What Do I Need for a Michigan Title Transfer?

In the state of Michigan, you need different documentation to process a vehicle title transfer. Here are a few of the steps you need to follow to transfer a vehicle’s title”

  • You and the seller of the vehicle need to complete the vehicle title assignment on the vehicle title certificate.
  • You are responsible for completing the buyer section of the vehicle’s title
  • You need to bring the assigned vehicle title to a Secretary of State (SOS) branch office with proof of insurance, and payment for the vehicle title transfer fees

You may be required to submit additional documents or pay additional fees.

Smog Certification/Vehicle Inspection

In the state of Michigan, there are no smog checks or vehicle inspections.

How to Transfer Your Vehicle Title in Michigan?

If you need to transfer a vehicle title in Michigan, there are different steps, documents, and payments you are responsible for submitting.

Transferring a Vehicle Title as a New Resident of Michigan

If you just moved to Michigan, you are responsible for titling and registering your vehicle with the state immediately. To receive a vehicle title in Michigan, you are required to visit an SOS office location and present the vehicle’s current title certificate and payment for all applicable vehicle title fees.

All vehicle owners listed on the vehicle’s title must be present unless a vehicle owner completes an Appointment of Agent Form (Form TR-128). This form designates another person to sign the vehicle’s title on the owner’s behalf. If you have a lien on your vehicle, and the lender has the vehicle’s title, you can use your out-of-state registration or other proof of vehicle title to register and title your vehicle in Michigan.

Transferring a Vehicle Title When Buying or Selling a Vehicle in Michigan

In the state of Michigan, when there is a change of ownership of a vehicle, a vehicle title transfer must take place. This vehicle title transfer also applies to ownership changes due to the purchase and sale of a vehicle.

Transferring the Title of a Vehicle Purchased From a Dealer

After purchasing a vehicle from a dealer in Michigan, the dealer usually handles the vehicle titling and registration process on your behalf. You are responsible for paying all applicable fees associated with the vehicle transaction.

Transferring the Title of a Vehicle Purchased From a Private Seller

When you purchase a vehicle from a private seller, you and the seller of the vehicle are responsible for initiating and completing the vehicle title transfer process in Michigan.

You need to take the following steps to successfully complete a Michigan vehicle title transfer once you purchase a vehicle from a private seller:

  • Get the vehicle title certificate from the vehicle’s seller. The seller is responsible for completing the title assignment and signing the vehicle title. The vehicle’s seller is also responsible for providing the odometer disclosure statement. Keep in mind that any change to the vehicle’s title, such as crossing out a name on the title, makes the document invalid.
  • Visit your local MI SOS office with:
    • A completed vehicle title certificate
    • Proof of a valid Michigan vehicle insurance policy
    • A completed Appointment of Agent Form (Form TR-128), if multiple vehicle owners will be listed on the new vehicle title and all the owners can’t be present
    • Proof of lien satisfaction, if applicable (you can’t transfer a vehicle title in the state of Michigan if a loan is still present on the vehicle)
    • A license plate you can transfer from your previous vehicle (if applicable) You can purchase a new MI license plate if you choose.
    • Payment for all applicable vehicle title transfer fees

If possible, try to make your trip to your local MI SOS office with the vehicle’s seller when the change of ownership occurs. If not, you have 15 days after the transaction to complete the vehicle title transfer on your own.

Keep in mind that you are allowed to drive the vehicle without a license plate in the immediate 3 days of the purchase date of the vehicle.

Transferring a Vehicle’s Title After Selling a Vehicle

Once you sell your vehicle, it’s the vehicle buyer’s responsibility to complete the vehicle title transfer process. As the seller of the vehicle, it is your responsibility to complete the title assignment on the current vehicle title certificate, and give it to the vehicle buyer. You need to provide specific information on the vehicle title certificate, such as:

  • Mileage
  • Sale date
  • Selling price
  • Signatures of all vehicle owners listed on the vehicle’s title

If you can, you should visit your local SOS office with the vehicle’s buyer to complete the MI vehicle title transfer. If you can’t make this trip, make sure you keep a record of sale, which can include:

  • A clear photocopy of the assigned vehicle title certificate
  • A document or form that includes the following information:
    • Year and make of the vehicle
    • Vehicle identification number (VIN)
    • The vehicle buyer’s name, address, driver’s license number, and signature

Once the sale of the vehicle is complete, you need to remove the license plates and keep them. Do not give the license plates off the vehicle to the new vehicle owner.

Instant Vehicle Title Issuance in Michigan

If you need your vehicle title sooner than you would receive from the MI SOS in the mail or otherwise, you may be able to use the SOS’s instant vehicle title service, which is available at some MI SOS branches.

Keep in mind, only vehicle owners can apply for an instant vehicle title. Agents and representatives of the vehicle owner are not able to use this service. Most vehicles that are registered in Michigan are eligible for an instant vehicle title. The cost of an instant vehicle title is $20. If you need to add or remove a vehicle lien, the fee is $21.

How to Transfer a Car Title When the Owner is Deceased?

If you plan on gifting, keeping, or selling a vehicle and the owner is deceased, you must be a beneficiary of the individual’s estate. If you are the beneficiary, joint-owner, or surviving spouse of the deceased individual’s estate, you have the legal authority to transfer the vehicle’s title to someone else.

When a vehicle owner passes away, the vehicle title transfer process of a deceased person varies depending on if the vehicle was in the individual’s name as a descendant or joint ownership. When the vehicle’s title is solely in the descendant’s name, you need to know if the estate of the individual is being probated.

Probate proves the last will and testament is legitimate, and it involves administering the estate of the individual who passed away. Once this step takes place, the Probate Court will determine how to proceed with the individual’s belongings based on their will.

If the vehicle is part of a probated estate, you need to follow these steps in order to successfully transfer the vehicle title of a deceased person:

Contact an Attorney or Contact Probate Court

The title of a vehicle can’t be transferred until the probate process is completed. The executor or administrator of the deceased needs to contact an attorney or Probate Court as soon as possible to learn how to continue with the probate process. When the probate process is completed, the heir will receive the vehicle, unless the executor was given the vehicle. At this time, the executor can sell the vehicle if they choose.

Gather the Necessary Documentation

In the state of Michigan, you are required to submit these documents to transfer the title of a vehicle when its owner is deceased:

  • Certificate of the vehicle title
  • Order from Probate Court to transfer the vehicle
  • Death certificate
  • Odometer disclosure statement
  • Transfer fee

Visit the Title Office

Administrators of the deceased individual’s estate and the beneficiary of the vehicle can visit their local MI title office with the above-listed documents to initiate the MI vehicle title transfer process.

How to Transfer a Vehicle Title Without Probate

To successfully transfer a vehicle’s title without probate in Michigan, the deceased individual’s property must not exceed a certain amount and a certain amount of time needs to have passed since the individual passed away.

When there is no probate involved, the spouse, administrator, joint-owner, or beneficiary may be able to submit the death certificate and vehicle title to their local MI title office, and have the vehicle title retitled. Court orders and attorneys are not required for this scenario.

Inherited Vehicles

When there is no probate, inheritance of a vehicle is determined by the first listed survivor(s) in the order listed as follows:

  • Spouse
  • Children (split equally)
  • Parents
  • Siblings (split equally)
  • Closest next-of-kin

The individual inheriting the vehicle can choose to title the vehicle or assign the vehicle title to a new owner. If the vehicle is subject to probate, the administrator or executive of the estate will be responsible for assigning the vehicle title to a new owner.

If your situation differs from the situation above, contact the Michigan SOS at (888) 767-6424 for information on how to title the inherited vehicle.

Transferring a Title After a Lease Buyout

Paying off a vehicle loan is certainly something to celebrate, and it’s a reason to retitle your vehicle. To release a vehicle lien, the lender must either sign the vehicle title certificate or provide you with a lien termination statement. If you still have a lien on your vehicle, the vehicle’s title will reflect the lien on your vehicle.

How to Transfer Ownership of a Vehicle Without a Title in Michigan?

In order to drive a vehicle legally in Michigan, you must have a title to register a vehicle. If you can get in touch with the previous vehicle owner, you can ask them to file a duplicate vehicle title, (Form TR-11L). If you can’t get in touch with the vehicle’s previous owner, you may have to go to probate or petition the court.

Can I Gift a Car to a Family Member?

Yes, you can gift a vehicle to a family member in Michigan, but in order to do so, there are certain steps you need to follow. A Michigan vehicle title transfer for a gifted vehicle is the same process as the Michigan vehicle title transfer for a vehicle purchased through a private party.

If you received a vehicle as a gift, or a vehicle was sold to you by a qualifying relative, you are exempt from paying sales or use tax in MI. Qualifying family members include:

  • Spouses
  • Parents (including stepparents and in-laws)
  • Siblings (including step-siblings and in-laws)
  • Children (including stepchildren and in-laws)
  • Grandparents (including in-laws)
  • Grandchildren (including in-laws)

In the state of Michigan, you are not required to provide proof of a relationship when you apply for a vehicle title transfer. However, you can be asked to prove the relationship at any time by the Michigan Department of Treasury. If your relationship claim is found to be fraudulent, you will be required to pay costly fines.

Transferring a Vehicle Title When You Have an Out-of-State Title

When you need to transfer an out-of-state vehicle title to a Michigan title, you must present different documents. These documents include but are not limited to:

  • The out-of-state vehicle title
  • Proof of a valid no-fault Michigan vehicle insurance policy
  • Proof of identity

You need to present these documents at your local SOS branch office. If there are multiple vehicle owners listed on the out-of-state vehicle title, all vehicle owners are required to appear at the SOS branch office when the application for a Michigan vehicle title is made. If one of the vehicle owners can’t attend, an Appointment of Agent Form (Form TR-128) must be presented. This form allows another vehicle owner to sign on the absent vehicle owner’s behalf.

If you have an out-of-state vehicle title that is being held by a lien holder, you can take your out-of-state vehicle registration (can be recently expired), or proof of the out-of-state vehicle title to any SOS branch office with proof of a valid Michigan no-fault vehicle insurance policy for the vehicle. You will be issued a “foreign ownership – registration only” registration for the vehicle. This type of vehicle registration allows the State of Michigan to issue license plates without converting the out-of-state vehicle title to a Michigan vehicle title.

Requesting a Duplicate Vehicle Title in Michigan

If you have lost or damaged your vehicle title, you can apply for a duplicate vehicle title online or in person at your local SOS branch office.

Requesting a Duplicate Vehicle Title In Michigan Online

If you are requesting a duplicate vehicle title online, you need to visit the Secretary of State online services page here. You need to provide the following information:

  • The last 4 digits of your social security number (SSN)
  • Driver’s license or state ID number
  • Eye color

It’s important to double-check the information you provide online to avoid delays and possible penalties.

Requesting a Duplicate Vehicle Title In Michigan In-Person

If you choose to request a duplicate vehicle title in person, visit your local SOS branch with your valid driver’s license or ID. If you can’t make it to your local SOS branch office, you can designate someone as an agent to act on your behalf and order your MI duplicate vehicle title from an SOS office. You need to complete an Appointment of Agent (Form TR-128) and provide a photocopy of your driver’s license or state ID.

How Much Does a Title Transfer Cost in Michigan?

You can expect to pay different fees that are associated with a vehicle title transfer in Michigan. The following are the standard vehicle title transfer fees:

  • Vehicle title: $15
  • Late fee: $15
  • Instant vehicle title: $20 additional fee
  • Vehicle title replacement $15
  • Michigan use tax: 6%

Make sure you have all the applicable payments ready to avoid delays with transferring your Michigan vehicle title.

Where Can I Go to Transfer a Vehicle Title in Michigan?

There are multiple SOS locations in the state of Michigan where you can transfer the title of a vehicle.

Department of Motor Vehicles
8565 N Lilley Rd
Canton, MI 48187
(888) 767-6424

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (9 AM to 5 PM)
Wednesday (9 AM to 7 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)

Department of Motor Vehicles
4675 Wastenaw Ave
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
(888) 767-6424

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (9 AM to 5 PM)
Wednesday (11 AM to 7 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)

Department of Motor Vehicles
1720 E M 21
Owosso, MI 48867
(888) 767-6424

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (9 AM to 5 PM)
Wednesday (11 AM to 7 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)

How to Fill Out the Michigan Title and Title Transfer Forms

In the state of Michigan, in order to complete a vehicle title transfer form, you need to ensure all required forms are filled out completely with accurate information. You may be required to complete a bill of sale that discloses information regarding the vehicle, such as its color, make, model, and year. Make sure you also include the vehicle’s VIN.

If you’re choosing to sell a vehicle rather than gift it to someone, you need to be sure you add sales tax to the vehicle’s price. You also need to provide an odometer reading in the “transfer of title by seller” section of the Michigan vehicle title. The recipient of the vehicle is required to sign the vehicle title in the provided spaces.

Additional documentation may be required, such as a valid MI vehicle insurance policy that meets or exceeds the current coverage limits set by the state of Michigan. You may also be required to present a valid government-issued photo ID. However, 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?

When a vehicle’s title is signed but not transferred, the vehicle has an open title. With an open title, the vehicle’s seller didn’t transfer ownership of the vehicle or register it in their name. Also, with an open vehicle title, the vehicle’s seller is not responsible for any fees or taxes that are associated with the vehicle because their name is not on the title.

If the vehicle’s seller loses the title to the vehicle, they can request a duplicate Michigan vehicle title. The seller of the vehicle or the person listed on the vehicle’s title is the responsible party for requesting a duplicate vehicle title, then signing it over to you to put in your name.

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