On a Kentucky vehicle title, both the seller and the buyer sign on the back, inside the “Assignment of Title” section. The seller signs on the transferor line and the buyer signs on the transferee line, and both signatures have to be notarized before the county clerk will process the transfer. The seller also fills in the odometer reading and signs the odometer disclosure, which the buyer acknowledges with a separate signature.1Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Vehicle Titling
Where the Seller Signs
Flip the title over. The “Assignment of Title” block takes up most of the back, and the seller’s signature goes on the line labeled for the transferor (seller) or dealer/agent. The signature has to match the name printed on the front of the title exactly. If your legal name has changed since the title was issued, bring an affidavit or a document like a marriage license or divorce decree showing both names belong to you.1Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Vehicle Titling
Before signing, the seller also prints their full name in the printed-name field and fills in the buyer’s name, address, date of sale, sale price, and odometer reading. Complete every blank first, then sign. The seller’s signature has to be notarized, and most county clerk offices can do that at the counter if you bring a valid photo ID.2Jefferson County Clerk. Transfers
Where the Buyer Signs
The buyer signs in the same “Assignment of Title” section on the back, on the transferee line near the seller’s signature. The buyer prints their full legal name and signs to accept ownership and acknowledge the odometer reading. The buyer’s signature also has to be notarized.2Jefferson County Clerk. Transfers
Timing is a little more flexible on the buyer’s side. The seller’s portion has to be fully completed and notarized at the time of sale, but the buyer can sign and have their signature notarized afterward, as long as the buyer’s name, address, sale date, and odometer reading are already filled in on the title.2Jefferson County Clerk. Transfers
The Odometer Disclosure
Federal law requires the seller to disclose the vehicle’s mileage, and the Kentucky title has a dedicated odometer disclosure section on the back for it. The seller enters the current reading in whole miles (no tenths), then signs and prints their name to certify the reading is accurate. The buyer signs the acknowledgment line to confirm they received the disclosure.3eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements
Some vehicles are exempt. The federal exemption covers vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating over 16,000 pounds and vehicles that aren’t self-propelled. There’s also an age-based exemption: model-year 2009 or earlier vehicles are exempt once they’re at least 10 years old, and model-year 2010 or later vehicles are exempt once they’re at least 20 years old. A 2005 sedan sold in 2026 falls under the exemption, and you can leave the odometer section blank.4Federal Register. Odometer Disclosure Requirements
Notarization
Every signature on a Kentucky title transfer has to be notarized: the seller’s, the buyer’s, and the odometer disclosure signatures. Missing notarization is one of the most common reasons a transfer gets rejected at the clerk’s window.2Jefferson County Clerk. Transfers
Most Kentucky county clerk offices have notaries on staff who can handle it at the counter, so you can do the signing and the notarization in one trip. Bring a valid photo ID. The notary fee is typically around $2.5Webster County Clerk. Transfer of a Kentucky Titled Vehicle
If There’s a Lien on the Front
Check the front of the title before anyone signs anything. If a lienholder is listed, the vehicle can’t be transferred until the lien is cleared. The lienholder has to provide a Title Lien Statement Release (form TC 96-187) once the loan is paid off, and the seller submits that release along with the current title to the county clerk to get a clean title before the sale.6Jefferson County Clerk. Motor Vehicle Liens
If the release form has been lost, the seller can request a replacement directly from the lienholder. Handle this well before the sale date. If you’re the buyer, confirm the front of the title shows no lien, or that a proper release is in hand if one was recently paid off.
Mistakes That Will Void the Title
The single most common problem clerks see is correction fluid on the title. Don’t use white-out, don’t scratch through information, don’t erase, and don’t write over existing text. Any of those will make the title unacceptable, and you’ll have to get an affidavit with the corrected information, signed and notarized, or apply for a duplicate title and start over.1Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Vehicle Titling
A few other things to avoid:
- Signing before every blank is filled in. Complete the buyer’s name, sale price, date, and odometer reading first. Filling in blanks after notarization draws scrutiny.
- A seller signature that doesn’t match the printed name on the front of the title. Check for typos and name changes before you sign.
- Missing notarization on either signature. An un-notarized signature is treated the same as no signature.
- Letting the 15-day transfer window run out after the sale. Kentucky requires the buyer to initiate the title transfer within 15 days.1Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Vehicle Titling
Take a photo of the fully completed and notarized title before you hand it over at the clerk’s office. If anything goes wrong during processing, that photo is your proof the paperwork was done right.