DMVCosts

Title Transfer Fee & Rules by state

The title fee itself is small - $15 in California, $28–$33 in Texas - but the transfer is where deadlines live, and deadlines have teeth. Buyers typically get 10 to 30 days to file; miss it and penalties stack on both the transfer and the unpaid sales tax. Sellers carry the mirror risk: until the state records the transfer, the car's tolls, tickets, and accidents legally point at them.

Each state page covers the fee, the exact deadline, the late-penalty math, and the seller-protection filing (release of liability / transfer notification) that costs nothing and saves lawsuits.

Fee range
$15–$100+
Buyer deadlines
10–30 days typical
Seller protection
Free filing in most states
Late penalties
Flat + % of tax, stacking

01 - Choose your state

Live, verified calculators

Every figure is checked against official DMV, tax-office, or comptroller sources - with the sources linked on the page.

02 - The basics

Title Transfer basics

What do I need to transfer a title?

The signed-over title (every owner on it signs), the state's transfer/application form, proof of insurance and ID, payment for fee + sales tax - plus state-specific extras: odometer disclosure (federal, under 20 model years), smog certificate (CA), inspection (several eastern states).

I sold my car - am I done when I hand over the title?

No. File your state's seller notification (Texas: VTR-346 within 30 days; California: REG 138 within 5). It's free, online, and it's what stops the buyer's parking tickets and toll bills from landing on you while they procrastinate.

The title is lost - can I still sell?

Get a duplicate first (typically $15–$30, sometimes same-day). Selling 'on a bill of sale only' pushes the problem onto the buyer, who in most states can't register without a bonded title process that takes weeks and costs far more.

03 - Keep going

Every vehicle cost, covered