form MV40 - Statement of Trustee. When signature and MV40 - Statement of Trustee are complete, proceed to Step 3.
A Deceased Individual. The title must be signed by the executor of the estate of the deceased, indicating the signer's relationship to the estate (e.g., executor or executrix), and it must be accompanied by a court document certifying the appointment of the executor, as well as a copy of the deceased's death certificate. When signature(s) are complete, proceed to Step 3.
Step 3. Odometer Disclosure
3a. Is the vehicle model year 2011 or newer?
No. Odometer disclosure not required - proceed to Step 4.
Yes. Seller must write the vehicle’s current odometer reading on the vehicle’s title, or on a separate Conforming Odometer Disclosure form and sign the title or form. When the seller has written the current odometer reading and signed, proceed to Step 4.
Step 4. Lien Release
4a. Is there a lien recorded on the front of the vehicle’s title?
No. Lien release not required - proceed to Step 5.
Yes. The vehicle may not be sold until the lien is released (i.e., the loan against the vehicle is paid off). Proceed to 4b.
4b. Are any of the following true?
The lien release field on the vehicle’s title has been signed by an authorized representative of the entity listed on the title as the lienholder. Yes - proceed to Step 5.
The title is accompanied by a lien release letter that has been signed by an authorized representative of the entity listed on the title as the lienholder. Yes - proceed to Step 5.
No. STOP. The seller cannot sell the vehicle until the lien is released. Return to Step 4 when the lien is released, or arrange to use an escrow agent such as Keysavvy.
Step 5. Reassignments
5a. Is the seller of the vehicle the same as the party listed on the front of the vehicle’s title?
Yes. Proceed to Step 6.
No. Proceed to 5b.
5b. Are all of the subsequent owners listed on the vehicle’s ownership documents auto dealers?
No. STOP. The seller does not own this vehicle, and cannot sell it to you without registering it in his or her own name.
Yes. Proceed to Step 5c.
Step 5c. The documents must reflect a clear chain of ownership.
For example, if John Smith is listed on the front of the vehicle’s title, he sold the vehicle to Supreme Auto Group, and Supreme Auto Group sold the vehicle to Main Street Motors, and Main Street Motors sold the vehicle to you, the chain of ownership should look as follows:
Seller: John Smith
Buyer: Supreme Auto Group by John Doe, agent
First dealer reassignment:
Seller: Supreme Auto Group by John Doe, agent
Buyer: Main Street Motors by Jane Roe, agent
Second dealer reassignment:
Seller: Main Street Motors by Jane Roe, agent
Buyer: You.
Do the documents reflect a clear chain of ownership?
Yes. Proceed to Step 5d.
No. STOP. The seller of the vehicle is responsible for properly documenting all of the owners that came before. Proceed to Step 5d. when the seller has caused the documents to reflect a clear chain of ownership.
5d. Are any of the signatures on the title followed by “POA” or “Power of Attorney”?
No. Proceed to Step 6.
Yes. Signed Power of Attorney documents must accompany the vehicle’s title. When these documents are present, proceed to Step 6.
Step 6. New Registered Owner / Buyer
6a. Are you present to sign the vehicle’s title?
Yes. Complete the vehicle’s title as follows:
Name of new registered owner / buyer: Your name
Address of new registered owner / buyer:
544 E Main St. Suite B Bozeman, MT 59715
Signature of new registered owner / buyer: Your signature
Date: Date of sale
No. Instruct the seller to complete the vehicle’s title as follows:
Name of new registered owner / buyer: Your name
Address of new registered owner / buyer:
544 E Main St. Suite B Bozeman, MT 59715
Date: Date of sale
visitor.us will capture your authorization to sign the title on your behalf via a notarized power of attorney.
Because signed, authentic ownership documents are required to transfer a vehicle’s ownership, and cross-outs, white-outs, and write-overs void ownership documents, your ownership document is secure in transit.
If it is intercepted, your vehicle can only be transferred to the name listed as the vehicle’s new registered owner.
Title Assignment Complete
Congratulations on completing your vehicle's prior title assignment!
When your title assignment is complete, send the authentic, assigned title document to visitor.us for registration by following these steps.
If you have any questions about the steps above, please send images of the front and rear of all documents to [email protected] - we’d be glad to advise.