What Is a Reassignment of Certificate of Ownership in NJ?

A reassignment of certificate of ownership in New Jersey is a supplemental title document that transfers a vehicle when the standard assignment area on the back of the original title can’t be used. The Motor Vehicle Commission issues these certificates in lots to licensed dealers under N.J.S.A. 39:10-11, which lets a dealer who buys a used car resell it without first titling the vehicle in the dealership’s name.¹ Buyers also run into reassignment paperwork when a title has already been signed over so many times that no blank assignment lines remain.

When You’ll See One

The usual situation is a dealer sale. Rather than pay the full title fee twice, a New Jersey dealer who buys a used vehicle attaches a reassignment certificate to the original title and passes both to the final buyer. The reassignment keeps the chain of ownership intact on paper, running from the original seller through the dealer to you, and the MVC accepts that chain when you apply for your new title.¹

The second situation is a title that has run out of room. If a car has changed hands several times and every assignment block on the back is full, a reassignment certificate provides fresh space for the next transfer instead of forcing the current holder to order a duplicate title.

Not the Same as Form BA-62

Online sources sometimes call the reassignment certificate “Form BA-62.” That is wrong. BA-62 is an affidavit a surviving spouse or domestic partner uses to transfer a vehicle title after the other titleholder’s death.² The actual document is titled “Reassignment of Certificate of Ownership by Licensed New Jersey Dealer,” and the MVC issues it directly to licensed dealers rather than offering it as a public download. A private party who needs more assignment space handles that at the MVC agency, not through a form you print at home.

What Goes on the Certificate

The reassignment captures the same core data as any title transfer because it becomes part of the title chain. Record the seventeen-digit Vehicle Identification Number exactly as it appears on the dashboard plate and the existing title, together with the year, make, and model. Enter the purchase price, since that figure drives the sales tax the buyer owes.

An accurate odometer reading is mandatory. Federal law under 49 U.S.C. § 32705 requires every person transferring a motor vehicle to provide a written disclosure of the cumulative mileage, or to state that the actual mileage is unknown if the reading is inaccurate.³ Buyer and seller both list their full legal names and current addresses. Any mismatch between the reassignment paperwork and the original title will cause the MVC to reject the application, so check every field before you leave the signing table.

What to Bring to the MVC

The reassignment certificate on its own won’t get you a new title. Bring the full package to the MVC agency:

The original certificate of ownership with all prior assignments, plus the reassignment certificate, signed by every party.⁴
A Vehicle Registration Application (Form BA-49) if you’re registering at the same time.⁵
Identification totaling at least six points under New Jersey’s 6-Point ID system, such as a driver’s license, passport, Social Security card, or utility bill.⁵
Proof of active New Jersey liability insurance. An insurance card works, as does the company name and policy number.⁵
An MVC-issued Entity Identification Number (formerly called a Corporate Code) if the buyer is a business.⁴
A notarized Power of Attorney, identifying the appointee, the principal, and the specific vehicle and transaction, if someone other than the buyer or seller is signing.⁴

What It Costs

Two separate charges apply. The reassignment certificate itself costs $10 when the MVC issues it to a dealer under N.J.S.A. 39:10-11.¹ When you buy from a dealer, that $10 is usually folded into the dealership’s paperwork charges rather than itemized.

On top of that, you pay the MVC’s title fee for your own new title:

$60 for a vehicle with no lien.
$85 for a financed vehicle with one lien.
$110 for a financed vehicle with two liens.⁶

Then there’s sales tax. New Jersey charges 6.625% on every motor vehicle purchase, calculated on the price written on the reassignment certificate or bill of sale.⁷ A $15,000 vehicle produces roughly $994 in tax. The MVC insists on an accurate sale price for exactly this reason; underreporting is fraud. Transfers between immediate family members for no consideration may qualify for an exemption, but you still have to complete the title transfer and document that no money changed hands.

You Have 10 Working Days

New Jersey law gives the buyer 10 working days from the date of sale to submit the title transfer paperwork to the MVC.¹ Miss that window and the MVC charges a penalty fee.⁶ The clock starts the day you buy the car, not the day you finally get your insurance sorted out. Dealers face the same 10-working-day deadline, but the reassignment certificate is how the statute lets them avoid titling in the dealership’s name in the first place.

Odometer Disclosure Rules

The odometer section on the reassignment form exists because federal law treats mileage fraud as a serious offense. Under 49 U.S.C. § 32705 the transferor must give the buyer a written mileage statement, or disclose that the actual mileage is unknown, and the buyer cannot accept an incomplete disclosure.³

Vehicles of model year 2010 and older are now exempt. For model year 2011 and newer, the disclosure obligation runs 20 years from the model year, so a 2011 vehicle stays covered until 2031 and a 2015 vehicle until 2035.

Penalties are real. Civil violations can reach $10,000 per vehicle, with a $1,000,000 cap on a related series of violations. Knowing and willful violations carry up to three years in federal prison plus criminal fines under Title 18, and corporate officers who authorized or performed the conduct face the same criminal exposure as the company.⁸

At the MVC Counter

Bring the reassignment certificate, the original title, and all supporting documents to an MVC agency. Many services run on appointments, so check the MVC website before you go. Staff will review the paperwork for completeness, verify signatures, and confirm the vehicle details against their records. Once the transaction is processed, you’ll receive a temporary receipt as proof of filing.

The MVC mails the new certificate of ownership to the buyer’s address, generally within one to three weeks depending on volume. Until it arrives, your receipt is your proof that a title application is pending. Keep it in the car with your registration and insurance card.

If You’re the Seller

The seller carries real obligations too. Sign the assignment section on the original title, provide an accurate odometer reading, and give the buyer a bill of sale that lists the mileage and the sale price.⁴ Write the bill of sale even if the buyer doesn’t ask; it protects you if the buyer never completes the transfer and parking tickets or toll violations start piling up under your name. Remove your license plates before handing over the keys, because New Jersey plates stay with the owner, not the vehicle.

1
New Jersey Revised Statutes. New Jersey Code 39-10-11 – Certificate of Ownership; Fees
2
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission – BA-62 Affidavit
3
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32705 – Disclosure Requirements on Odometer of Motor Vehicles
4
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Transferring Vehicle Ownership
5
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Vehicle Registration
6
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. How To Get A Title For A New Vehicle
7
New Jersey Division of Taxation. Motor Vehicle Casual Sales Notices
8
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32709 – Penalties and Enforcement