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Gifting a Car in D.C.: What It Really Costs

D.C.'s gift rule is narrower than most states' and has a catch that surprises people every year: the excise tax exemption only applies to a bona fide gift between spouses, domestic partners, or a parent and child - and only if the vehicle is already titled in the District. Give your kid a car you just bought out of state, or gift one to a sibling, cousin, or friend, and D.C. taxes the full NADA book value exactly as if it were sold, because it doesn't recognize the transfer as an exempt gift at all.

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Your numbers

$

Unladen (curb) weight - check the vehicle's federal weight sticker, not GVWR.

Look up the window-sticker city MPG on fueleconomy.gov - DC uses city MPG, not combined or MPGe.

Official fees

Washington D.C. gift a car fee chart

Title fee (always due)

$30.00

Excise tax - qualifying gift, already DC-titled

$0.00

Form DMV-EGTE-01 required

Excise tax - new-to-DC gift or non-qualifying recipient

1.0%–11.0%

of NADA value, same grid as a sale

Lien recordation (if applicable)

$20.00

Figures verified July 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with the DC DMV - counties can add small local fees.

Official Washington D.C. forms you'll need

  • DMV-EGTE-01Excise Tax Gift Exemption Form

    DC's gift form applies only to transfers between parent/child, spouse, or domestic partner on a vehicle that already has a DC title; proof of relationship required.

  • DMV-CTA-001Certificate of Title/Temporary Tag Application

    still required - a gifted vehicle transfers title the same way as a sale

Get the current version of each form from the DC DMV before you file - agencies revise forms, and offices reject outdated ones.

Step by step

How to gift a car in D.C.

  1. 1

    Confirm both conditions: the recipient is a spouse, domestic partner, or parent/child, AND the vehicle already carries a DC title.

  2. 2

    Gather proof of relationship - original marriage license, domestic partnership certificate, or full birth certificate/adoption order.

  3. 3

    Complete Form DMV-EGTE-01 (Excise Tax Gift Exemption) together with the standard title application.

  4. 4

    Bring the signed-over title, the exemption form and proof, and photo ID to a DC DMV service center.

  5. 5

    Pay the $30 title fee - no excise tax is charged if the exemption is approved.

Exempt relationships
Spouse, domestic partner, parent/child
Condition
Car must already be DC-titled
Required form
DMV-EGTE-01
Title fee either way
$30
Everyone else
Full excise tax on NADA value

Overview

When the exemption does apply, you still file Form DMV-EGTE-01 (Excise Tax Gift Exemption) with proof of the relationship - an original marriage license for spouses, a certified domestic partnership certificate, or a full birth certificate/adoption order showing both names for parent-child. You'll pay the flat $30 title fee either way; the only variable is whether the excise tax is waived.

Same state, other costs

More Washington D.C. vehicle costs

Common questions

Washington D.C. gift a car FAQ

Who actually qualifies for D.C.'s vehicle gift tax exemption?
Only spouses, domestic partners, and parents/children (including adoptive relationships, shown via a full birth certificate or adoption order). Siblings, grandparents, in-laws, and friends do not qualify - a gift to any of them is taxed exactly like a sale, on the vehicle's NADA value.
My parent is giving me their out-of-state car - is that excise-exempt?
No, and this is the rule that trips people up most: the exemption requires the vehicle to already be titled in the District. A parent-to-child gift of a car titled in Maryland or Virginia gets titled in DC as a new transaction and is fully excise-taxed on NADA value, even though no money changed hands.
What documents does Form DMV-EGTE-01 require?
An original marriage license for spouse gifts, a certified domestic partnership certificate for domestic partners, or an original full birth certificate or court adoption order showing both the giver's and recipient's names for parent-child gifts. Copies typically aren't accepted - bring originals.
Do I still pay the title fee on an exempt gift?
Yes - the $30 title fee applies to every title transaction regardless of whether excise tax is waived. A lien recordation fee ($20) also still applies if the recipient is financing the vehicle.
Can I get around the rule by 'selling' the car for $1 to a friend?
No. D.C.'s excise tax is calculated against NADA book value regardless of the stated sale price, so a token $1 sale between non-qualifying parties is taxed exactly the same as a market-rate sale - the low price on paper doesn't matter.
What about inheriting a car in D.C.?
Vehicles transferred through an estate use separate DC DMV probate/inheritance paperwork rather than the gift exemption form, and have their own documentation requirements (will, letters of administration, or small-estate affidavit) - check with the DC DMV title unit for the specific path.

Receipts

Official sources

Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.

Everywhere else

Gifting a Car: Taxes & Fees by state

Fees and rules are different in every state. Pick yours for exact numbers.

each state hand-verified against its DMV before it goes live

Disclaimer

DMVCosts provides fee estimates for general informational purposes only - it is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and no calculator can account for every county surcharge, exemption, or mid-year rate change. Figures are verified against official sources on the date shown, but fees change over time.

The final, binding amount is always the one quoted by the DC DMV. Confirm with them before making payment decisions. To the fullest extent permitted by law, DMVCosts disclaims all liability for decisions made based on these estimates.