A Quick Guide for Michigan SOS Title Transfer
Published December 12, 2022
A car title is a document that proves a person’s ownership of a car. Without a car title, you cannot prove that you legally own the vehicle. The Department of Motor Vehicles issues the car title.
Usually, the Department of Motor Vehicles or DMV sends the car title as soon as you finish the paperwork. That’s why you’ll rarely have to put in any effort to get a car title. There are, however, instances where a person would have to go through a lot of trouble to get a car title for their vehicle.
A prime example of this is when the car was given as a gift. In this case, the car title shows the gifter as the car’s owner. To remedy this, it’s necessary to transfer the car title to the recipient.
The steps to do the transfer typically differ according to the state. With that said, this article will go over everything you need to know about Michigan car title transfer. Let’s start with a simple question.
What Is a Michigan Car Title Transfer?
As the name implies, a Michigan car title transfer is the process to transfer a car title to a different person. It’s handy in many situations. Below are some examples of such situations:
- A seller sold the car to the buyer. Since the DMV doesn’t regulate this transaction, the car title isn’t automatically given or transferred to the buyer, so they must do it manually.
- An individual bought a car and gave it to another person as a gift. Since the original buyer has the title, they would have to transfer the car title to the car’s recipient.
- A borrower has just paid off their car loan in full. As per the contract, the lender would have to transfer the car title to the borrower.
These are common scenarios where a car title transfer is relevant. But then again, one may argue that it doesn’t really matter who has the car title. Well, it actually matters a lot.
Why Do You Need To Transfer the Car Title?
Transferring a car title is necessary mainly because the repercussions of not doing so can be disastrous. Here’s a look at some situations that may occur if you don’t transfer the car title:
- If the car title remains with the seller even after the car has been bought legitimately, that seller may decide to sell it again while keeping the money of the buyer. When this happens, the law would be on their side since they’re still technically the vehicle’s legal owner.
- If the car title remains with the original buyer after they have given the car to someone else, any responsibility over the car will fall on them. If the recipient receives a lot of tickets, for example, the responsibility of paying for those tickets would fall on the original buyer.
Put simply, not transferring the car title to the rightful owner can be disastrous to both parties. The good news is the process is actually not that complex. You can start by gathering the prerequisites.
What Is Needed for a Michigan Car Title Transfer?
You and other involved parties need to provide the following in order to transfer a Michigan car title:
- The original car title
- The signature of both the original owner and the next owner
- A disclosure statement showing the current odometer reading of the car
- Your Michigan driver’s ID or license
In addition to these documents, you must also prepare a hefty sum of money for the fee.
How Much Does It Cost To Transfer a Car Title in Michigan?
The fee for Michigan car title transfers is $15. The DMV may also charge you an extra $15 if it has been over 15 days since the actual sale or transfer of the car to the new owner.
How To Transfer a Car Title in Michigan
Once you have all the requirements to transfer a car title in Michigan, all you have to do is schedule an office visit to the closest DMV service office or location in your area.
To do that, you must go to this link.
Upon scheduling your visit, you and other involved parties will have to personally go to the office and submit the requirements, fill up forms, and more. Everything you need to do will be done in the office.
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About The Author
Lenard Arceo is an experienced blogger and writer who enjoys learning to code in his spare time. His commitment to delivering factual content is what has helped him create hundred of helpful articles that have reached millions of people.