The Alabama MVT 5-7 form is a sworn affidavit that fixes a mistake made in the assignment section of a vehicle title — the area on the back of the title (or on a manufacturer’s statement of origin) where ownership transfers from seller to buyer. You fill in the wrong information and the correct information, sign it in front of a notary along with the other party to the transfer, and submit it with the original title to a designated agent of the Alabama Department of Revenue. The state will not accept a title with white-out or crossed-out text, so this affidavit is the approved way to correct an honest clerical error.1Alabama Department of Revenue. Affidavit to Correct an Assignment on a Certificate of Title
When to Use MVT 5-7
The form’s instructions limit it to “corrections to information incorrectly stated in the title assignment.”1Alabama Department of Revenue. Affidavit to Correct an Assignment on a Certificate of Title That means mistakes made during the transfer itself: a misspelled buyer or seller name, a transposed VIN digit, the wrong date of sale, or an incorrect odometer entry.
If the error is printed on the face of the title — for example, the state issued the title with the wrong name or VIN — MVT 5-7 is the wrong form. Alabama Administrative Code 810-5-75-.39 requires you to apply for a new certificate of title through a designated agent instead.2Alabama Administrative Code. Alabama Administrative Code 810-5-75-.39 – Corrections To Title Documents Flip the title over. The assignment area sits on the back or on a supplemental sheet stapled to it; that is what MVT 5-7 covers.
One boundary matters before you start. If anyone has already tried to fix the assignment by hand — white-out, strike-throughs, overwritten text — the Department considers the document void, and you will need a replacement title before the correction can move forward.3Alabama Legislative Services Agency. Alabama Administrative Code 810-5-75-.39 – Corrections To Title Documents (PDF)
How to Fill Out the Form
Download MVT 5-7 from revenue.alabama.gov or pick up a copy at your county licensing office.1Alabama Department of Revenue. Affidavit to Correct an Assignment on a Certificate of Title The header warns that “ALL AREAS MUST BE COMPLETED.” Blanks get the form kicked back.
Type of Correction
At the top, mark one of three boxes that identifies which assignment contains the error:
- Assignment on Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin — used only by licensed motor vehicle dealers for errors on a new vehicle’s factory paperwork.
- Assignment of Title by Registered Owner — the common choice for private sales where the seller made a mistake signing the title over.
- Re-Assignment of Title by Licensed Motor Vehicle Dealer — for dealers correcting errors on a title they reassigned during a retail or wholesale transaction.
Vehicle Information
Enter the full 17-digit VIN, checking it against the metal plate on the dashboard rather than the assignment you are correcting. Add the year, make, and model, plus the Alabama certificate of title number from the front of the title. If the assignment being corrected carries a specific assignment number, enter that as well.
The Error and the Correction
Write exactly what appears incorrectly on the assignment, then write the correct version directly below it. Copy the wrong entry verbatim, character for character. If a VIN was recorded as “1HGBH41JXMN109286” but should read “1HGBH41JXMN109186,” both go on the form in full.
Odometer Statement
MVT 5-7 includes an odometer disclosure required by the Federal Truth in Mileage Act. State the mileage at the time of transfer. The form warns that a false odometer reading can bring fines or imprisonment.1Alabama Department of Revenue. Affidavit to Correct an Assignment on a Certificate of Title
Signatures and Notarization
Every party involved in the assignment signs — typically both seller and buyer, or the dealer representative in a dealer transaction. Original ink signatures only. Photocopies and electronic signatures are not accepted.
Because MVT 5-7 is a sworn affidavit, all parties must sign in front of a notary public who verifies identity and applies the official seal. Do not sign the form ahead of time; the notary has to witness the signature. Alabama notaries charge $5 per notarial act, and you will need a valid government-issued photo ID. Any alteration or erasure voids the form, so read every field before anyone puts pen to paper.1Alabama Department of Revenue. Affidavit to Correct an Assignment on a Certificate of Title
Where to Submit It
Title applications in Alabama go through a designated agent of the Department of Revenue. Designated agents include county license plate issuing officials, licensed Alabama motor vehicle dealers, and Alabama-based banks and credit unions.4Alabama Department of Revenue. How Do I Correct an Alabama Title or a Title Assignment? For most people the county licensing office is the simplest path — walk in with the notarized MVT 5-7 and the original title.
You can also mail the paperwork directly to the state:
Titles & Vehicle Inspections
P.O. Box 327640
Montgomery, AL 36132-76405Alabama Department of Revenue. Mailing Addresses
Use certified mail or a trackable service. You are sending in the original title, and losing it in transit means starting over with a replacement application before you can even fix the assignment.
Fees and Processing Time
The application fee for a replacement or corrected title is $15, non-refundable even if the application is rejected.6Alabama Department of Revenue. How Do I Apply for a Replacement Title? With the $5 notary fee, most people spend about $20 total.
Once the Department has a complete, correct package, titles are normally issued within 10 to 15 business days, with another 3 to 5 business days for mailing.7Alabama Department of Revenue. General – Titles Plan for three to four weeks. An incomplete form or a missing document restarts the clock.
If You No Longer Have the Original Title
MVT 5-7 must be submitted with the original certificate of title.2Alabama Administrative Code. Alabama Administrative Code 810-5-75-.39 – Corrections To Title Documents If the original is lost, you have to get a replacement first using Form MVT-12-1 (Application for Replacement Title). The replacement costs $15 and goes through a designated agent, or by mail to Montgomery with certified funds (no personal checks or cash). Once the replacement arrives, you can then complete MVT 5-7 against the reissued document.
Replacement titles carry a printed legend noting they are replacements, and new liens cannot be recorded on one. If you are correcting an assignment because a sale is in progress and the buyer plans to finance the vehicle, address the replacement early so it does not stall the lender.
Why Applications Get Rejected
The same problems come back from county clerks and state processors again and again:
- Incomplete fields. The form says every area must be completed, and a blank box — even one that seems unrelated to your correction — is enough reason to return it.
- Photocopied or electronic signatures. Only original ink signatures count.
- Missing notary seal. A signature without the notary’s stamp is treated as unsigned.
- Physical alterations to the title. White-out or strike-throughs on the original void it, and no correction can be processed until you obtain a replacement.
- Wrong form for the problem. If the error is on the face of the title, MVT 5-7 will be rejected and you will need a new title application.
Fraudulent Use Is a Felony
The bottom of MVT 5-7 reprints Alabama Code Section 32-8-12. Forging or altering a title assignment, or making a false statement on a form prescribed by the Department, is a Class C felony.8Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code Title 32 – Section 32-8-12 – Offenses Constituting Felonies The form is for genuine clerical mistakes. Using it to change ownership details, hide a vehicle’s identity, or roll back an odometer reading is a criminal matter.