How to Complete Form PS2071: Minnesota Assignment of Vehicle to Surviving Spouse

Minnesota Form PS2071, the Assignment of a Vehicle to a Surviving Spouse/Not Subject to Probate, lets you move your deceased spouse’s vehicle into your name without opening probate. You complete the one-page form, sign it in front of a notary, and submit it with the existing certificate of title and proof of death to any deputy registrar or to the Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) central office in Saint Paul. The transfer is exempt from Minnesota motor vehicle sales tax, and if your paperwork is in order, you can finish it in a single visit.¹

Can You Use This Form

PS2071 is available only to someone who was legally married to the vehicle’s owner at the time of death. When you sign, you certify two things under oath: that you are the surviving spouse and have selected the vehicle from the decedent’s personal property under Minnesota Statute 524.2-403, and that the estate has not been and will not be probated, with no outstanding monetary claims or security interests, as permitted by Minnesota Statute 524.2-201.¹

The second certification is the one that stops people. If the vehicle has a loan balance, a lien recorded on the title, or any other security interest, you cannot truthfully sign. The same is true if the estate is being probated or if creditors have filed claims. In those cases the transfer has to go through probate or be handled by the personal representative.²

What to Gather Before You Go

Pull everything together before you head to a deputy registrar. Because the form has to be notarized, missing paperwork is harder to patch on the fly than with a routine title transfer.

The Certificate of Title

You need the original Minnesota certificate of title, and it must show your deceased spouse as the owner. The title is the source for the title number, model year, make, and vehicle identification number you’ll copy onto the form. If the title is lost, apply for a duplicate before you file PS2071. If the vehicle was already held jointly with right of survivorship, this is not the correct form.

Proof of Death

DVS accepts several forms of proof here. The PS2071 instructions list a memorial card, a newspaper clipping, or a copy of the death certificate as acceptable.¹ A certified death certificate always works, but if you are still waiting for one, an obituary or funeral memorial card is enough.

Odometer Reading

Federal law requires an odometer disclosure on title transfers for vehicles 20 model years old or newer, inheritance transfers included. Record the current mileage on the title assignment. Older vehicles are exempt.

Filling Out the Form

PS2071 is a single page. You can download it from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety website or pick one up at any deputy registrar office.³

Title number, from the existing certificate of title, usually in the upper-right area.
Model year and make, exactly as shown on the title.
Vehicle identification number: the 17-character VIN from the title. Check every character; one wrong digit will delay processing.
Name of deceased: the full legal name of the owner, printed last name first.
Date of death.
Relationship to deceased: enter “spouse” or “husband/wife.”
Surviving spouse certification: your signature swears you are the surviving spouse and have selected the vehicle from the estate’s personal property under Minnesota Statute 524.2-403.
Not-subject-to-probate certification: your signature also swears the estate has not been and will not be probated, and that no monetary claims or security interests exist, under Minnesota Statute 524.2-201.

Copy every field directly from the title rather than from memory or from the vehicle. Mismatches with the state’s title records are the most common reason applications come back.

Get It Notarized

Your signature on PS2071 must be notarized, and this catches many people off guard.¹ Do not sign the form at home. The notary has to witness your signature, then stamp and sign the form. Many deputy registrar offices keep a notary on staff, but call ahead to confirm. Banks and UPS Store locations also provide notary services, usually for a small fee.

Where to Submit

You can file in person or by mail, along with the certificate of title and proof of death.

In Person

A deputy registrar is the faster route. A clerk reviews your paperwork on the spot and can flag problems before you leave. Deputy registrar offices operate in most counties; locate the nearest one through the DVS website. Bring the completed form, the original title, your proof of death, and payment.

By Mail

If an in-person visit is not practical, mail the complete package to:

Driver and Vehicle Services
445 Minnesota Street, Suite 195
Town Square Building
Saint Paul, MN 55101-5190⁴

Include a check or money order for the fees. Send the package with tracking or by certified mail, since you are mailing an original certificate of title.

Fees and Sales Tax

The instructions require a title fee and a filing fee. Amounts depend on the vehicle and transaction type and can change, so check the current DVS fee schedule or ask your deputy registrar for the exact total.⁵

The transfer itself is exempt from Minnesota motor vehicle sales tax. The Department of Revenue classifies a motor vehicle inherited upon death as a nontaxable transaction, and no affidavit is needed to claim the exemption for a transfer between spouses.⁶ Compared with the standard 6.5 percent purchase tax, that saves hundreds of dollars on most vehicles.

When PS2071 Is Not the Right Form

PS2071 is built for a clean situation. Several common scenarios need a different route:

The vehicle has a lien. If a lender holds a security interest, you cannot certify that none exists. Pay off the loan and get a lien release, or handle the transfer through probate.
The estate is being probated. Once a personal representative is appointed, vehicle transfers go through that process.
Creditors have claims. Outstanding debts against the estate block the no-monetary-claims certification.
The title lists a transfer-on-death beneficiary. Under Minnesota Statute 168A.125, the vehicle passes to that beneficiary instead.⁷
Joint tenancy with right of survivorship. If both spouses were already on the title, you can remove the deceased’s name with a death certificate; PS2071 is not needed.

For any of these, the DVS deceased-relative title transfer page or a probate attorney can point you to the right process.⁸

After You File

In-person filings are often accepted at the counter, but the new title is mailed from DVS later. Mailed applications wait on the current DVS workload, which can run several weeks during busy periods; the DVS dashboard shows which application date is currently being processed.⁹ Until the new title arrives, keep your proof of death and a copy of the submitted PS2071 in the vehicle. They help explain the ownership situation during a traffic stop or in a call with your insurer.

Once the new certificate of title arrives in your name, call your auto insurer to update the policy. If coverage was in your spouse’s name or on a joint policy, driving on a policy whose named insured is deceased can create coverage gaps. The current registration stays valid through its existing expiration date and will renew in your name after that.

1
Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Assignment of a Vehicle to a Surviving Spouse/Not Subject to Probate
2
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 168A.12 – Interest Passing by Nonvoluntary Transfer
3
Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Forms, Documents and Tax Manual
4
Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Contact – Driver and Vehicle Services
5
Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Fees
6
Minnesota Department of Revenue. Nontaxable Transactions
7
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 168A.125 – Transfer-on-Death Title to Motor Vehicle
8
Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Deceased Relative Vehicle Title Transfer
9
Minnesota Department of Public Safety. DVS Dashboard