A certificate of title in NJ is the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission document that proves you own a car, truck, or motorcycle, and you get or transfer one by visiting an MVC Vehicle Center in person with the title (or Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin for a new vehicle), a completed Universal Title Application, proof of New Jersey insurance, your driver’s license, and payment for the title fee and 6.625% sales tax.1New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. How To Get A Title For A New Vehicle2New Jersey Division of Taxation. Motor Vehicle Casual Sales Notices Appointments are required, and every titling transaction has to happen in person.3New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Vehicle Registration
Fees and What to Bring
Title fees depend on whether anyone has a lien on the vehicle:4New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Registration and Title Fees
- $60 for a standard vehicle with no liens.
- $85 for a financed vehicle with one lien.
- $110 for a financed vehicle with two liens.
Sales tax runs 6.625% of the purchase price, so a $20,000 car carries $1,325 in tax on top of the title and registration fees.2New Jersey Division of Taxation. Motor Vehicle Casual Sales Notices A vehicle received as a gift can qualify for a sales tax exemption; write “GIFT” in the purchase price field on the title assignment.5New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Vehicles Exempt From Sales Tax The MVC accepts credit cards, personal checks, money orders, and cash.
If the vehicle will be titled to a business, bring the Entity Identification Number (formerly CorpCode) and Federal Tax ID.
Titling a New Vehicle From a Dealer
A new vehicle comes with a Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO) that lists the VIN, make, model, year, and manufacturer.6Justia. New Jersey Code 39-10-8 – Certificate of Origin, Title; Security Interests7New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Universal Title Application1New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. How To Get A Title For A New Vehicle
Transferring a Used Vehicle From a Private Sale
A private sale puts the paperwork in your hands. The seller completes the Assignment of Ownership on the back of the existing title with their signature, the sale date, the purchase price, and the odometer reading. The buyer fills in their full legal name and current address. Erasures, white-out, or illegible entries can get the title rejected at the window, so work carefully.
If the seller’s lender is still listed on the title, the lien has to be released before ownership can transfer. New Jersey’s Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) system, launched in 2024, lets participating lenders release liens electronically.8New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. NJMVC Launches Electronic Lien and Title System If the lender hasn’t joined ELT, you’ll need a paper lien release or a title the lender has signed.
Bring the following to the Vehicle Center:9New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Pre-owned Vehicle Title
- The assigned title, signed by both parties with sale date, price, and odometer.
- Vehicle Registration Application (Form BA-49).
- Your driver’s license (the physical card, not a copy).
- Proof of New Jersey insurance.
- Payment for the title fee, registration fee, and sales tax.
- A financing statement on Form OS/SS-UTA if you’re financing and need a lien recorded on the new title.
Bringing a Vehicle From Another State
New residents transfer both the title and registration at an MVC Vehicle Center. Bring the original out-of-state title, a completed Universal Title Application (Form OS/SS-UTA), a Vehicle Registration Application (Form BA-49), proof of NJ insurance, and your license.10New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Moving To New Jersey
If the vehicle is financed or leased, your lender holds the title. Send the lender a completed Application for the Release of a Title from Lienholder (Form OS/SS-54) so they can forward the original to the MVC. The MVC contacts you to come back and finish the transfer once the title arrives. If you already paid sales tax in your prior state, you may qualify for an exemption on the New Jersey side.
When You Get the Physical Title
If the vehicle has no liens, you usually walk out with the physical title the same day. The exception is a P.O. Box mailing address, which triggers a 10-day hold before the MVC mails the title.10New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Moving To New Jersey If the vehicle is financed or leased, the title is mailed to the lienholder and you get a title receipt as your interim proof of ownership.
Odometer Disclosure
Federal law requires an accurate odometer reading on every title transfer that needs one, and the mileage on the title assignment must match the actual odometer at the time of sale. Falsifying the reading is a federal offense and can void the sale.
Not every vehicle needs an odometer disclosure. Model year 2010 and older vehicles are currently exempt. Model year 2011 and newer vehicles become exempt 20 years after their model year, so 2011 models aren’t exempt until 2031. Trailers and vehicles rated over 16,000 pounds gross vehicle weight are exempt regardless of age.
Transferring a Title After the Owner Dies
What you bring depends on how the title was held, whether there’s a will, and the size of the estate. All of these transfers happen in person at a Vehicle Center.11New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Transferring Vehicle Ownership
- Jointly titled with a spouse or domestic partner: the survivor signs the title and brings a death certificate and a notarized Form BA-62 affidavit.
- Owner died with a will and no co-owner: the executor signs the title and brings a Surrogate’s Short Certificate. If title goes to the estate itself, the estate needs an EIN.
- No will, surviving spouse or partner, estate under $50,000: the survivor brings the title and an Affidavit of Surviving Spouse bearing the County Surrogate’s raised seal.
- No will, no surviving spouse, heirs only, estate under $20,000: the next of kin brings the title and an Affidavit of Next of Kin with the Surrogate’s raised seal.
- No will, estate above those thresholds: an administrator appointed by the Surrogate’s Court signs the title and brings an Administrator’s Short Certificate.
New Jersey also allows a Transfer on Death (TOD) beneficiary designation. If the owner filed a TOD Beneficiary Form during their lifetime, the named beneficiary claims the vehicle with that form, the title, a death certificate, and a Universal Title Application, bypassing the Surrogate’s Court entirely.
Lost, Damaged, or Incorrect Titles
For a lost, stolen, or damaged title, apply for a duplicate on the Universal Title Application (Form OS/SS-UTA), marking the duplicate box. Bring your license and proof of ownership such as a current registration, insurance card, or bill of sale. The fee is $60.12New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Duplicate Title13New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. MVC Fee Table Mail requests to the Database Corrections Unit in Trenton are allowed in some situations but take 8 to 12 weeks. Once a duplicate issues, the prior title is void; destroy it if it later turns up. Filing a false application for a duplicate title is a criminal offense carrying a $200 to $500 fine, up to 30 days in jail, or both.14Justia. New Jersey Code 39-10-12 – Lost Papers; Duplicate Certificate
For a mistake on the title, like a misspelled name or wrong VIN, visit an MVC agency or submit a written request to the Database Corrections Unit.15New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Title Corrections MVC-side errors can usually be fixed at any agency against their records. Errors from source documents (a dealer entering the wrong information, for instance) require more paperwork, including notarized letters from the parties involved. Don’t let an error sit, because an incorrect title can derail a future sale when the buyer’s paperwork doesn’t match.
Salvage and Rebuilt Titles
When an insurer declares a vehicle a total loss after a crash, flood, or theft recovery, New Jersey issues a salvage title. A salvage-titled vehicle cannot be registered or driven on public roads until it is repaired and passes an MVC inspection.
To convert a salvage title into a rebuilt (negotiable) title, you must email your paperwork to the designated inspection site for review and approval before scheduling the physical inspection. Required documents include the NJ salvage title in your name, bills of sale for every major component part used in the repair, before-and-after photos, a detailed work order listing all repairs and VINs of replacement parts, and the salvage inspection fee application (Form OS/SS-3).16New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Salvage Inspection Fee Application The inspection fee is $200 for most vehicles and $100 for motorcycles, and it is nonrefundable. Missing an appointment without rescheduling at least five business days in advance forfeits the fee and forces you to reapply. Flood-damaged vehicles require the insurer’s damage report; theft recoveries require the recovering agency’s law enforcement report.