To get a new car title in Minnesota, file an Application to Title/Register a Motor Vehicle (Form PS2000) with a deputy registrar office or by mail to Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) within 10 days of the purchase date, along with the signed-over title, a lien release if applicable, and your ID. You’ll pay an $8.25 title fee, a 6.875 percent motor vehicle sales tax on the purchase price, and several smaller filing and transfer fees on top.
When Minnesota Requires a New Title
A new or updated title is required whenever ownership or the owner’s identity changes. That includes buying a car from a dealer or private seller, receiving one as a gift, inheriting a vehicle, changing your legal name after marriage or divorce, and moving to Minnesota from another state.
If your current title is lost, stolen, or unreadable, that is a different transaction, called a duplicate title, covered further down.
The 10-Day Deadline (and What It Costs to Miss It)
Minnesota law gives you 10 days after the vehicle is assigned to you to submit your title application.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 168A.10 – Transfer of Interest by Owner The clock starts the day the seller signs the title over to you.
Miss the deadline and DVS adds a $2 late-transfer fee. The bigger problem hits at 30 days, when DVS can suspend the vehicle’s registration entirely. Reinstating it costs another $10, and you cannot legally drive the car while the suspension is in place.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 168.301 – Transfer of Vehicle
Documents You’ll Need
The core form is the Application to Title/Register a Motor Vehicle, Form PS2000, available on the DVS website at drive.mn.gov or at any deputy registrar office.3Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Title and Registration for Those New to Minnesota It asks for the vehicle identification number, make, model, owner information, lienholder details, and the odometer reading, which is a federal disclosure requirement on most transfers.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32705 – Disclosure Requirements on Transfer of Motor Vehicles
Bring or attach the following:
- The original title signed over by the previous owner. Coming from out of state, bring the current out-of-state title; a registration card can let you register the vehicle, but DVS will not issue a Minnesota title without the actual title document.3Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Title and Registration for Those New to Minnesota
- A lien release from the lender if the previous owner had a loan on the vehicle. Some lienholders release liens electronically through Minnesota’s electronic lien and title program rather than issuing a paper release.
- A Motor Vehicle Gift Affidavit (Form PS2080) if the vehicle is a gift rather than a sale.
- A valid Minnesota driver’s license or state-issued ID.
If you cannot appear in person, another person can complete the transfer on your behalf using a motor vehicle power of attorney. The power of attorney document must accompany the application.
What You’ll Pay
Several charges stack together, and the sales tax is by far the largest.
Motor Vehicle Sales Tax
Minnesota charges a 6.875 percent excise tax on the purchase price of any motor vehicle that must be registered in the state.5Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes Chapter 297B – Motor Vehicle Sales Tax On a $20,000 used car, that comes to $1,375. Trading in a vehicle at a licensed dealer reduces your taxable purchase price by the trade-in value.6Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Sales Tax
Gifts are not tax-free. When a vehicle changes hands for no money or a minimal amount, DVS applies the tax to the average fair market value of similar vehicles instead of the stated price. One narrow exception: passenger vehicles at least 10 model years old with both a purchase price and average value under $3,000 qualify for a flat $10 in-lieu tax.6Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Sales Tax
Annual Registration Tax
The registration tax is based on the vehicle’s original manufacturer’s suggested retail price and drops each year. For passenger vehicles first registered in Minnesota on or after November 16, 2020, the first-year formula is $10 plus 1.575 percent of the MSRP, with the taxable percentage declining each year until it hits a flat $20 in year 11 and beyond.7Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 168.013 – Road Tax, Registration Fees A new car with a $35,000 MSRP owes $10 plus $551.25 in year one. DVS publishes an online Vehicle Registration Tax Estimator for exact figures.
Flat Fees
- Title fee: $8.25, charged every time a title is issued.8Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Fees
- Filing fee: $12 for title transactions.9Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 168.33 – Registrar of Motor Vehicles
- Transfer tax: $10 on most transfers. Exceptions include transferring from joint to single ownership and vehicles held by dealers for resale.8Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Fees
- Standard double plates: $15.50.8Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Fees
- Deputy registrar surcharge: $1 on every transaction processed at a deputy registrar office rather than by mail to DVS.9Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 168.33 – Registrar of Motor Vehicles
County Wheelage Tax
Many Minnesota counties add a wheelage tax of $10 to $20 on registered vehicles, collected by DVS on the same bill. Hennepin, Ramsey, and Washington charge $20; Dakota charges $10.10Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Wheelage Tax
Where to File
In Person at a Deputy Registrar
A deputy registrar office is the fastest option. Staff review your documents on the spot, collect your fees, and issue a temporary permit so you can drive the vehicle while you wait for the official title. Bring originals; copies of the previous title generally will not be accepted. Payment options usually include cash, check, and credit or debit card, though card payments may carry a processing surcharge.9Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 168.33 – Registrar of Motor Vehicles
By Mail to DVS
You can also mail your completed Form PS2000 with supporting documents and a check or money order for the total fees to Driver and Vehicle Services at 445 Minnesota Street, St. Paul, MN 55101.11Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services Division. Application to Title/Register Motor Vehicle Certified mail gives you proof of delivery. You will not receive a temporary permit this way, and processing takes longer.
How Long It Takes
Standard title processing runs four to six weeks from the date DVS receives your application, whether you filed in person or by mail.12Anoka County, MN – Official Website. Fast Track The proof-of-ownership receipt issued at transfer is generally sufficient for insurance purposes in the meantime.
If you need the physical title sooner, ask your deputy registrar about the Fast Track program. For an extra $20, Fast Track shortens the wait to roughly 7 to 10 business days. Not every transaction qualifies; the deputy registrar reviews eligibility.12Anoka County, MN – Official Website. Fast Track
Insurance Before You Drive
Minnesota’s No-Fault Act requires every vehicle owner to carry no-fault insurance before operating on public roads. Driving uninsured is a crime and can bring fines, jail time, or loss of driving privileges, and proof of insurance must stay in the vehicle.13Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Registration Have coverage active before you drive to the deputy registrar to complete the transfer.
Replacing a Lost or Damaged Title
Losing your current title is a different transaction. Use the Application for Duplicate Title (Form PS2067A), available on the DVS website or at any deputy registrar office. Only the owner listed on the original title, or someone with a valid power of attorney, can request a duplicate.14Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Duplicate Vehicle Title Application
Fees total $21.50 by mail to DVS ($7.25 duplicate title, $2.25 technology fee, $12 filing fee), or $22.50 at a deputy registrar with the $1 surcharge.14Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Duplicate Vehicle Title Application Most deputy registrar offices can print a same-day duplicate on the spot.15Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Vehicle Titles
When the Title Arrives
Check every detail against your application: your name, the VIN, the make and model, and the lien information. DVS will correct errors caught early at no charge. Wait too long and you’ll pay another $8.25 for a corrected title. Keep the document at home rather than in the car; a title stolen with the vehicle is much harder to replace.