Seller

When a vehicle is sold (or otherwise transferred) you, the seller, should:

• Sign off the back of the title and have your signature notarized.
• Give the title to the buyer with any lien release, if applicable.
• Complete a sold notice online, or on the back of the vehicle registration.
• Remove and retain the license plate, instead of leaving the plate on the vehicle. The plate belongs to you, the vehicle owner not the vehicle. You can later transfer the plate to another vehicle that you register.
• Request a refund (see Refunds below). –or–
• Transfer the plate credit to another vehicle owned (see Credit For Fees below).

Buyer

Upon sale or transfer of a vehicle, the registration for that vehicle is no longer valid. The buyer must visit any MVD or authorized Third Party office to transfer the plate and register the vehicle.

If it is necessary to drive the vehicle to complete this transaction, the buyer must obtain a Restricted Use 3-Day Permit, for private sales, or a Temporary Registration Plate, for vehicles purchased from a licensed dealer (see Temporary Registrations below).

Credit for Fees

When you transfer a plate to another vehicle (same owner), you may be eligible to receive credit for fees previously paid on the vehicle that was sold or transferred. There a $12.00 processing fee to apply the remaining credit.

• Don’t wait . . . credit reduces each month when credit or refund is not requested.
• Credit will be based on the number of months left on the registration of the previous vehicle at the time the credit is applied.
  • For example, if the registration on a vehicle was renewed in June for one year and the vehicle is sold in December, then 6 months of the fees are remaining and may be applied as credit. If application for registration of another vehicle is not submitted until January, there will be only 5 months left on the previous registration that may be applied as credit.
  • Each month that passes, the number of creditable months is reduced by one, so that the potential credit will be reduced to zero at the same time as the registration on the previous vehicle would have expired.
• Credit is allowed on fees and taxes paid for the following: Vehicle License Tax (VLT), Commercial Registration Fee (CRF), Weight Fee (WGT), Motor Carrier Fee (MCF) and Special Plate Fee (SPL).
• Credit can only be applied toward those fees specifically required to register the next vehicle. For example, if the vehicle sold was registered commercially and the new vehicle purchased is registered as a passenger vehicle, the Commercial Registration Fee and Weight Fee will not be credited and will no longer be available.
• Credit can be applied to one vehicle registration only. It cannot be divided between two or more vehicles.
• Any credit remaining after the initial registration will automatically be refunded.
• Plate credits may be viewed online.

Refunds

If the plate credit is over $12.00, you may be eligible for a refund. A refund may be requested through one of the following:

• Online
• By mail, using the Plate Credit Refund Request, form #96-0353
• At an authorized Third Party office
• At a motor vehicle dealership (while purchasing another vehicle)

You will be required to provide the following to request a refund:

• License plate number
• Driver license number
• Address where the refund is to be mailed

Plate refund checks are:

• Issued to the owners based on the legal status established on our records
• Mailed to you within 6 to 8 weeks

Once you have requested a refund, the vehicle will no longer be registered. It is against the law to operate any motor vehicle on the public roads of this state without proper registration.

Temporary Registrations

The plate removed from the vehicle that you sold cannot be displayed on another vehicle until the title and registration have been processed and you have received your new tab and registration.

If you need to drive the vehicle to complete this transaction, you must obtain a Restricted Use 3-Day Permit (for private sales), or a Temporary Registration Plate (for vehicles purchased from a licensed dealer).

The Restricted Use 3-Day Permit can be purchased and printed online, or can be obtained at any MVD or authorized Third Party office.