Protecting Your Beloved Possessions

Getting A New Title From A Gifted Vehicle From A Deceased Person: What To Do

If you were gifted a car when you were old enough to drive but you were never given the title in person, and the person who gave you the car years ago is no longer living, getting a title will take a little bit of work. You have to prove ownership of the vehicle and have documentation that the vehicle is yours. Here is some of the information you will need to get started.

Some of the most important information includes the:

  • VIN
  • Model and make
  • License plate number

With this information, you can apply for a duplicate title through your state's DMV. The new title will either arrive in the mail or you will be required to pick it up at your local DMV with proof of identification.

If two of you are on the title, the title will belong to you and you can have the other person's name removed from the title with proof of death. This could be done by occupying a death certificate. You will then fill out the paperwork for a new title with your name solely on it.

If the person who gifted you the car is the only person on the title, then this can be a problem. Even if the person passed away years prior, you will have to track down the lawyer that handled their estate.

There may be a copy of the will that proves that the car was gifted to you, and then you can file the proper paperwork to have the title changed. This will be easy if the vehicle is not in probate.

If there is no paperwork and the car still belongs to the estate, you may have to get a lawyer to help with getting sole ownership of the vehicle. The beneficiary of the car, or the next of kin, should be able to help you with transferring the title as well. If there was an administrator of the estate, then you will have to track this person down.

No matter how you are transferring or changing the title you should expect that there will be title transfer fees. You will also want to talk with your insurance provider to let them know that the name on the title of the vehicle has changed.

If you have a vehicle and no title, and the person that gifted you the vehicle has passed, you want to take these different steps to get a new title. This way you can prove ownership of the vehicle without problems down the road. For more information on auto titles, contact a professional near you.


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