Official fees
North Dakota title transfer fee chart
Certificate of title
$5.00
Abandoned motor vehicle disposal fee
$1.50
initial ND title on new/out-of-state vehicles only
Motor vehicle excise tax
5%
of price minus trade-in
Late-transfer consequence
No fixed fee
registration may be suspended/revoked; class B misdemeanor
Figures verified July 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with your county's NDDOT motor vehicle branch office - counties can add small local fees.
Official North Dakota forms you'll need
- SFN 2872Application for Certificate of Title & Registration of a Vehicle
required for every title transfer - sale, gift, or inheritance
Get the current version of each form from your county's NDDOT motor vehicle branch office before you file - agencies revise forms, and offices reject outdated ones.
Step by step
How to transfer a title in North Dakota
- 1
Seller signs the title's assignment section over to the buyer; both names should match ID exactly.
- 2
Complete Form SFN 2872 (Application for Certificate of Title & Registration).
- 3
Take the signed title, SFN 2872, proof of insurance, and ID to your county's NDDOT motor vehicle branch within 30 days.
- 4
Pay the $5 title fee and 5% excise tax (plus registration if it's also due) in one transaction.
- 5
Keep your receipt - it's your proof of a timely transfer if anything about the paperwork is later questioned.
- Title fee
- $5 flat
- Deadline
- 30 days
- Late consequence
- Registration suspension + misdemeanor
- New/out-of-state titles
- +$1.50 disposal fee
- Also due
- 5% excise tax
Overview
That's a real consequence, just not one you can budget for the way you'd budget a $25-a-month late fee - so the practical move is to just get to the branch office within the 30 days. Bring the signed title, Form SFN 2872, and be ready to pay the $5 title fee and 5% excise tax together. The calculator below shows both line items for your purchase price.
Same state, other costs
More North Dakota vehicle costs
Common questions
North Dakota title transfer FAQ
- How much does it cost to transfer a car title in North Dakota?
- $5 for the title itself, plus 5% excise tax on the sale price (minus trade-in on dealer deals). If it's the vehicle's first North Dakota title - new or from out of state - add the small $1.50 abandoned motor vehicle disposal fee.
- What actually happens if I transfer the title late?
- North Dakota doesn't charge a growing dollar penalty like some states. Instead, NDDOT can suspend or revoke the vehicle's registration until the transfer is completed, and the statute makes a violation a class B misdemeanor - up to 30 days in jail or a $1,500 fine, though in practice most late transfers are resolved by simply completing the paperwork.
- Can I transfer a North Dakota title online?
- No - title transfers require the physical signed title and Form SFN 2872 at a county NDDOT motor vehicle branch office. Registration renewals can be done online, but a new-owner title transfer cannot.
- Does the $1.50 abandoned vehicle fee apply to every transfer?
- No - it only applies to the initial North Dakota title issued for a new vehicle or one just brought in from another state. A routine transfer between two North Dakota-titled owners doesn't trigger it.
- What protects a seller once the car has changed hands?
- North Dakota doesn't have a separate free seller-notification form like some states. The strongest protection is simply keeping a signed bill of sale (Form SFN 62502, Private Party Vehicle Bill of Sale) noting the date, odometer, and buyer's information.
- How do inherited vehicles get titled?
- Inherited vehicles are exempt from the 5% excise tax and use estate-specific paperwork depending on whether there's a will or the transfer qualifies for a simplified small-estate process - your county branch office can direct you to the right affidavit.
Receipts
Official sources
Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.
