How to Transfer a Car Title When the Owner Died in Maryland

To transfer a car title when the owner dies in Maryland, the process depends on how the vehicle was titled. A jointly owned car or one with a Transfer on Death (TOD) beneficiary can be retitled at the MVA with a death certificate and the existing title. A vehicle titled solely in the deceased’s name requires Letters from the Register of Wills before the MVA will process the transfer. The title fee is $200 in most cases, and a surviving spouse on a joint title pays nothing.

If the Title Was Held Jointly

This is the simplest scenario. No probate court is involved. The surviving co-owner completes the “Assignment of Ownership” and “Application for Title and Registration” sections on the back of the existing Maryland Certificate of Title, and submits it with a certified copy of the death certificate. The MVA may also accept its own notification letter (Form VR-278 or VR-264P), which the agency sends to surviving owners once it learns of a death.¹

A surviving spouse who is not currently listed on the title needs to add a marriage certificate to the application. If the vehicle still has a loan against it, the lender must provide either a lien release or a letter authorizing the transfer with the lien still attached.²

When a jointly titled vehicle passes from a deceased spouse to the surviving spouse, the $200 title fee is waived.¹ No safety inspection is required when the vehicle was previously registered and is staying in the surviving co-owner’s name.

If a Transfer on Death Beneficiary Was Named

Maryland lets vehicle owners name a TOD beneficiary directly on the title, and a vehicle with that designation bypasses probate. Only solely owned, Maryland-titled vehicles qualify, and only one beneficiary can be named.³

If you are the named beneficiary, submit the existing title along with a certified death certificate to the MVA. If the MVA has already received death notification from the Department of Health, the death certificate may not be required. Immediate family members (spouse, child, or parent) also skip the safety inspection requirement.³

If the Vehicle Was Titled Only in the Deceased’s Name

When no co-owner or TOD beneficiary exists, someone needs legal authority to sign the title over. That authority comes from the Register of Wills in the Maryland county where the deceased lived.

Get Appointed First

If the deceased left a will, the Register of Wills issues Letters Testamentary to the executor named in the will. If there was no will, the Register issues Letters of Administration to a personal representative it appoints. Either document lets the holder transfer estate assets, including vehicles.⁴

For deaths on or after January 1, 1998, the MVA requires original Letters of Administration. For deaths before that date, the Register of Wills may issue a Legal Heir Certification instead. Maryland does not use an Affidavit of Heirship for vehicle title transfers.⁵

Then Submit to the MVA

Once you have original Letters, the MVA needs:

The existing Certificate of Title, with the Assignment of Ownership section completed and signed by the personal representative
Original Letters of Administration or Letters Testamentary naming you as authorized to act
Application for Certificate of Title (Form VR-005), if the back of the existing title doesn’t serve as the application
A signed lien release from the lender, or a completed Maryland Security Interest Filing, if the title shows an outstanding loan
A certified copy of the death certificate

Submit these documents in person at any full-service MVA branch, by mail to the Glen Burnie title unit, or through a licensed tag and title service.¹ A Maryland safety inspection certificate is required if the vehicle is going to someone outside the immediate family.²

The Small Estate Shortcut

If the deceased’s total probate assets are worth $50,000 or less, Maryland’s small estate process applies. The threshold rises to $100,000 when the surviving spouse is the sole heir or beneficiary under the will.⁴ The small estate process charges no fee to the Register of Wills, rarely involves a court proceeding, and is handled administratively. A personal representative is still appointed and still receives the authority needed to transfer vehicle titles, with less paperwork and lower cost than a regular estate. Contact the Register of Wills in the county where the deceased lived to confirm the estate qualifies and to learn which documents you’ll need.

What It Costs

The standard Maryland title certificate fee is $200, effective as of 2025.⁶ A duplicate title (if the original is lost) costs $40, and a corrected title costs $80.

The larger potential cost is Maryland’s 6% excise tax on vehicle transfers, calculated on the vehicle’s fair market value. Transfers to close family members without money changing hands are exempt. The exempt relatives include a spouse, child, grandchild, parent, sibling, grandparent, and in-laws (father, mother, son, or daughter-in-law); nieces and nephews qualify in some cases when the transferor is at least 65.⁷ Most inheritance scenarios among family members fall within this exemption, but a transfer to a friend or non-exempt relative triggers the full tax. If a family member receiving the vehicle is doing so as a gift, the executor may also need to complete a Gift Certification form (VR-103).²

Smaller costs add up. Notarization runs up to $8 per signature in Maryland, or up to $30 for a remote notarization.⁸ Certified death certificate copies typically cost about $12 each from Maryland Vital Records. A licensed tag and title service will charge its own fee on top of the MVA charges.

Don’t Let the Insurance Lapse

The car insurance policy doesn’t terminate the moment the policyholder dies, but it doesn’t continue indefinitely either. Most insurers provide a grace period of 30 to 90 days, provided premiums remain current. Contact the insurance company as soon as possible. If you plan to drive the vehicle before the title transfer is complete, confirm coverage extends to you. If the grace period is going to expire before you finish the transfer, arrange your own policy on the vehicle so there is no gap.

What Happens If You Wait

The MVA’s guidance says the title transfer application doesn’t technically need to be filed until the vehicle’s registration expires.¹ That is not really breathing room. Until the title is legally transferred, the vehicle remains part of the deceased’s estate, and any parking tickets, toll violations, or accident liability tied to the vehicle become the estate’s problem, and the executor’s.

You also cannot register or insure the vehicle in your own name without a title in your name. That blocks you from renewing tags when they expire, and driving on expired registration is its own violation. When more than one heir has a claim, delay breeds disputes: an heir who has been driving the car for months without a title transfer has no more legal ownership than one who hasn’t touched it.

1
Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. Titling – Deceased Owner
2
Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. You’ve Inherited a Vehicle
3
Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. Designating a Beneficiary on a Vehicle Title
4
Maryland Register of Wills. Small Estates
5
Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. You’ve Inherited a Vehicle (VR-151)
6
Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. MVA Fee Listing
7
New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Code Transportation 13-810 – Exemptions from Excise Tax
8
Maryland Secretary of State. Notary Division