A Minnesota title transfer happens at a deputy registrar office: the seller signs over the current certificate of title, the buyer completes Form PS2000A (Application to Title/Register a Vehicle), and the buyer pays a 6.875 percent motor vehicle sales tax on the purchase price plus a $12 filing fee and a $2.25 technology surcharge.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 297B.02 – Rate2Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Fees The whole process runs through Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), a division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, and the new title arrives by mail in four to six weeks.3Anoka County, MN. Fast Track
What to Gather Before You Go
A missing document means a wasted trip. Pull everything together before you leave.
- The original certificate of title, signed by the seller.
- A signed lien release card or notarized lien release from the lender, if a lienholder is listed on the title. DVS is not notified when a loan is paid off, so getting the release is the owner’s responsibility, and if it was lost you’ll need to request a duplicate from the lender.4Anoka County. Transfer of Minnesota Titles
- Valid government-issued ID for both buyer and seller.
- Proof of insurance for any self-propelled motor vehicle or motorcycle. Bring the insurer’s name, policy number, and expiration date.5Washington County, MN – Official Website. Transfer of Minnesota Titles
- The exact purchase price and date of sale, since both appear on the title and drive the tax calculation.
One quirk to know upfront: in Minnesota, license plates belong to the vehicle, not the person, so the plates stay on the car when it changes hands.6Minnesota Judicial Branch. Car Title Problems
How the Seller Signs the Title
The seller prints and signs their name in the “Seller” section on the front of the certificate of title, and fills in the date of sale and the vehicle’s true cumulative odometer reading. Minnesota law requires the seller to state the actual mileage or, if the odometer is known to be inaccurate, to disclose that the true mileage is unknown.7Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 168A.10 – Transfer of Interest by Owner The buyer prints and signs on the front of the title in the buyer’s section.
Any alteration voids the title. That includes crossing out text, writing over mistakes, or using correction fluid or tape. If an error slips in, both parties have to complete and sign a corrected title form, which means another trip.5Washington County, MN – Official Website. Transfer of Minnesota Titles Take your time. This is where most preventable delays start.
How the Buyer Completes Form PS2000A
Once the title is signed, the buyer fills out Form PS2000A. Copies are available at any deputy registrar office and on the Minnesota DVS website.8Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Application to Title/Reg. a Vehicle The form asks for your full legal name, date of birth, and residential address.
The vehicle description on PS2000A has to match the physical title exactly: year, make, model, body type, and VIN. The odometer reading on your application also has to match what the seller wrote on the title. Discrepancies flag the application for review.
PS2000A carries mandatory disclosures too. Under Minnesota law, if a vehicle has sustained damage exceeding 80 percent of its actual cash value, the seller must disclose that to the buyer.9Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 325F.6641 – Disclosure of Vehicle Damage
Deadlines You Both Need to Meet
The buyer has 20 calendar days after the title is assigned to submit the application for a new certificate of title. Miss that window and DVS can suspend the vehicle’s registration.7Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 168A.10 – Transfer of Interest by Owner County registrar offices also apply a $2 late transfer penalty when the transaction is not submitted within 10 business days of the sale date.4Anoka County. Transfer of Minnesota Titles The penalty is small; a suspended registration is not, because it means you can’t legally drive the vehicle until the paperwork is resolved.
The seller has a deadline too. Within ten days of the sale, the seller must report the transfer to DVS by completing the “Notice of Sale” section on the certificate of title or by submitting the information electronically through the DVS online tool, which lets you mark a vehicle as sold, donated, or removed from the state.7Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 168A.10 – Transfer of Interest by Owner10Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Title Report Vehicle Sold, Donated or Removed From State Filing this notice matters for liability. A seller who delivers the vehicle and complies with the notice-of-sale requirement at the time of delivery or within 48 hours afterward is not liable as owner for damages caused by the vehicle after that point. Skip the report and your name stays attached to the vehicle in state records, which can mean trouble if the buyer collects parking tickets or gets in a crash.
What It Costs
Minnesota charges a motor vehicle sales tax of 6.875 percent on the purchase price, not the standard state sales tax. The rate was increased from 6.5 percent by 2023 legislation.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 297B.02 – Rate
Two categories of vehicles pay a flat tax instead:
- A $10 flat tax applies if the vehicle is at least 10 years old and both the sales price and average value fall below $3,000.
- A $150 flat tax applies to qualifying collector passenger vehicles and fire trucks.11Minnesota Department of Revenue. Miscellaneous Motor Vehicle Sales
On top of the sales tax, expect these charges at the counter:
- $12 filing fee, due with every title transaction.
- $2.25 technology surcharge.
- $3.50 public safety vehicle fee.2Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Fees
- $2 late transfer penalty, if you file after 10 business days from the sale date.
Registration tax is also due and varies based on the vehicle’s value and age. The DVS website has a registration tax calculator you can use to estimate it. Deputy registrar offices accept checks, money orders, and credit cards, though some charge a convenience fee on card payments.
Gift Transfers Between Family Members
A gifted vehicle still needs a properly signed title and a completed Form PS2000A. The difference is tax. Minnesota exempts certain family gift transfers from the 6.875 percent motor vehicle sales tax entirely. No tax is owed on a gift between:
- Spouses
- Parents and a child
- Grandparents and a grandchild
No affidavit is required for these family gift transfers.12Minnesota Department of Revenue. Nontaxable Transactions The transfer has to be a genuine gift with no money changing hands; if the registrar sees a purchase price listed, it will be processed as a sale and taxed. Siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins do not qualify for this exemption.
Where to Submit and What Happens Next
The fastest route is a deputy registrar office in person. Offices are spread across every county in Minnesota and can process the transfer on the spot. Bring the signed title, completed PS2000A, proof of insurance, ID, and payment for the fees and taxes.
Once the registrar accepts your paperwork and payment, you get a stamped application or temporary registration permit that serves as proof of legal ownership while you wait for the permanent title. Minnesota typically mails the new certificate of title in four to six weeks to the address on Form PS2000A, so confirm your address before you submit.3Anoka County, MN. Fast Track The temporary permit is valid for driving, obtaining insurance, and handling registration in the meantime.