How To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in New Jersey in 2026

Transfers of motor vehicle ownership between family members in New Jersey are administered by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC). A family transfer is processed through the state's certificate of ownership system, and the ownership record is not changed until the reassigned title is submitted and accepted by MVC.

A transfer within a family may be documented as a gift or as a sale under New Jersey law and MVC procedure. That distinction affects the sales tax treatment of the transaction and the amount entered on the title. For a sale, R.S. 39:10-11 requires the purchaser to submit evidence of purchase within 10 working days, and the MVC’s ownership transfer instructions state that a $25 penalty applies if a New Jersey title or dealer-reassigned title is not transferred within that period.

What Does Transferring a Car Title to a Family Member in New Jersey Mean?

Transferring a car title to a family member in New Jersey means changing the legal owner of record through the state's certificate of ownership process. In New Jersey, the certificate of ownership is the official ownership document for a titled vehicle, and the current titled owner remains the owner on record until the Motor Vehicle Commission processes the transfer and issues the updated title record.

For a used vehicle sold in New Jersey, the seller must execute and deliver an assignment of the certificate of ownership to the purchaser. A transfer within a family uses the same title reassignment process. The family relationship does not replace the requirement for a properly assigned title and completion of the MVC title and registration records.

Eligible Family Members for Title Transfers in New Jersey

New Jersey does not establish a separate title-transfer procedure limited to a defined class of relatives. The ordinary private-party title process applies to transactions between spouses, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, siblings, stepparents, stepchildren, in-laws, and other relatives.

The state also does not provide a general “family transfer” exemption from title requirements. Instead, the tax result depends on the nature of the transaction. A true gift is exempt from sales tax, while a family sale is treated as a taxable motor vehicle purchase. The Division of Taxation also states that when a gifted vehicle is transferred with a lien and the recipient was not a co-owner on the original title, sales tax is due on the principal balance assumed.

How To Transfer a Car Title as a Gift to a Family Member in New Jersey

Step 1 — Confirm that the title is available and review any lien. The current owner should confirm that the New Jersey title can be assigned and that any recorded lien has been satisfied or is being addressed with the MVC. If lien removal is required, the Universal Title Application explains the lien-release documents accepted by MVC.

Step 2 — Complete the title assignment and show the transfer as a gift. The titled owner should complete the seller section on the reverse side of the title, and the recipient should complete the buyer section, including the required driver's license number or business entity number. Regarding gifts, the MVC states that the title should show “gift” as the sale price.

Step 3 — Record the odometer reading if the vehicle is subject to odometer disclosure. Mileage disclosure is required at the time of transfer when the federal odometer law applies. New Jersey uses the mileage statement on the title and, when needed, the Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form OS/SS-2). Vehicles that are exempt under federal law are not subject to the ordinary written mileage disclosure rule.

Step 4 — Remove the license plates from the vehicle. The seller must remove the plates when the vehicle is transferred. Plates may be reassigned to another vehicle owned by the seller, but they may not remain with the vehicle for the new owner’s use. If they are not being reassigned, they must be turned in under the MVC’s plate surrender rules.

Step 5 — Prepare supporting records for the transfer. A separate gift affidavit is not listed by MVC as a standard in-state transfer document. A bill of sale is not specifically required for an ordinary in-state gift transfer, but a dated written record stating that no consideration was paid may help if the title entry is unclear or additional documentation is later requested.

Step 6 — Apply at an MVC agency. A standard family transfer must be completed in person at a motor vehicle agency under the MVC’s ownership transfer instructions. If registration is being completed at the same visit, the recipient should also bring the Vehicle Registration Application (Form BA-49), proof of New Jersey insurance, identification, and payment of applicable title and registration fees.

How To Transfer a Car Title as a Sale to a Family Member in New Jersey

Step 1 — Complete the title assignment with the sale information. The seller should enter the buyer’s information, date of sale, and purchase price on the reverse side of the title, and the buyer should complete the purchaser section. New Jersey requires the seller to execute and deliver the assigned certificate of ownership in a used-vehicle sale.

Step 2 — Prepare the bill of sale. The MVC’s ownership transfer instructions direct the seller to provide a bill of sale that includes the buyer’s name and address, the date of sale, the mileage reading, and the sale price. Including the year, make, model, and VIN is also advisable for a complete transaction record.

Step 3 — Complete the mileage disclosure. The transfer must include an accurate odometer statement if the vehicle is not exempt from federal odometer rules. If Form OS/SS-2 is used, it supplements the assigned title and is submitted with the title paperwork.

Step 4 — Address any lien release or financed-title requirements. If the vehicle is financed or a lien remains on the title record, the buyer and seller should provide the lienholder information and the supporting title documents described in the MVC’s pre-owned title checklist. If a lien is being removed, the MVC requires original proof of lien release or other acceptable payoff documentation.

Step 5 — Remove the seller’s plates. The seller must remove the existing plates from the vehicle. The plates may be transferred only to another vehicle owned by the seller. If not reassigned, they must be surrendered under the MVC’s plate-surrender rules.

Step 6 — File the transfer promptly and register the vehicle. The buyer must appear at an MVC agency to transfer title and complete registration. Evidence of purchase must be submitted within 10 working days for a New Jersey sale, and MVC states that a $25 late penalty applies to a New Jersey title or a dealer-reassigned title transferred after that period.

Step 7 — Pay Sales Tax and registration charges. A family sale is taxed in the same manner as another private-party vehicle sale. The buyer must pay title fees, registration fees, and sales tax due at the time of titling and registration under the MVC’s pre-owned title checklist.

What Documents Are Needed To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in New Jersey

Required for all transfers

• Assigned New Jersey certificate of ownership. The current title must be properly signed and completed by the transferring owner and the new owner. For an ordinary in-state transfer, the MVC’s standard procedures require the assigned title as the primary evidence of ownership.
• Government-issued photo identification. The MVC requires identification when a title transaction is processed. The Universal Title Application states that proper identification must be provided when submitting title paperwork.
• Proof of New Jersey insurance. Insurance proof is required if the vehicle will be registered during the transfer transaction, as shown in the MVC’s pre-owned title checklist.
• Vehicle Registration Application (Form BA-49). This form is used for registration in connection with the transfer. The form records owner and co-owner information, VIN, insurance information, and the registration transaction type. Form BA-49
• Odometer disclosure. The title transfer must include mileage disclosure when federal law requires it. New Jersey uses the title mileage statement and, when applicable, the Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form OS/SS-2). Under current federal rules, odometer disclosure generally applies to model year 2011 and newer vehicles during the first 20 years, while vehicles over 16,000 pounds GVWR and certain other vehicles are exempt under NHTSA guidance.

Additional documents for sale transfers

• Bill of sale. The MVC’s private-transfer instructions call for a bill of sale showing the buyer’s name and address, date of sale, mileage reading, and sale price. A more complete bill of sale may also include the year, make, model, and VIN.
• Payment of Sales Tax. For a taxable family sale, Sales Tax is collected with the title and registration transaction.

Documents required in specific circumstances

• Universal Title Application (Form OS/SS-UTA). This form is used for specific title transactions such as out-of-state titles, duplicate titles, corrected titles, and lien additions or removals. It also describes the documents needed to remove a lien. Form OS/SS-UTA
• Power of Attorney. If another person signs for an owner or purchaser, MVC requires a notarized general, durable, or limited power of attorney for a non-dealer ownership transaction. MVC also accepts a General Letter of Authorization (LOA-1) in some cases when all paperwork has already been signed by the represented person.
• Lien release documentation. If the title shows a lien that has been paid, MVC requires original lien-release proof or other acceptable payoff evidence described in the title application instructions.
• Notarized seller statement for non-title states. If the vehicle comes from a state that does not issue titles, MVC requires a notarized seller-to-buyer statement listing the year, make, VIN, date of sale, and price, along with the seller’s last registration and VIN verification in the manner listed by the MVC’s pre-owned title checklist.

For a standard in-state private transfer, New Jersey does not generally require the title assignment or bill of sale to be notarized. Notarization becomes relevant for specific documents, such as a power of attorney and a wet-signature mileage correction on Form OS/SS-2.

How To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member Online in New Jersey

A standard title transfer between family members cannot be completed entirely online in New Jersey. The MVC’s transfer instructions state that ownership transfer must be handled at a motor vehicle agency, and the agency service listings treat title and registration transfers as appointment-based in-person transactions at motor vehicle agencies.

What's the Cost To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in New Jersey?

Title fees

Registration fees

New Jersey registration fees vary by vehicle class, model year, and weight. For common passenger vehicles, the MVC’s registration fee schedule lists the following base ranges:

If the seller is transferring an existing registration to another of the seller's vehicles, the MVC lists a registration transfer fee of $4.50, plus any prorated increase due to a weight-class change. That is not a fee for transferring plates to the family member receiving the vehicle, because New Jersey does not permit plates to stay with the vehicle for a new owner.

Taxes

The Division of Taxation states in its casual sales FAQ that the motor vehicle Sales Tax rate is 6.625% and that a gifted vehicle is not taxable when transferred free and clear of any lien. The MVC’s sales tax exemption guidance also states that a gift is exempt if the sales price is shown as “GIFT” and the entry is not altered. If the transaction is a sale, even between relatives, sales tax applies in the ordinary manner.

Contact Information

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission
225 East State Street, Trenton, NJ 08666
Phone: (609) 292-6500
Official Website: New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission