How to Complete the West Virginia DMV-1-TR Title Transfer Form

Form DMV-1-TR is the application West Virginia uses to issue a new certificate of title whenever a vehicle changes hands through a private sale, dealership purchase, gift, or inheritance. You can download the West Virginia DMV-1-TR title transfer form from the Division of Motor Vehicles website or pick one up at any of the state’s 26 regional DMV offices. West Virginia gives buyers 60 days from the date of purchase to submit a completed title application, so gathering documents and fees early keeps you out of trouble.¹

What to Gather Before You Start

Missing paperwork is the fastest way to get an application returned. Pull everything together before you touch the form.

The existing certificate of title, signed and assigned to you by the seller. If a lienholder still holds an interest, the lien must be released before the seller can assign it.
A valid government-issued photo ID for both buyer and seller. Copies of each must accompany the application when a notarized bill of sale is involved.¹
Proof of insurance meeting West Virginia’s minimum liability limits: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage.²
Your personal property tax receipt. You cannot register a vehicle in West Virginia until personal property taxes are paid for the current or immediately preceding calendar year on all vehicles registered in your name.³
A notarized bill of sale if the purchase price is less than 50 percent of the vehicle’s NADA Clean Loan Book value. Without one, the DMV assesses sales tax on the book value instead of what you actually paid.¹

Filling Out the Form

Use blue or black ink and print legibly. The DMV rejects forms with erasures, whiteout, or alterations. If you make a mistake, start over on a clean copy.

Vehicle Description

The top section asks for the vehicle identification number, make, year, body style, and weight. Copy the 17-digit VIN exactly as it appears on the existing title or on the dashboard plate. A single transposed digit will bounce the application. Body style refers to the vehicle type: sedan, pickup, SUV, and so on.⁴

Odometer Disclosure

Federal law requires a mileage statement on every ownership change, and West Virginia does not exempt vehicles by age the way some states do. Record the odometer reading at the time of sale without tenths of a mile, and check the box indicating whether the reading is actual mileage, exceeds the odometer’s mechanical limits, or is known to be inaccurate. A wrong box or a blank section delays processing.¹

Buyer and Seller Information

Enter the full legal names and mailing addresses of both buyer and seller. These details must match what appears on the existing certificate of title or on the bill of sale. If you are buying with a co-owner, pay attention to whether the title reads “and” or “or.” That choice determines whether both owners must sign for any future transfer.⁴

Lien Information

If you financed the vehicle, enter the lienholder’s full name, address, and zip code. The DMV prints the lien on your new title, and the physical certificate typically goes to the lienholder rather than to you. A $10 lien recording fee applies.¹

Signatures

The application must be signed and sworn to by the applicant. The seller signs the title assignment. When a notarized bill of sale is involved, both parties’ signatures must be witnessed by a notary, and copies of both driver’s licenses must be included with the submission.¹

Fees and Sales Tax

West Virginia charges a 6 percent sales tax on the purchase price of every motor vehicle titled in the state.⁵ For vehicles with a net purchase price under $500, the minimum tax is a flat $30.¹

If you buy a used vehicle from a private seller for less than 50 percent of its NADA Clean Loan Book value, and the vehicle is more than two model years old, the DMV assesses tax on the book value rather than the sale price. A notarized bill of sale can override this, though the DMV may verify it independently.⁶

Beyond the sales tax, expect these fixed charges:

Title fee: $15 for each new certificate of title.⁴
New registration (plates): $51.50 for a standard passenger vehicle.⁷
Plate transfer: $10.50 to move an existing plate from another vehicle you own.⁴
Lien fee: $10 when a lienholder is recorded on the new title.¹

Pay by check or money order made payable to the Division of Motor Vehicles. The DMV does not accept cash by mail.⁴

Gifts and Inheritances

Vehicles transferred as a gift, donation, or through an inheritance are exempt from the 6 percent sales tax, but only if the paperwork is done correctly. In most cases, both the giver and the recipient must complete a separate Affidavit of Transfer of Ownership Without Consideration (Form DMV-5-TR) and submit it alongside the title application. Incomplete affidavits get sent back.¹

Transfers between a parent and child, or between spouses, do not require the gift affidavit at all. For every other relationship, including siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends, the DMV-5-TR is mandatory to claim the exemption.¹

One catch: if a lien is being recorded on the new title (meaning the new owner financed the vehicle even though they received it as a gift), sales tax applies to 6 percent of the outstanding loan balance regardless of the relationship. The gift affidavit is not available when a lien is placed on the new title.¹

Titling a Vehicle From Another State

If the vehicle was previously registered in another state, the DMV requires a physical VIN inspection before it will issue a West Virginia title. A law enforcement officer verifies the serial number on the vehicle against the documentation. If the vehicle is still located out of state and cannot be driven until West Virginia registration is in hand, the DMV will accept a VIN inspection performed and certified by a law enforcement officer in the state where the vehicle is currently located.⁸

The same fees and 6 percent sales tax apply to out-of-state vehicles being titled in West Virginia.¹

If the Seller Lost the Title

A sale cannot go through without a properly assigned title. If the seller’s original certificate is lost, destroyed, or was never received, the seller must apply for a duplicate before transferring the vehicle to you. West Virginia uses Form DMV-4-TR for duplicate title requests. The seller fills it out, checks the appropriate reason, includes a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID, and pays a $15 duplicate title fee. If the vehicle ever had a lien recorded against it, the lienholder must complete the lien release section of the form before a clear duplicate can be issued.⁹

This adds time. Ask to see the physical title before agreeing to buy from a private seller. It is one of the most common holdups in private-party transactions.

Where to Submit

You can submit the completed DMV-1-TR package by mail or in person at a regional DMV office.

By Mail

Send the completed form, the assigned title, any required supporting documents (bill of sale, gift affidavit, VIN inspection), and your payment to:

West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles
PO Box 17710
Charleston, WV 25317¹

Check every field and confirm all signatures before sealing the envelope. Incomplete applications get returned rather than held, costing additional weeks.

In Person

Visiting one of the 26 regional DMV offices lets a clerk review your documents on the spot and flag problems before you leave. Bring originals of everything: the title, your ID, proof of insurance, and your personal property tax receipt. In-person visits are especially useful for complicated transactions like out-of-state titles or gift transfers, where a missing affidavit would otherwise mean a rejection by mail.

Once approved, the new certificate of title arrives by standard mail at the address on the application. If a lienholder is recorded, the title goes to the lender instead. Keep your registration card as proof of ownership in the meantime.

The 60-Day Deadline

West Virginia law requires a buyer to forward the assigned title and a completed application to the DMV within 60 days of the transfer date, even if the vehicle will not be driven on public roads.¹⁰ The seller has the same 60-day window to deliver the signed title to the buyer. Letting the deadline slide creates complications if the vehicle is involved in an accident or accrues parking violations while still titled in the seller’s name, so both parties benefit from handling the transfer promptly.

1
West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. Vehicles – Titles
2
West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner. Auto Mandatory Limits
3
West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 17A-3-3a
4
West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. DMV-1-TR Certificate for Title of Motor Vehicle
5
West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 11-15-3C
6
Legal Information Institute. West Virginia Code R. 91-9-3 – Determination of Tax Due Prior to Issuance of Title to a Vehicle
7
West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. New Residents
8
Legal Information Institute. West Virginia Code R. 91-2-9 – Physical Inspection of Serial Number
9
West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. Affidavit of Duplicate Title for a Vehicle or Watercraft
10
West Virginia Legislature. West Virginia Code 17A-4