9 Important Things About Cars You Must Know Before Change of Ownership

 

There could be several reasons why you may decide to gift a car as a present. You may have brought up a child who just acquired a driver’s license, or your spouse may require a new vehicle for commuting to work.

The commonest step you must take is transferring the title of ownership, filling in the requisite documents to ensure the entire procedure goes smoothly.

After signing the title of your vehicle to the other party, the new owner must produce the completed forms to the local DMV Registration Extension California.

Change of Ownership of your car is simple if you know how to handle them. That is why here’s a step-by-step guide to know how to gift a vehicle in California.

When you are gifting your vehicle to a family member, the Vehicle Registration Renewal in California under CA DMV (California Department of Motor Vehicles) recognizes the following people as family members:

 

• Spouses

• Siblings

• Parents

• Children

• Grandparents

• Grandchildren

• Domestic partners

 

The procedure to gift a vehicle

When you sign over the title of your vehicle to a new owner, you have to provide the following to the recipient:

1. The vehicle title signed by both the transferor and the new owner. Additionally, the signatures of any lien attached to the vehicle, if applicable has to be considered.

2. As a transferor, if you miss your vehicle title, an application for a duplicate copy of the transfer of title must be signed by both the transferor and the new owner.

3. If your vehicle is less than 10 years old, transferors must produce an odometer reading. Fill up a Vehicle/Vessel Title Transfer and Reassignment Form if your title does not contain any more space for the odometer mileage.

4. There is a facility of Smog Service in Rancho Cucamonga. Submit a Smog Certification, unless you are presenting the car to a relative or your car is 4 model years or lesser and not diesel-powered.

The entire procedure must be finished within 5 days from the date of your gifting the vehicle.

Simultaneously, you must have to submit a release of liability form to your local DMV. After your local DMV receives your release of liability, you will no longer be accountable nor held responsible for the gifted vehicle.

 

The procedure to receive a gifted vehicle

1. If you are gifted a car, you’ll have to title and register your gifted vehicle within 10 days from the date of receiving the same.

2. Visit your local DMV with all the relevant documents from the earlier owner of the vehicle and complete the following:

3. Submit a comprehensive Statement of Facts to avail fee exemptions for family transfers and smog certifications.

4. If you inherit a car submit an Affidavit for Transfer without Probate. You may have to submit other documents depending on your case. Get in touch your local DMV for further information about this process.

5. Pay the title transfer fees i.e $15 for the transferred title and $8 for the smog transfer fee. The following forms of payments are accepted: cash, debit/credit card, cashier’s check, and money order.

Post-completion of every single requirement, you can drive your new vehicle.

 

A title transfer is a crucial process whose purpose is to demonstrate individual or business ownership of a vehicle. The protocols vary from state to state. The onus lies on you to adhere to the protocols.