Do Both Parties Need to Be Present for Title Transfer in VA?

No, both parties do not need to be present for a title transfer in VA. Virginia’s DMV prefers that the buyer and seller sign together, but the law accommodates absent parties three ways: the missing person can sign the title in front of a notary ahead of time, appoint someone to sign on their behalf through a power of attorney, or the whole transaction can be handled by mail.

Three Ways to Transfer When Someone Can’t Be There

Virginia Code § 46.2-621 lets a vehicle owner or their “duly authorized attorney-in-fact” apply for a certificate of title, so absent-party transfers are built into the statute itself.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 46.2 Chapter 6 – Titling and Registration of Motor Vehicles Pick the option that fits your situation.

Pre-Notarized Signature on the Title

If the seller just can’t get to the DMV, they can sign the title assignment in front of a notary public first and hand the notarized title to the buyer. The buyer then takes it to the DMV with the rest of the paperwork. Virginia was the first state to authorize remote online notarization, back in 2012, so a seller who has moved out of the area may be able to complete the notarization by video call with a Virginia-commissioned online notary instead of appearing in person.

Power of Attorney (Form VSA 70)

Either the buyer or the seller can appoint an agent to handle the transfer by completing DMV Form VSA 70. The form grants the agent authority to sign the certificate of title and the other DMV paperwork needed to transfer or register the vehicle.2Virginia DMV. Power of Attorney to Sign for Owner (Form VSA 70) The agent can be anyone the absent party trusts. Get the owner’s signature on the VSA 70 notarized to validate it. The agent then brings the completed form along with the other transfer documents to the DMV, or includes it in a mail submission.

One wrinkle: if the seller uses a power of attorney instead of signing the title themselves, the odometer reading has to be recorded on the power of attorney document rather than on the title.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-629 – Odometer Reading to Be Reported on Certificate of Title

Mail-In Submission

Virginia lets buyers title and register a vehicle entirely by mail, which means neither party has to visit the DMV in person. The buyer mails the signed and assigned title, a completed Application for Title and Registration, a bill of sale or Vehicle Price Certification (Form SUT-1), and a check or money order covering all fees to the Virginia DMV Titling Department.4Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Submit Titling and Registration Applications by Mail For USPS, the address is:

Virginia DMV
Titling Department
P.O. Box 27412
Richmond, VA 23269

For UPS or FedEx, use 2300 West Broad St, Richmond, VA 23269. Send original documents only, never photocopies, and use a tracking number. The DMV does not accept credit card numbers by mail.

What the Buyer Needs to Submit

Whether the paperwork is dropped off at a counter or mailed in, the required documents are the same. Gather all of it before filing, because a single missing item will stall the transfer.

  • The assigned title. The seller must fully endorse the assignment section on the back, including disclosure of any liens, and deliver the title to the buyer at the time of sale. Willfully failing to do so is a Class 3 misdemeanor.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-628 – How Certificate of Title Transferred
  • Application for Certificate of Title and Registration (Form VSA 17A), filled out by the buyer. Available at any DMV customer service center or online.6Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Application for Certificate of Title and Registration (Form VSA 17A)
  • A bill of sale showing the price, date, VIN, make, model, year, and both parties’ signatures. If you don’t have one, submit Form SUT-1 instead.
  • The odometer reading, recorded on the title at the time of transfer, or on the VSA 70 if a power of attorney is being used.
  • Form VSA 70, only if either party is using an agent.

Keep a copy of the bill of sale. It protects you if a dispute comes up later about what was agreed.

Fees Due at Submission

Virginia collects several charges when a vehicle changes hands, and the DMV will not process the transfer without full payment.7Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Title Your Vehicle or Trailer

  • Title fee: $15.
  • Sales and Use Tax: 4.15% of the gross sales price or $75, whichever is greater. A vehicle sold for $500 still triggers a $75 tax bill.8Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax
  • Registration fees, which vary by vehicle weight. Some localities also require an emissions inspection with its own fee.

Most buyers title and register in the same transaction, paying all of these together.

The 30-Day Deadline

Buyers have 30 days from the date of purchase to apply for a new title in Virginia.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 46.2 Chapter 6 – Titling and Registration of Motor Vehicles Sellers have a parallel duty: endorse the title and deliver it when the vehicle changes hands. A seller who willfully fails to properly assign the title commits a Class 3 misdemeanor.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-628 – How Certificate of Title Transferred

Don’t treat the 30-day window as permission to procrastinate. Until the title is transferred, the seller remains the registered owner in DMV records, which means parking tickets, toll violations, and even accident liability can land on the wrong person. Sellers can notify the DMV of the sale by completing the transfer section on the registration card to help cut off that exposure.

If the Vehicle Still Has a Loan on It

You can’t transfer a Virginia title while an active lien is still on the vehicle. The loan has to be paid off first, and how the release reaches you depends on the lender.

Most lenders participate in Virginia’s electronic lien program. When the loan is paid off, the lender releases the lien electronically and the DMV mails a clean title to the owner’s address on file. If it hasn’t arrived within seven business days of payoff, call the DMV.9Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Liens on a Title Lenders outside the electronic program sign and date the lien release section on the physical title and mail it to you. Once you have that title, visit a DMV customer service center to apply for a substitute title that removes the lien from DMV records. Skipping that step causes problems later if the title is ever lost, because you’ll then need both the lien release letter and a new title from the DMV to replace it.