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How Can I Add My Daughter to My Vehicle Title?

Question 
My daughter will soon turn seventeen and I'd like to add her on my vehicle's registration and title so she has legal rights to it and so I can add her to my insurance policy. What is the process for doing so? Is it complicated? Thank you for your time.

Answer 

 

Step-By-Step Guide On How To Add your Daughter to your CA Vehicle Certificate of Title

The process of adding your daughter's name to your vehicle's title is as simple as processing a title transfer (such as when buying a vehicle), except that you, the current owner will act as both a seller and a buyer in terms of the signatures required on the title. The process will involve preparing your current title as if you were selling the vehicle to your daughter, with the addition of listing yourself as a buyer as well. So in other words, on the back of the title, where you write in the buyer(s) information, you will write in both your information and your daughter's. Then, both of you will sign your names as the new current owners. That's it. Once your paperwork is in order, you'll submit it to the DMV, and they'll mail you a new title with both your names on it in 3-4 weeks. In the interim, you'll be issued a new registration card indicating both of you as current owners.

Please note, when we mention "title transfer" in this post, we are referring to the process of adding a second owner to a Certificate of Title. The California DMV, more or less, considers the addition or deletion of owner(s) on Certificate of Titles as title transfers. Let's go into detail below...

As mentioned, adding your daughter's name to your vehicle title in California is fairly simply and straightforward, and the fee for doing so is pretty low ($15.00 at the time of this post). The process is almost the same as transferring your title to a new party, similar to that of selling your vehicle to someone other than a family member, except no smog inspection will be required and no Use Tax will be collected. Typically during a title transfer, 4 year and older vehicles require a smog check, and Use Tax is collected based on purchase price. In this particular case, your transaction will be exempt from both of these requirements. For one, the vehicle isn't being sold, so there are no taxes to pay, and second, the vehicle is staying in the household, so no new smog inspection is needed. Great news, right?

To get the process started you'll need to have prepared two documents; the vehicle's California Certificate of Title (which you more then likely already have) and a Statement of Facts form (REG 256) (which you may download here). Complete the title by filling in the buyer information as yourself and your daughter. If the vehicle has a lien holder, you'll need to contact them first and obtain rewritten authorization. All parties listed on a car title are responsible for the bank loan. Typically lien holders have no problem adding a family member. If you don't have the vehicle's certificate of title or have lost it, you may download and complete a REG 227 (Application for Duplicate Title), and use it in lieu of the missing title. Both you and your daughter will need to complete and sign the REG 227 just as you would an original vehicle title.

• How Can I Add My Daughter to My Vehicle Title?

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