Coping with the loss of a loved one can be one of the hardest challenges many will face. DMV wants to make it as easy as possible to navigate practical matters during this difficult time; this guide will walk you through all the DMV-related tasks that you might need to address upon the death of a family member or friend (decedent).
You might need the following documents:
You will need to do the following:
If you also need to return the decedent’s Disabled Person (DP) Parking Placard:
Please ensure the placard number is still legible. Once you have submitted the decedent’s California DL/ID card and returned any Disabled Person (DP) placards, you must also consider the following:
If the decedent owns a vehicle or boat/vessel, please note that you must maintain the vehicle/vessel’s registration while managing matters of the decedent’s estate. This includes:
Please note that if PNO fees are paid after registration expires, penalties will be applied.If ownership of the decedent’s vehicle will be transferred to another person, you must submit the following information to DMV:
A power of attorney (POA) cannot sign a REG 5 form.
In certain situations, the decedent’s heir may transfer the title of a vehicle/vessel without going through the probate process. Here are the eligibility requirements:
If the vehicle was owned jointly by two or more decedents, this form should list the most recent decedent’s information.
This does not include vehicles, vessels, commercial coaches, or manufactured, mobile, or floating homes. To calculate the decedent’s property value, see California Probate Code §13050.
Vehicles/vessels titled in another state must be transferred in that state (requirements may differ from California).
Establishment of a trust commits the property or assets of an individual(s) to a trustee for use or safekeeping.
The Certificate of Title must be signed for the decedent and countersigned by the executor or administrator.
Title transfers between parents and their children, spouses, grandparents and grandchildren, domestic partners, and siblings are exempt from the transfer smog certification requirements if confirmed with the following form:
When a vehicle changes ownership, the vehicle’s value is usually re-assessed based on the purchase price (if purchased) or on the current market value (if a gift) to determine the appropriate vehicle license fee (VLF).
Specific family transfers are excluded from vehicle value reclassification.
If the decedent was issued any special license plates, they must also be surrendered to DMV.
Environmental License Plates must be surrendered to DMV unless the applicant is the heir named on the court documents or REG 5.
DP License Plates must be surrendered to DMV upon expiration of the registration, or within 60 days of the owner’s death, whichever occurs first.
Disabled Veteran (DV) License Plates must be surrendered to DMV by December 31 of the current year, or within 60 days of the owner’s death, whichever occurs first.
Former Prisoner of War, Legion of Valor, Pearl Harbor Survivor, and Purple Heart License Plates
The surviving spouse of the decedent may retain these license plates and their privileges, which may include exemption from vehicle registration, license plate reassignment, addition, deletion, and replacement fees.
Former Prisoner of War and Purple Heart License Plates Only
Upon the death of the owner and surviving spouse (if any), another family member (parent, stepparent, children, stepchildren, grandparent, step grandparent, sibling, or stepsibling) may retain one license plate as a family heirloom. The remaining license plate must be returned to DMV upon expiration of the vehicle registration, or within 60 days of the decedent’s death, whichever occurs first.
You can find the forms listed in this guide on our forms page.
Find forms
Use our Fee Calculator to calculate any applicable registration or application fees.
Use fee calculator
You can find more information on title transfers on the vehicle title transfers page.
About title transfers
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website uses Google™ Translate to provide automatic translation of its web pages. This translation application tool is provided for purposes of information and convenience only. Google™ Translate is a free third-party service, which is not controlled by the DMV. The DMV is unable to guarantee the accuracy of any translation provided by Google™ Translate and is therefore not liable for any inaccurate information or changes in the formatting of the pages resulting from the use of the translation application tool.
The web pages currently in English on the DMV website are the official and accurate source for the program information and services the DMV provides. Any discrepancies or differences created in the translation are not binding and have no legal effect for compliance or enforcement purposes. If any questions arise related to the information contained in the translated website, please refer to the English version.
The following pages provided on the DMV website cannot be translated using Google™ Translate:
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Titles
A title determines vehicle ownership. When you buy or inherit a vehicle, the title must be transferred into your name to verify the ownership has passed from the previous owner to you.
If you are buying a vehicle at a dealership, the dealer will process the paperwork for transferring the title to you. However, for private vehicle sales or when transferring a vehicle to a family member, the responsibility for transferring the title rests with the seller and you.
Whether you’re buying a vehicle from an individual or a family member, it is strongly recommended that both the buyer and the seller visit a Secretary of State office to transfer the title together and complete the vehicle purchase.
The buyer and/or buyer and seller will need to provide the original vehicle title (no photocopies) with the following information:
The title cannot be modified (such as scratching a name out).
If there is an outstanding lien against the vehicle, the seller must provide a lien termination statement or include a signature from a representative of the financial institution financing the loan on the title.
Schedule an office visit
Duplicate title
In most cases, when a vehicle owner dies, the surviving spouse, or, if no spouse, the next closest kin may transfer the vehicle into their name, if the estate isn’t already probated.
If the current title is in both your name and the deceased's name with the legend "Full Rights To Survivor" printed on it, then all that is needed to transfer the vehicle into just your name is the title and a copy of the death certificate.
If the vehicle is being transferred to the surviving spouse or an immediate family member, the license plate may remain on the vehicle.
Schedule an office visit
If the deceased owner’s estate is probated, the probated owner must visit a Secretary of State office and provide:
If the deceased owner's estate isn’t probated, ownership will be assumed by the surviving spouse or legal next-of-kin.
If there is no surviving spouse, and there are several closest next-of-kin (e.g., multiple brothers or sisters), all share equal inheritance. Next-of-kin with no interest in the vehicle must complete a certification statement to this effect.
The surviving spouse or legal next-of-kin may transfer the vehicle into their name by presenting the following at a Secretary of State office:
If they wish, the next-of-kin may add a co-owner at time of titling.
If the co-owner is not an immediate family relative of the deceased or is not the spouse of the closest next-of-kin who is inheriting the vehicle, the co-owner is liable for 6% sales tax.
Certification for the Heir to a Vehicle form
Certification Affidavit form
If you need to replace your Michigan vehicle title, apply for a duplicate title through your online Secretary of State account. Duplicate titles cost $15.
If you have a lien on your vehicle, the title will be sent to your lienholder.
Go to Online Services
Title duplicate or replacement
Information for out-of-state residents
Add or remove a name
Correct a name
Correct address
Remove a lienholder
Convert to a Michigan title
To add or remove a vehicle owner from the title, visit a Secretary of State office.
All listed owners on the title must be present and provide their valid license or ID in order to change or correct the title.
The fee to correct a name on a title is $15.
Schedule an office visit
Title correction
If your name has changed and needs to be corrected on your vehicle title, visit a Secretary of State office and provide the following:
All listed owners on the title must be present and provide their valid license or ID in order to change or correct the title.
The fee for a corrected title is $15. There is no fee to correct vehicle registration.
Schedule an office visit
Title correction
To correct the address on your vehicle title, visit a Secretary of State office and provide the following:
All listed owners on the title must be present and provide their valid license or ID in order to change or correct the title.
The fee for a corrected title is $15. There is no fee to correct your vehicle registration.
Schedule an office visit
Title correction
When you pay off or terminate a lien against a vehicle, the lienholder’s information won’t automatically clear from your vehicle title, unless the financial institution providing the loan is enrolled in the Electronic Lien and Title system (ELT).
You aren’t required to remove the lienholder from your title after paying off the lien, however, you can do so for $16 at a Secretary of State office by providing the lien termination notice or title signed by the lienholder.
All listed owners on the title must be present and provide their valid license or ID in order to change or correct the title.
If you decide not to remove the lienholder from your title, you will need to provide the lien termination notice or title signed by the lienholder when you sell the vehicle and transfer ownership.
If your lien is financed through a bank or financial institution participating in ELT, they will mail you a corrected title after the lien is resolved.
Schedule an office visit
Vehicles purchased and titled out-of-state can be converted to a Michigan title by presenting the following at a Secretary of State office:
If your title is being held by an out-of-state lienholder, provide the above documents and one of the following:
The Michigan Department of State will issue a Foreign Ownership-Registration Only registration – also known as a memo registration - for your vehicle.
A Michigan title is not issued in this case and the out-of-state title remains the ownership document.
All listed owners on the title must be present and provide their valid license or ID in order to change or correct the title.
Schedule an office visit
Information for new Michigan residents
Certain vehicles in Michigan require specialty titles, which are obtained through a slightly different process than what is common for standard vehicle titles. Special titles are issued based on the vehicle’s condition and assembly.
A salvage title is issued for a vehicle that has become a "distressed vehicle". A vehicle becomes "distressed" when one or more major component parts have been wrecked, destroyed, damaged, stolen, or are missing to the extent that the total estimated damage is from 75% to less than 91% of its pre-damaged cash value.
The vehicle owner's insurance company will determine the amount of damage to the vehicle.
A regular vehicle title is replaced with a salvage title. Salvage and rebuilt titles are orange in color and list the vehicle's color and non-salvageable major component parts.
A vehicle with a salvage title cannot be plated or used on public roads until it is recertified by a specially trained police officer and retitled.
You, your insurance provider, or a dealership may apply for a salvage title for a vehicle, motorcycle, trailer coach, or titled trailer by providing the following:
Submit the required documents and payment by visiting a Secretary of State office or mail the required them to:
Michigan Department of State
Internal Services Section
7064 Crowner Drive
Lansing, MI 48918
Michigan Salvage or Scrap Title Application
Schedule an office visit
A scrap title is issued to a vehicle that has one or more major component parts (such as bumpers, fenders, transmission, engine, hood, doors, frame, tailgate, body, etc.
) that have been wrecked, destroyed, damaged, stolen, or missing to the extent that the total estimated cost of repair (parts and labor) for the vehicle is 91% or more of its pre-damaged value.
A Michigan scrap title is red and has the wording "Scrap Title" at the top, while regular Michigan titles are green. After a scrap title is issued, the vehicle may be used only for parts or scrap metal. It can’t be re-titled or returned to the road using the existing vehicle identification number.
If you’re selling an older model vehicle for scrap, you can write the word(s) “scrap” or “junk” on the original vehicle title, which will ensure the vehicle can’t be titled or put back on the road again.
You, your insurance provider, or a dealership may apply for a scrap title for a vehicle, motorcycle, trailer coach, or titled trailer by providing the following:
e.: title)Submit the required documents and payment by visiting a Secretary of State office or mail the required them to:
Michigan Department of State
Internal Services Section
7064 Crowner Drive
Lansing, MI 48918
Michigan Salvage or Scrap Title Application
Schedule an office visit
After a vehicle titled with a salvage title has been repaired or rebuilt, it can be titled and registered for road use again if it has passed an inspection by a specially trained law enforcement officer.
Before scheduling an inspection with a certified salvage inspector, complete the Application for Salvage Vehicle Inspection form with a licensed mechanic.
At the inspection, provide the assigned title or bills of sale for parts used in rebuilding the vehicle.
During the inspection, salvage vehicle inspection officer will complete a Salvage Vehicle Recertification form (TR-13B). The inspection will verify ownership of the repair parts used and compliance with all Michigan Vehicle Code equipment and safety requirements.
Upon passing inspection, the officer will issue you the completed and signed Salvage Vehicle Recertification form.
Upon passing inspection, bring the following with you to a Secretary of State office:
You will be issued a new title with the legend “REBUILT SALVAGE”.
This will alert future owners that the vehicle was once classified as “totaled” by an insurance company under a previous owner.
Application for a Salvage Vehicle Inspection
Assembled vehicle titles are assigned to vehicles that are:
Golf carts can't be registered as on-road vehicles.
However, if the vehicle manufacturer's certificate of origin (MCO) indicates the vehicle meets federal regulations for on-road use, the vehicle may be titled as a low-speed vehicle and registered with a passenger license plate (similar to cars and trucks).
1. To obtain an assembled vehicle title, you will need:
2.
A certification statement summarizing the vehicle’s assembly that includes:
3. A Vehicle Number/On-Road Equipment Inspection completed by a Michigan police officer.
The inspection will verify the vehicle has all equipment required for on-road registration.
Completion of the inspection form by law enforcement doesn’t qualify the vehicle for a title or registration. Michigan Department of State regulation agents conduct a final inspection of the vehicle before placement of the assembled VIN sticker.
4. Payment
A new vehicle information number (VIN) will be assigned to your vehicle for $10. When applying for your assembled vehicle title, tax is due on all parts, unless it was paid at time of purchase.
A Regulatory Monitoring Division agent will contact you to schedule the final inspection appointment and vehicle inspection location. Upon passing the final inspection, the agent will place the assigned VIN sticker on the vehicle. The new title will be mailed.
NOTE: Assembled vehicles aren’t eligible for temporary registrations
Before a utility vehicle or an all-terrain vehicle can be used on public roads, it must pass the full equipment and safety inspection as defined on the inspection form.
Be aware that a receipt is required confirming that the installed windshield is U.S. Department of Transportation certified and is laminated glass. A polycarbonate or Plexi-glass windshield isn’t acceptable. Also, the parking brake must be mechanical, and not hydraulic. Mechanical brake calipers activated by a hand lever and cable assembly can be bought from aftermarket vendors.
Instructions for Titling an Assembled Vehicle
Vehicle Number/On-Road Equipment Inspection
Brands are placed on titles of vehicles that will be used or have been used as police vehicles, taxis, and municipal vehicles.
Flood damaged vehicles and rebuilt vehicles are also branded. Once entered, these brands stay on all future titles.
Titles with these brands are orange colored.
It is ideal for the seller and the buyer to go to a Secretary of State office together to complete a title transaction. However, if the seller can’t join you at a Secretary of State office visit to transfer the title, you can still transfer the vehicle title in your name.
To do so, seller must accurately complete and provide you with the assigned title, an odometer disclosure statement, and either a lien termination statement or title signed by the lienholder, if there is a lien or loan against the vehicle.
All listed owners on a title must be present and provide their valid license or ID in order to change or correct a title.
If a titled owner can’t be present, they may appoint someone else to complete the title correction on their behalf at a Secretary of State office by completing and signing an Appointment of Agent form to provide to the appointed agent with a copy of their license or ID.
Appointment of Agent
The title can’t be transferred to anyone other the rightful inheritor(s) after the titled owner has passed. Whether the inheritor is a representative appointed by Probate Court or the appointed next of kin, the title must be transferred to the inheritor first before it can be retitled in any other name.
Michigan residents whose vehicle is registered and plated, but not titled, in Michigan can apply for a memo registration.
A memo registration will be issued when:
It is required to provide proof of a valid Michigan No-Fault insurance policy to apply for and maintain a memo registration in Michigan.
Title insurance is an insurance policy that protects the ownership of an apartment. In other words, the insurer pays compensation if the owner lost the property due to circumstances that emerged after the transaction.
Such a situation may arise, for example, if, after signing the sale and purchase agreement, it turned out that the interests of minors were violated during the transaction. For example, an object was purchased using maternity capital, but shares were not allocated to children.
The guardianship authorities will recognize such a transaction as invalid, the buyer will lose the title and will have to return the object to the seller. Most often, insurance is issued for an apartment or house that was bought on the secondary market.
When buying an object in a new building, the probability of losing ownership of real estate is almost zero.
If the property is purchased on the secondary market, it is very difficult to trace its history.
After the transaction, heirs, minor owners or other persons whose interests were not observed during the sale may appear. In this case, title insurance helps the buyer not to lose the apartment.
Banks often offer to issue such an insurance policy for property that is purchased with a mortgage. This is an additional guarantee for both the lender and the borrower. In this case, if the buyer has lost the title, then he will not have to pay the balance of the loan debt. This will be done for him by the insurer.
Title insurance, in contrast to the apartment protection insurance policy, has no connection with the state of the immovable object. This is insurance against loss of ownership due to circumstances beyond the owner's control. That is, in the first case, the buyer receives a refund if he lost the right of ownership, in the second - if the property is damaged or lost.
Another difference is that an insurance policy against damage to an object is required when applying for a mortgage.
Title insurance is issued voluntarily at the initiative of the borrower. Despite this, many credit organizations recommend issuing it in order to obtain additional protection.
The cost of insurance also varies. It is influenced by completely different factors. When applying for property insurance, the area of the object, the number of storeys of the building, the materials used for construction and other technical parameters are taken into account. For insurance against loss of ownership of an apartment, the history of transactions, the number of previous owners and their social status are more important.
The insurance policy protects against loss of title, that is, against the loss of real estate due to reasons beyond the buyer's control, for example, by a court decision.
Possible reasons:
Such a claim involves the appeal to the court of third parties who can prove their rights to the disputed object. In order to receive compensation in such a case, the new owner must confirm the status of a bona fide buyer. In other words, he must confirm that he did not intend to violate anyone's interests when making a transaction. 
For example, the seller is registered in a neuropsychiatric dispensary and does not give an account of his actions. The limitation period for such cases is three years if the claim is filed by a person who was a party to the transaction and ten years if an application is filed by a person who did not take part in the sale (heir, spouse of the seller, etc.).
If the transaction is declared invalid, then the parties must return to each other everything that was transferred or reimburse the cost. To avoid this, there is title insurance.
An insurance policy can be issued before the transfer of ownership of the apartment or after that.
The first case is relevant for mortgage title insurance. It is better to arrange insurance before signing an agreement with the bank. Sometimes this type of risk is included in general insurance, along with damage and loss of the object, as well as the life and health of the borrower.
If the object is bought without the participation of a credit institution, then you can insure yourself even after the transaction is completed. The main thing is to do this before a controversial situation arises. It is advisable to issue a policy before the transaction or immediately after it.
The service is offered by many companies, along with property insurance and life and health protection.
When choosing an insurer, the following points should be considered:
Insurers offer different conditions for insurance against loss of homeowner status. The price of the policy, the risks and the amount of insurance compensation depend on them.
If the object is acquired with the help of credit funds, then often the lender himself offers an insurer from the list of partner companies.
The list of documents for title insurance varies in different insurance companies. The most commonly included documents in this list are:
The insurer may request additional paperwork.
For example, you may need notarized consent to the transaction from the spouse of the seller. If children are involved in the transaction, then permission from the guardianship authorities will also be required.
If the seller is an elderly person, then a conclusion from a neuropsychiatric dispensary on the state of his mental health may also be required. The full list of documents the insurer must announce to the client before signing the contract.
The cost of the policy depends on the insurance company and the bank that issued the mortgage. It is affected by:
In the first year of the policy, it costs more than in the future. This is due to the fact that during this period the greatest risk of losing property by a court decision.
The price of the policy against the loss of the title is calculated personally. To do this, representatives of the insurance company carefully study the submitted documents and details of the transaction. If the object has been sold many times, then the tariff may be higher.
For an approximate calculation of the cost of concluding an insurance contract, you can leave a request on our website. The specialist will call you back and tell you about the conditions for the provision of services in different companies.
The list of possible insured events is specified in the insurer's contract. It may vary from insurance company to insurance company. The following situations are most often taken into account:
If, as a result of these situations, the insured has lost the object, then he can count on receiving compensation in accordance with the conditions of title insurance.
A complete list of situations for which compensation is due is specified in the contract. Please read the document carefully before signing. If some insured event is not indicated in it, then it will be very difficult to receive payment for it.
The insurer may refuse to pay compensation for loss of ownership status in the following cases:
A complete list of situations when insurance is valid and when insurance is not valid must be given in the contract. It is important to carefully read the document before signing in order to know in which insurance cases you can receive compensation.
If the property is purchased with a mortgage, then this amount is determined by the requirements of the bank. It should not be less than the balance of the loan debt. If the insurance contract is concluded annually, then every year the amount may decrease, since the debt on the loan is reduced.
The sum insured cannot exceed the value of the property. When a title insurance contract is concluded without the participation of the bank, but at the initiative of the buyer, he himself can choose the maximum amount of payment. It is recommended to take out insurance for the full amount of the purchase.
If an insured event occurs, the amount of payment depends on the complexity of the situation. The maximum compensation for property loss insurance depends on the amount specified in the contract. Most often, it is equal to the amount for which the property was bought.
In the event that credit funds were used for the purchase, the lender will receive part of the payment. In case of loss of the right to real estate, the insurance company will pay the rest of the debt for the borrower, and he will receive the remaining amount to his personal account.
Additional costs, such as fines, legal costs, state fees, moral damage, are usually not reimbursed by the insurance company.
This point is indicated in the contract when applying for title insurance.
It is recommended to draw up an insurance contract if:
Title insurance will help protect your interests in disputable situations. The buyer will receive a refund in case of loss of the property. In addition, in most cases, representatives of the insurer take part on the side of the buyer in litigation.
In the company "Capital Policy" you can learn more about the service, compare the rates of insurers and leave a request for a contract. Give us a call or leave a request on the website.
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