Georgia Vehicle Transfer After Death
Transfer a car title after death in Georgia through your County Tag Office. The documents depend on whether the estate has letters testamentary, letters of administration, or a year’s-support order, or whether an heir uses Form T-20 (Affidavit of Inheritance) when no letters exist. A flat $18 title fee applies, and a qualifying family member may claim the reduced 0.5% title ad valorem tax (TAVT) rate with Form MV-16.
- Transfer fee
- Title ad valorem tax + tag office charges (verify current)
- Title fee
- $18 original title application fee
- Registration
- Varies by vehicle, county, and Title Ad Valorem Tax status
- Small estate limit
- No dollar cap: T-20 affidavit or court-order paths
How Was the Vehicle Titled?
The transfer process depends on ownership type. Pick your situation below.
Estate With Letters Testamentary or Letters of AdministrationProbate likely needed
The vehicle is titled in the decedent’s name and the probate court has issued letters to a personal representative
When the estate has letters testamentary or letters of administration, the personal representative presents the required documents to the County Tag Office to retitle the vehicle. The representative signs the title assignment in their full legal name. A qualifying immediate family member who inherits can use Form MV-16 to claim the reduced 0.5% TAVT rate.
- Completed and signed Form MV-1 Title/Tag Application
- Original valid title in the deceased’s name (or properly assigned to the deceased) with all liens and security interests released
- Certified copy of Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Form T-4 Lien or Security Interest Release (only if a lien still appears on the title)
- Form MV-16 Affidavit to Certify Immediate Family Relationship (if a family member inherits; enables the 0.5% TAVT rate)
- $18 title fee
Year’s Support Order (Surviving Spouse or Minor Children)Probate likely needed
A surviving spouse or minor children obtained a year’s-support order setting the vehicle apart to them
Georgia’s year’s support (O.C.G.A. 53-3-1, petitioned on Probate Court form GPCSF 10) can set a vehicle apart to a surviving spouse or minor children. The DOR estate page accepts a certified copy of a year’s-support order in place of letters. This is a limited probate-court petition rather than full administration.
- Completed and signed Form MV-1 Title/Tag Application
- Original valid title in the deceased’s name with liens released
- Certified copy of the Year’s Support order
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Form T-4 Lien or Security Interest Release (if a lien still appears on the title)
- Form MV-16 Affidavit to Certify Immediate Family Relationship (if a family member; enables the 0.5% TAVT rate)
- $18 title fee
Heir Without Letters (T-20 Affidavit of Inheritance)Probate may not be needed
An heir is inheriting the vehicle but the estate has no letters testamentary and no year’s-support order
When an inheritor has neither letters nor year’s support, Georgia allows Form T-20 (Affidavit of Inheritance) as the inheritance document. The heir completes the T-20 in their full legal name and must title the vehicle in their own name before selling or transferring it. If there is only one heir, a legible copy of a No Administration Necessary order (O.C.G.A. 53-2-40, Probate Court form GPCSF 9) may be submitted instead of the T-20. If the decedent left a non-probated will covering only limited assets, a legible copy of that will must also be included.
- Completed and signed Form MV-1 Title/Tag Application
- Original valid title in the deceased’s name with liens released
- Completed and signed Form T-20 Affidavit of Inheritance (in the heir’s full legal name), OR, if only one heir, a legible copy of a No Administration Necessary order
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Form T-4 Lien or Security Interest Release (if a lien still appears on the title)
- Form MV-16 Affidavit to Certify Immediate Family Relationship (if a family member; enables the 0.5% TAVT rate)
- $18 title fee
Vehicle Purchased From an EstateProbate likely needed
A third party is buying the vehicle from the estate and the executor is transferring ownership
When someone buys a vehicle from an estate, the executor completes the title assignment in their full legal name to transfer ownership, backed by letters showing personal-representative authority. If the vehicle is exempt from odometer disclosure and the title is unavailable, the executor may use Form T-7 Bill of Sale instead. If an odometer disclosure IS required and the title is unavailable, the executor must first title the vehicle in the estate’s name before transferring it.
- Original title with the executor’s full legal name in the assignment section
- Letters testamentary or letters of administration showing personal-representative authority
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Completed and signed Form MV-1 Title/Tag Application
- Form T-4 Lien or Security Interest Release (if a lien still appears on the title)
- Form T-7 Bill of Sale (only if the vehicle is exempt from odometer disclosure AND the title is unavailable)
- $18 title fee
See the full step-by-step processThe forms, the order to do them, and what to bring
Read the Georgia title before anyone signs
Check whether the title is in the decedent’s name alone or with a co-owner, and whether a lien still shows. A deceased owner cannot sign, so identify the correct authority document (letters, year’s support, or a T-20 affidavit) before you begin.
Find your inheritance document
If the probate court issued letters testamentary or letters of administration, get a certified copy. If a surviving spouse or minor children have a year’s-support order, get a certified copy of that. If there are no letters, an heir can complete Form T-20 (Affidavit of Inheritance), or a sole heir can use a No Administration Necessary order.
Complete Form MV-1 and gather supporting documents
Fill out Form MV-1 (Title/Tag Application). Add a certified death certificate, the original title with liens released (Form T-4 if a lien still appears), and Form MV-16 if a family member is inheriting and wants the reduced 0.5% TAVT rate.
Handle a missing title first
If the original title is lost, apply for a duplicate before the estate transfer. A replacement title cannot be issued in a deceased person’s name, so the title must be duplicated and then assigned.
File at your County Tag Office and pay the $18 title fee
Submit the packet to the County Tag Office (Tax Commissioner) in the county of the new owner. The state title fee is $18. Keep insurance active and do not drive the vehicle until the title and registration are updated.
Good to knowShort notes that save a second trip to the title office
- The T-20 route requires titling in your own name first. If you inherit with a Form T-20 Affidavit of Inheritance rather than letters, Georgia requires you to title the vehicle in your own full legal name before you can sell or transfer it to anyone else. Plan for two steps if you intend to sell.
- A family member can claim the reduced 0.5% TAVT rate. Georgia’s title ad valorem tax (TAVT) has a reduced 0.5% rate for a vehicle transferred to an immediate family member. Form MV-16 (Affidavit to Certify Immediate Family Relationship) documents that relationship at the County Tag Office.
- One heir can skip the T-20 with a No Administration Necessary order. When there is only one heir, the County Tag Office may accept a legible copy of a No Administration Necessary order (O.C.G.A. 53-2-40, Probate Court form GPCSF 9) in place of the T-20 affidavit. Confirm acceptance with your county before filing.
- Georgia does not offer a vehicle transfer-on-death designation. Georgia’s transfer-on-death law applies to real property deeds, not vehicle titles. There is no beneficiary line on a Georgia vehicle title, so a car cannot pass automatically outside the estate the way some other states allow.
- The bank-deposit affidavit does not move vehicles. Georgia’s limited deceased-depositor affidavit (O.C.G.A. 7-1-239) applies only to qualifying bank deposits. It does not transfer a vehicle title, so use the estate or T-20 path for a car.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer a car title without probate in Georgia?
What documents do I usually need to transfer a vehicle after death in Georgia?
What if there is a loan on the vehicle?
Do I need to keep the car insured during the transfer?
What if several heirs inherit the car together?
What if the car is titled in another state, not Georgia?
Not Sure Whether Probate Is Required?
Use the Georgia probate assessment before you submit DMV paperwork if the vehicle was solely owned or the estate looks close to a small-estate threshold.
Still weighing whether to keep or sell the car? Read what to do with the car when someone dies for the keep-or-sell decision, or see how to sell the car if you cannot find the title in Georgia.
Official Georgia Sources
Information current as of July 8, 2026
Settled Estate is not a law firm, and this content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Probate laws and procedures in Georgia can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.
Need Help With the Full Estate?
Vehicle transfers are often just one part of settling an estate. See our related guides.
More Georgia Resources
Explore the rest of the Georgia probate hub.
Start here