How to Fill Out Arizona MVD Power of Attorney Form 48-1001

Arizona MVD Power of Attorney Form 48-1001 lets a vehicle owner authorize another person to sign title and registration paperwork on their behalf. The form is issued by the Arizona Department of Transportation and governed by ARS § 28-370, and it becomes effective once the owner’s signature is either notarized or witnessed by an MVD agent.¹

What the Form Actually Authorizes

ARS § 28-370 allows a designated attorney-in-fact to sign the documents needed to obtain or transfer a vehicle title and to handle registration activities for the owner.¹ That is the whole scope. The authority does not reach medical decisions, bank accounts, or anything outside MVD business, and it ends when the specified transaction is completed or the owner revokes it.

Information You Need on the Form

Form 48-1001 is a single page, and MVD staff will reject it if fields are incomplete or inconsistent with the supporting documents.² You can download the current version from ADOT.³

You will need:

The full 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number, usually on the driver’s side dashboard or door jamb
The vehicle’s year and make
The body style, such as sedan, truck, or SUV
The owner’s full legal name
The full legal name of the attorney-in-fact (an individual or an organization)

Names must match the identification the representative will present at the counter. A nickname where a legal name belongs, or a missing middle name, is enough to get the form bounced. Use blue or black ink and write legibly, because these forms are scanned.

Notary or MVD Agent: You Only Need One

The owner has to sign the form, and that signature has to be authenticated. Arizona gives you two paths:

A notary public watches the owner sign and applies their seal.
An MVD agent witnesses the signature. Under ARS § 28-370, the MVD director and designated department officers, agents, and employees can witness a Form 48-1001 for vehicle title and registration purposes, and when they do, notarization is not required.¹

The statute is explicit that a notarized power of attorney does not need a separate witness, and a witnessed one does not need to be notarized.¹ One or the other is enough. Neither, and the form has no effect.

The Federal Odometer Wrinkle

If your transaction involves an odometer disclosure, a separate federal rule sits alongside Form 48-1001. Under 49 CFR § 580.13, a seller may use a power of attorney for the mileage disclosure only in limited situations: the physical title is held by a lienholder, the title is lost, the electronic title is held by a lienholder, or the electronic title cannot be accessed.⁴ If you have the physical title in your hand, you disclose the mileage on the title itself, not through a power of attorney.

When an odometer power of attorney is used, it has to include the reading at the time of transfer, the date, both parties’ names and addresses, and the full vehicle identification. The seller also certifies whether the reading reflects actual mileage, has exceeded the odometer’s mechanical limit, or is inaccurate. Arizona’s own ARS § 28-2058 requires an odometer disclosure statement in a form prescribed by the MVD director for every title transfer.

Where to Submit It and What It Costs

The completed and authenticated form goes to an MVD office or a licensed Authorized Third Party provider. Third party offices are private businesses contracted with MVD to perform title and registration services, and many keep weekend or extended hours.⁵ They charge a convenience fee on top of standard MVD fees. There is no statewide cap on that fee, but each provider is required to post its schedule so you see the total up front.

The power of attorney rarely travels alone. It usually accompanies a title application or bill of sale as part of a complete transaction package. Staff verify the notary or MVD agent authentication and confirm the vehicle details before processing. On the MVD side of the ledger, Arizona charges a $4 title fee and an $8 registration fee, and registration also includes a vehicle license tax based on the vehicle’s assessed value, an air quality research fee, and other line items that depend on the county. MVD keeps the original form for its permanent records, so make a copy before you hand it in.

Can You Use a General Power of Attorney Instead?

Estate planning documents don’t automatically substitute for Form 48-1001. ARS § 28-370 refers specifically to “a power of attorney to be used solely in the performance of vehicle title and registration activities,” and the MVD form is built around a specific vehicle’s VIN.¹ Use Form 48-1001 when you can. If you are relying on a general durable power of attorney because the owner is incapacitated, call the MVD before the visit to confirm what additional documentation they will accept.

Revoking the Authorization

Form 48-1001 has no expiration date. It stays active until the transaction is completed or the owner revokes it. Because the form is tied to a single VIN and a single transaction, the risk of leaving it open is smaller than with a broad financial power of attorney, but you should still shut it down if circumstances change.

To revoke, put it in writing, tell the attorney-in-fact directly, and send a copy to the MVD so the agency knows not to process anything further under the original form. If the transaction has already been completed, revocation is moot because the authority was spent when the transaction closed. The owner’s death also ends the authorization, though transactions completed before the MVD receives notice of the death remain valid.

Businesses, LLCs, and Fleet Vehicles

Form 48-1001 works for organizational owners too. Businesses, LLCs, and corporations use the same form to authorize an employee or outside representative to handle title and registration for company vehicles. The owner fields accommodate an organization’s name, and whoever signs for the entity must have authority to bind it.² Each vehicle needs its own form, since authorization is tied to a specific VIN. Dealerships and other licensed agents fall within the statute’s definition of “agent,” which explicitly includes motor vehicle dealers and authorized third parties.

1
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 28 – 370 Oaths and Acknowledgments Power of Attorney Definitions
2
Arizona Department of Transportation. Arizona Department of Transportation Power of Attorney Form 48-1001
3
Arizona Department of Transportation. Power of Attorney
4
eCFR. Odometer Disclosure Requirements – Section 580.13
5
Arizona Department of Transportation. Authorized Third Party Driver License Locations