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Vermont Vehicle Transfer After Death

Transfer car title after death in Vermont by checking the title, lien status, certified death certificate, estate authority, and Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, Vermont Agency of Transportation. Titling is a state function: the Montpelier main office and nine branch offices handle it, Vermont has no county motor vehicle offices and no deputy registrars, and any office can process any title transaction for a resident of any county. The DMV publishes no telephone number for an individual office, only a statewide General Information line (802-828-2000, toll free 888-998-3766) requirements before anyone signs or sells the vehicle.

Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, Vermont Agency of Transportation. Titling is a state function: the Montpelier main office and nine branch offices handle it, Vermont has no county motor vehicle offices and no deputy registrars, and any office can process any title transaction for a resident of any county. The DMV publishes no telephone number for an individual office, only a statewide General Information line (802-828-2000, toll free 888-998-3766)
https://dmv.vermont.gov/tax-title/death-of-owner
Transfer fee
No fee at all for a surviving spouse taking up to two motor vehicles under 23 V.S.A. § 2023(e): the Department registers and titles the vehicle in the spouse’s name, assesses no fee, and the transaction is exempt from the motor vehicle purchase and use tax. Every other transferee pays the $42 certificate of title fee (23 V.S.A. § 2002(a)(3)), plus $14 for each security interest noted on the title, plus registration. Transferring an existing Vermont registration to another vehicle is $30. A transfer-on-death beneficiary who is the deceased owner’s spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent or grandchild is exempt from the purchase and use tax under 32 V.S.A. § 8911(8)
Title fee
$42 for a certificate of title for a car, truck, trailer or motorcycle, whether new, replacement or corrected (23 V.S.A. § 2002(a)). A certificate for an ATV, ASV, motorboat or snowmobile is $27. Each security interest noted on a certificate of title is $14, and so is each assignment of a security interest
Registration
Registration is separate from the title fee and turns on the vehicle: a one-year gasoline or diesel automobile registration was $91 as published on 2026-08-04, transferring an existing registration to another vehicle is $30, and replacing a registration certificate is $20. The surviving-spouse transfer under 23 V.S.A. § 2023(e) carries no fee for up to two motor vehicles, and 23 V.S.A. § 3816 carries no fee for any number of vessels, snowmobiles or all-terrain vehicles
Small estate limit
Vermont DOES offer transfer-on-death titling for a vehicle. TOD is one of the five ownership designations a Vermont certificate of title may carry (23 V.S.A. § 2023(a)(5)); the owner records it during life on DMV form VT-007, it works only on a vehicle registered and titled to ONE owner, and the transferee then takes the vehicle on a death certificate subject to any security interest (§ 2023(f)). It is not available for a vessel, snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle, whose parallel provision at § 3816(a) lists no TOD. A certificate reading TEN ENT, JTEN or PTNRS passes to the surviving owner on the death certificate alone; TEN COM, or a certificate silent on the nature of the ownership, does not. Vermont has NO DMV small-estate affidavit and no form that moves a title without either a survivorship designation or a court step. Where none of those applies, the two routes are a letter from an officer of the court (the DMV accepts an attorney, a court clerk or a Probate judge) stating that no estate need be probated and naming the person entitled to the vehicle, or an appointment in the Probate Division. A vehicle is personal property, so the 14 V.S.A. § 1901 small estate reaches one: fair market value of not more than $45,000 and no real property in the estate

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.
Joint OwnershipProbate may not be needed

Vehicle titled to two people with "or" or "and/or"

Process

Surviving owner can transfer to their name alone with death certificate

Documents Needed
  • Original vehicle title
  • Certified death certificate
  • Application for title
  • Your ID
Beneficiary DesignationProbate may not be needed

Vehicle has a TOD (Transfer on Death) beneficiary registered

Process

Beneficiary can claim vehicle with death certificate

Documents Needed
  • Original vehicle title
  • Certified death certificate
  • Application for title
  • Beneficiary ID
Small Estate AffidavitProbate may not be needed

Total estate value below state threshold

Process

Heir can use small estate affidavit to claim vehicle

Documents Needed
  • Original vehicle title
  • Certified death certificate
  • Small estate affidavit
  • Heir ID
  • Proof of heirship
Sole Ownership (Above Threshold)Probate likely needed

Vehicle titled only to deceased, estate exceeds small estate limit

Process

Executor transfers vehicle using Letters of Administration

Documents Needed
  • Original vehicle title
  • Certified death certificate
  • Letters of Administration
  • Executor ID
  • Application for title
See the full step-by-step processThe forms, the order to do them, and what to bring

Read the title before anyone signs

Confirm whether the title is a Vermont title, whether ownership is sole or joint, whether a lien appears, and whether any beneficiary or survivorship language applies.

Gather death and authority records

Get a certified death certificate and decide whether the signer needs letters, a small-estate document, beneficiary paperwork, or another authority path.

Check current DMV instructions

Use Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, Vermont Agency of Transportation. Titling is a state function: the Montpelier main office and nine branch offices handle it, Vermont has no county motor vehicle offices and no deputy registrars, and any office can process any title transaction for a resident of any county. The DMV publishes no telephone number for an individual office, only a statewide General Information line (802-828-2000, toll free 888-998-3766) instructions for the current title application, transfer fee, registration, insurance, and appointment or mail requirements.

Resolve liens before transfer

Ask the lender or lienholder what payoff, release, refinance, or estate authority it needs before the title office can process the transfer.

Keep registration and insurance active until the transfer is done

Do not cancel coverage or distribute proceeds until title, registration, lien, and estate-authority questions are clear.

Good to knowShort notes that save a second trip to the title office
  • Title facts control the path. A will does not automatically change a Vermont vehicle title. Start with the title record, beneficiary or survivorship language, lien status, and the authority document Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, Vermont Agency of Transportation. Titling is a state function: the Montpelier main office and nine branch offices handle it, Vermont has no county motor vehicle offices and no deputy registrars, and any office can process any title transaction for a resident of any county. The DMV publishes no telephone number for an individual office, only a statewide General Information line (802-828-2000, toll free 888-998-3766) will accept.
  • Fees and registration can change. Vermont title fees, registration charges, taxes, and appointment options can vary by transaction. Verify current amounts with Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, Vermont Agency of Transportation. Titling is a state function: the Montpelier main office and nine branch offices handle it, Vermont has no county motor vehicle offices and no deputy registrars, and any office can process any title transaction for a resident of any county. The DMV publishes no telephone number for an individual office, only a statewide General Information line (802-828-2000, toll free 888-998-3766) before preparing checks or mailing forms.
  • Estate authority may still matter. A vehicle can be personal property and still require court, clerk, small-estate, or personal-representative authority when the title is sole-name, disputed, missing, or tied to a lien.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer a car title without probate in Vermont?
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 Vermont?
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 Vermont?
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 Vermont if it is staying here.

Not Sure Whether Probate Is Required?

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

Take Vermont 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 Vermont.

Official Vermont Sources

Vermont vehicle title and registration - Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, Vermont Agency of Transportation. Titling is a state function: the Montpelier main office and nine branch offices handle it, Vermont has no county motor vehicle offices and no deputy registrars, and any office can process any title transaction for a resident of any county. The DMV publishes no telephone number for an individual office, only a statewide General Information line (802-828-2000, toll free 888-998-3766). Current DMV source in Settled state data.

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 Vermont 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 TransfersVermont Probate Guide

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