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Nevada Vehicle Transfer After Death

Transfer a car title after death in Nevada by checking how the title was held first. Nevada offers three nonprobate paths: a transfer-on-death (TOD) beneficiary designation (DMV form VP 239), joint ownership with right of survivorship, and the estates-without-probate affidavit (VP 024), plus a probate path for estates that do not qualify. Titling is state-run: file at any Nevada DMV office or by mail to Carson City.

Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles
https://dmv.nv.gov/title.htm
Transfer fee
$28.50 title fee (TOD Form VP 239 or estate affidavit Form VP 024)
Title fee
$28.50 title fee (complete change of ownership)
Registration
Varies by vehicle, weight, and registration status
Small estate limit
$25,000 ($150,000 for a surviving spouse), NRS 146.080

How Was the Vehicle Titled?

The transfer process depends on ownership type. Pick your situation below.

Reading a joint title: look at the word between the two owner names. "OR" (or a slash) means either owner can act alone, so the surviving owner can usually transfer the title without probate. "AND" means both owners must act together, so the vehicle usually has to go through probate when one owner dies.
Transfer-on-Death (TOD) Beneficiary (VP 239)Probate may not be needed

The owner named a TOD beneficiary on the Nevada title during their lifetime using DMV form VP 239

Process

Nevada lets a vehicle owner (natural persons only, not businesses) name a transfer-on-death beneficiary on the title during their lifetime with DMV form VP 239, the Transfer on Death Application, submitted to any DMV office or by mail with a $20 fee. After the last surviving owner dies, the beneficiary presents certified death certificates for all owners plus the original title, or form VP 241 (Beneficiary’s Affidavit for Title, notarized or signed in front of a DMV agent) if the title is lost, at any Nevada DMV office or by mail to DMV Title Processing. The transfer is nonprobate; the new title is mailed in approximately 4 to 6 weeks. Vehicles with a current loan, lien, or lease cannot carry a TOD beneficiary, and a TOD designation cannot be added after the owner has died.

Documents Needed
  • Certified death certificate(s) of all owners
  • Original certificate of title, OR form VP 241 Beneficiary’s Affidavit for Title if the original is lost (notarized or signed before a DMV agent)
  • $20 title fee
Joint Owner With Right of Survivorship ("OR" Title)Probate may not be needed

A surviving co-owner is on the Nevada title with the "OR" designation, which lets either owner act independently

Process

When a Nevada vehicle is titled to two persons with the "OR" designation, either party can act independently, and the surviving joint owner may apply for a new title in their name alone. The survivor presents the existing title and a certified death certificate at any Nevada DMV office, and the DMV issues a new title in the survivor’s name. If the title joins the names with "AND", both parties must sign, which creates complications after one owner dies; consult the DMV about the correct process for an "AND" title.

Documents Needed
  • Original vehicle title showing both owners
  • Certified death certificate of the deceased co-owner
  • $28.50 title fee (complete change of ownership)
Heir or Surviving Spouse (Estates Without Probate Affidavit VP 024)Probate may not be needed

No TOD beneficiary is named and the estate qualifies under NRS 146.080; the vehicle itself does not count toward the threshold

Process

If the owner died with no TOD designation on the vehicle, heirs can transfer the title without probate using form VP 024, the Affidavit for Transfer of Title for Estates Without Probate, under NRS 146.080. The gross-value limits are $150,000 for a surviving spouse and $25,000 for other claimants, and motor vehicles registered to the decedent are excluded from the calculation, so a vehicle of any value can qualify as long as the other non-vehicle Nevada assets fit the threshold. At least 40 days after the death, and at least 14 days after giving written notice to anyone with equal or superior succession rights, the heir completes and notarizes VP 024 and presents it with the certified death certificate and the title at any Nevada DMV office or by mail. The DMV issues a new title without probate.

Documents Needed
  • Form VP 024, Affidavit for Transfer of Title for Estates Without Probate (completed and notarized)
  • Certified death certificate of the vehicle owner
  • Original vehicle title (or apply for a duplicate on VP 012 if lost)
  • $20 title fee plus $8.25 processing fee ($28.25 total)
Sole Owner (Probate / Personal Representative)Probate likely needed

The vehicle is titled only to the decedent, with no TOD beneficiary or surviving co-owner, and the estate does not qualify for the VP 024 affidavit

Process

A vehicle titled solely in the decedent’s name with no TOD designation, no surviving co-owner, and an estate that does not qualify for the estates-without-probate affidavit must go through probate. Open probate in the district court of the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. Once appointed, the personal representative presents letters testamentary or letters of administration, the certified death certificate, and the title at any Nevada DMV office, and the DMV issues a new title to the estate or the distributee.

Documents Needed
  • Original vehicle title (or apply for a duplicate on VP 012 if lost)
  • Certified death certificate
  • Letters testamentary or letters of administration issued by the Nevada district court
  • $28.50 title fee
See the full step-by-step processThe forms, the order to do them, and what to bring

Read the Nevada title before anyone signs

Confirm whether the title is sole or joint, whether the names are joined by "OR" or "AND", whether a TOD beneficiary is on file, and whether a lien is listed. On a Nevada title, "OR" means either owner can act independently; "AND" means both must sign, so consult the DMV after an "AND" co-owner dies.

Match your situation to a transfer path

A named TOD beneficiary claims the vehicle with the original title or form VP 241. A surviving "OR" joint owner retitles with the existing title and a death certificate. An heir uses the VP 024 estates-without-probate affidavit when the non-vehicle estate fits the NRS 146.080 limits ($150,000 spouse, $25,000 other claimants; the vehicle itself is excluded). Otherwise the estate goes through probate.

Gather the death certificate and the right form

Every path needs a certified death certificate. Add VP 241 if you are a TOD beneficiary without the original title, a notarized VP 024 for the small-estate path, or letters testamentary or letters of administration for probate. If the original title is lost and you are not a TOD beneficiary, apply for a duplicate on VP 012 first.

File at any Nevada DMV office or by mail

Nevada titling is state-run, so you can submit at any Nevada DMV office statewide or mail the documents to DMV Title Processing, 555 Wright Way, Carson City, NV 89711. Bring the title, the certified death certificate, your form, and the fee: $28.50 for a change of ownership, $20 for a TOD beneficiary claim, or $28.25 total for the VP 024 path.

Keep insurance and registration current

Nevada has no statutory deadline to transfer a deceased owner’s vehicle title, but keep the registration and insurance current until ownership changes. A TOD title is mailed in approximately 4 to 6 weeks and a duplicate title in approximately 2 to 3 weeks.

Good to knowShort notes that save a second trip to the title office
  • The vehicle itself does not count toward the small-estate limit. Nevada’s NRS 146.080 excludes motor vehicles registered to the decedent from the gross-value calculation. That means a vehicle of any value can often be transferred with the VP 024 affidavit, as long as the decedent’s other non-vehicle Nevada assets stay within the threshold and the decedent left no Nevada real property.
  • The statute controls if the DMV page shows older thresholds. NRS 146.080 was amended in 2025 to set the applicable amounts at $150,000 for a surviving spouse and $25,000 for other claimants. The Nevada DMV’s transfer-on-death web page still displayed older $25,000 and $100,000 figures as of mid-2026. The statute is controlling; verify the current text at leg.state.nv.us.
  • A loan or lien blocks the TOD path. A Nevada vehicle with a current loan, lien, or lease cannot carry a TOD beneficiary, and adding a loan or lien after naming a beneficiary automatically removes the designation. All loans and liens must be paid off before ownership can pass to the beneficiary; a lienholder releases its interest on form VP 186.
  • Lost title? TOD beneficiaries skip the duplicate application. If you are the named TOD beneficiary and the original title is missing, use form VP 241, the Beneficiary’s Affidavit for Title, notarized or signed in front of a DMV agent. It replaces the separate duplicate-title application. Anyone else needs a duplicate on VP 012 before transferring: only for vehicles last titled in Nevada, and the lienholder must act first if a lien is outstanding.
  • Any Nevada DMV office works, statewide. Nevada titling is handled by the state DMV, not county offices, so title transfer documents can be submitted at any Nevada DMV office or by mail to DMV Title Processing, 555 Wright Way, Carson City, NV 89711. A few rural counties also offer limited DMV registration services through local county offices, but title transfers after a death run through the Nevada DMV.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer a car title without probate in Nevada?
Sometimes. Whether probate is needed depends on how the vehicle was titled, whether there is a survivorship or beneficiary feature, and whether the estate qualifies for a small-estate transfer method.
What documents do I usually need to transfer a vehicle after death in Nevada?
Common documents include the original title, a certified death certificate, your ID, a title application, and in some cases letters of administration, a small-estate affidavit, or beneficiary paperwork.
What if there is a loan on the vehicle?
A lender still has rights in the vehicle. Before transfer, contact the lender to confirm payoff, refinance, or release requirements so the DMV filing is not rejected. Depending on the estate finances, the options are usually paying off the loan, refinancing it in the new owner name, or returning the vehicle.
Do I need to keep the car insured during the transfer?
Yes. Keep insurance on the vehicle throughout the transfer process. If the policy was in the deceased person name, contact the insurer to add yourself as a driver or move the policy, and do not let coverage lapse before the title and registration are updated.
What if several heirs inherit the car together?
The title agency may require signatures or authority from each person with an interest in the vehicle. Verify exactly whose signatures are required before the office visit. In practice, one heir often keeps the car and buys out the others, or the estate sells it and splits the proceeds.
What if the car is titled in another state, not Nevada?
If the person who died lived elsewhere or the vehicle is registered in another state, that state's motor vehicle agency usually handles the deceased-owner transfer first. Complete the transfer under the title state's rules, then register the vehicle in Nevada if it is staying here.

Not Sure Whether Probate Is Required?

Use the Nevada probate assessment before you submit DMV paperwork if the vehicle was solely owned or the estate looks close to a small-estate threshold.

Take Nevada Assessment

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 Nevada.

Official Nevada Sources

Vehicle Title and Ownership (title transfer requirements and fees) - Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. Official DMV page, accessed 2026-06-27.
Vehicle Beneficiary Transfer on Death (VP 239 / VP 241 / VP 024 process) - Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. Official DMV page, accessed 2026-06-27.
NRS 146.080 (Transfer of assets without probate; affidavit thresholds) - Nevada Legislature, Nevada Revised Statutes. Official statute as amended 2025, accessed 2026-06-27.
DMV Form VP 239 (Transfer on Death Application) - Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. Official DMV form, accessed 2026-06-27.
DMV Form VP 024 (Affidavit for Transfer of Title for Estates Without Probate) - Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. Official DMV form, accessed 2026-06-27.
DMV Form VP 241 (Beneficiary’s Affidavit for Title) - Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. Official DMV form, accessed 2026-06-27.

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 Nevada 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.

All Asset TransfersNevada Probate Guide

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