A car title is a document that tells everyone from police officers to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) who the owner of the car is. If the car is leased or financed, then it technically belongs to the lender until the driver pays it off. They’ll note that the car has a lien on it until all payments have been made.<\/p>\n
Vehicles may be co-owned by two spouses, or owned outright by an individual. If you want to transfer the title in Indiana, then there are a few things you need to know about how the process works before competing the official transaction.<\/p>\n
Transferring ownership of a car is largely dependent on the specific situation. For example, if you buy a car from a dealer, then you won’t need anything else but a valid drivers license.<\/p>\n
They’ll take care of the paperwork on their end so all you have to do is drive away.<\/p>\n
Similarly, if you sell a car to a dealer, they’ll also complete the paperwork for you. If you’re buying or selling as a private party, you’ll need the original title, the bill of sale, the certificate of origin, purchase order and the sales contract.<\/p>\n
The buyer will also need to fill out an Application for Certificate of Title. The seller is required to remove the license plates so the buyer can replace them with their own.<\/p>\n
If you’re wondering how much required title transfer fees are, you should know a new title in the state of Indiana will cost $15 with expedited service costing an additional $25.<\/p>\n
However, Indiana has rules when it comes to how long car owners have to transfer the title to their name, and the state imposes strict fines for owners who fail to do so.<\/p>\n
For example, those who may be entering Indiana from another state have 60 days to transfer the title or else pay a late fee of $30. Buyers who purchase the car from a private party have 45 days to officially transfer the title to their name. If they fail to do so, they’ll need to pay the $30 late fee.<\/p>\n
Owners who have lost their car title (or had it stolen) can go about requesting a duplicate title in several ways. They can either order one online via the BMV services tool or they can go into any BMV branch location to make the request.<\/p>\n
They can also mail in a completed Application for Certificate of Title, a copy of their photo ID, and the fee to the main BMV location in Indianapolis.<\/p>\n
The DMV title transfer form is pretty easy to fill out and includes standard information about the seller and buyer. Sellers will need to sign all relevant boxes and fill in information for the purchaser. There must be an official odometer disclosure, as well as the total price and the official date of the sale.<\/p>\n
If the odometer information isn’t listed on the actual title, buyers will need to get an Odometer Disclosure Form in order for the sale to go through.<\/p>\n
In addition to the title, buyers will need a proof of residency and all registration fees. If the vehicle is from out of state, owners will need to complete an inspection before the transfer is official.<\/p>\n
Transferring a car to a friend or family member is similar to that of a normal purchase, except the seller must put the word ‘GIFT’ into the sale price field.<\/p>\n
The person who’s receiving car is treated as the buyer, meaning they’re the ones who are responsible for getting all of the official paperwork to the BMV and paying the title transfer fees. All gifted cars are exempted from sales tax.<\/p>\n
If you’re inheriting the car, you’ll need to contact the Indiana BMV to find out more about how to transfer the title. The specific way you gain ownership is dependent upon a variety of factors that you’ll need to first explain to an official staff member.<\/p>\n
Usually, the person who has power of attorney will be able to cede the car to the new owner, but again, this may vary on a case-by-case basis. Owners may also need official court documents to fully take control of the vehicle.<\/p>\n
Title transfer requirements are supposed to be followed by buyers on a timely basis, but sometimes they forget to make a trip to the BMV to complete the transfer.<\/p>\n
In this case, sellers will need to have all of their paperwork involved with the sale of the car. As long as they made copies and held onto them, they can show the BMV that the sale went through on a particular date, so the previous owner can be absolved of any potential conflicts that may have arisen after the sale.<\/p>\n
For example, if the buyer received a ticket that was delivered to the previous owner’s address, the seller won’t be responsible for paying it.<\/p>\n
Transferring a title in Indiana is relatively easy to do, as long as owners remember their deadlines and follow the instructions according to the status of their car ownership (e.g., lien held, co-ownership, etc.).<\/p>\n
For the most part, these instructions will be explicitly stated either on the forms or in the many IN DMV offices around the state. However, there are certain situations, such as the case of a deceased owner title transfer, where residents may need to explain their circumstances to a city authority.<\/p>\n
Owners can avoid costly fines by double-checking with the DMV that they’ve met all the requirements.<\/p>\n