New Jersey Form OS/SS-7, the Application for Certificate of Ownership, has been retired. The Motor Vehicle Commission replaced it with the Universal Title Application (Form OS/SS-UTA), which folds several older title forms into one document.1New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. NJ MVC Forms If you still have a copy of the OS/SS-7 on hand, the fields and the titling process it supported are described below, but confirm with your local MVC agency before submitting it; most locations now expect the UTA.
Whichever form you end up using, it covers the title side of the transaction: who legally owns the vehicle in New Jersey’s records. Registration (plates and the right to drive) is handled at the same visit but is a separate line on the receipt.2New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Application for Certificate of Ownership
What the Form Asks For
The application is shorter than most people expect. It has three parts.
Owner and Co-Owner
Enter the full name as it appears on your New Jersey driver’s license, along with your license number, street address, date of birth, sex, and eye color. A business applicant uses its MVC Entity Identification Number (formerly called a Corpcode) in place of a license number. The form does not ask for a Social Security number or taxpayer ID.2New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Application for Certificate of Ownership
Vehicle Description
You will provide the complete Vehicle Identification Number (not the motor number), make, model, year, color, body type, number of axles, and current odometer reading. The VIN is on a plate at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side or on a label inside the driver-side door jamb. Record mileage to the tenth if your odometer shows it.
The form does not ask for the vehicle’s shipping weight or purchase price. The MVC pulls weight class from the manufacturer’s statement of origin, its own weight class manual, or the Branham Reference Book.3New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Registration and Title Fees You will state the purchase price separately so the agent can calculate sales tax.
Lien Information
If the vehicle is financed, enter the lender’s name, its 15-digit MVC Entity Identification Number, and its mailing address. Your lender should be able to provide the EIN.4New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Titles for Business Vehicles Entity Identification Number If there is no lien, write “NONE.”
What to Bring to Your Appointment
New title and registration transactions require an appointment at an MVC Vehicle Center. Walk-ins are not accepted for this transaction.5New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Agency Services Bring:
- Proof of ownership: the manufacturer’s certificate of origin for a new vehicle, or the prior title signed over to you for a used one.
- A valid photo ID; a New Jersey driver’s license is simplest.
- Proof of New Jersey auto insurance: your NJ Insurance Identification Card, or at minimum your insurer’s name and policy number.6New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Vehicle Registration
- An odometer disclosure from the seller for vehicles Model Year 2011 or newer that are less than 20 years old. Vehicles Model Year 2010 and older are exempt under the previous 10-year rule.7National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Consumer Alert – Changes to Odometer Disclosure Requirements
- Payment. The MVC accepts cash, personal checks, money orders, and Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. Make checks and money orders payable to “NJMVC.”8New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Discover Card Now Accepted at MVC
Fees and Sales Tax
You will pay three charges at the counter.
Title fee. A standard title is $60. If there is a lien, the title fee is $85.3New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Registration and Title Fees
Registration fee. Passenger-vehicle registration runs from $35.50 to $84, based on the vehicle’s age and shipping weight class. Vehicles less than two years old pay a premium within their weight class.3New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Registration and Title Fees
Sales tax. New Jersey charges 6.625% on the purchase price.9Justia. New Jersey Code 54-32B-3 – Taxes Imposed On a $25,000 vehicle, that is about $1,656. The agent collects the tax during the title and registration transaction.10New Jersey Division of Taxation. Sales and Use Tax
After the Application Is Processed
You leave the agency with a registration card and two license plates, one for the front bumper and one for the rear.11New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Standard Issue Plates Motorcycles, trailers, and motorized bicycles receive one plate. Keep the registration card in the vehicle; you must produce it during traffic stops.
Registrations are valid for one year. Renewal can be done online through the MVC website, with no appointment, and takes effect immediately.12New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Vehicle Registration Renewal If you lose your renewal notice and PIN, you can request a new PIN on the same site.
New vehicles get a five-year inspection window. After that, inspections are required every two years.13New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. How Do I Get My Vehicle Inspected A used vehicle that is already past its window should be inspected promptly after registration.
If You Are Active-Duty Military
Service members stationed in New Jersey whose legal domicile is another state can keep their vehicle registered in the home state under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Being stationed here does not make you a New Jersey resident for registration purposes.14Offutt Air Force Base. Vehicle Registration and Driver’s License The same protection extends to civilian spouses under the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, provided the spouse shares the service member’s home state and moved to New Jersey solely because of military orders. If you choose to establish New Jersey domicile by getting a New Jersey license, voting here, or paying state income tax, you would then title and register through the MVC like any other resident.