Paperwork
How to Transfer a Car Title in New Jersey
Whether you buy from a dealer or a private seller, a used car isn't legally yours to drive until the title is in your name and the car is registered. Here's exactly how that works in New Jersey, what it costs, and the mistakes that send people back to the MVC twice.
By AutoShuk · Updated · 6 min read
Key takeaways
- Transfer the title at an MVC agency within 10 working days of the sale, or pay a $25 penalty.
- Transfers are done in person — the MVC doesn't accept them by mail.
- Budget for the $60 title fee ($85 if there's a loan on the car), registration, and 6.625% sales tax.
- Buying from a dealer? The dealer collects the sales tax and usually handles the paperwork for you.
Dealer sale vs. private sale
How much of this you handle yourself depends on who you buy from.
From a licensed dealer, the dealer collects New Jersey sales tax at the time of sale and typically processes the title and registration for you. Your job is to read the paperwork before you sign: check that the VIN on the documents matches the car, and that the price, fees and any trade-in value are what you agreed to. A dealer sale can also come with a warranty required by state law — see our guide to the New Jersey Used Car Lemon Law.
From a private seller, you and the seller do the paperwork yourselves, and you take it to a Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) agency to finish the transfer. That's what most of this guide covers.
Step by step: a private sale
What the seller does
- Signs the title over. The seller signs the seller's section on the back of the New Jersey title and hands it to you.
- Writes a bill of sale. It should show your name and address, the date of sale, the odometer reading and the sale price.
- Records the mileage accurately. The seller must give the odometer reading at the time of sale; if the odometer isn't accurate, they have to give an estimate of the actual mileage.
- Removes their license plates. In New Jersey, plates stay with the owner, not the car. The seller either moves them to another vehicle they own or surrenders them to the MVC.
What you do as the buyer
- Sign the buyer's section on the back of the title and add your driver's license number.
- Insure the car. You'll need coverage in place before it can be registered.
- Go to an MVC agency within 10 working days. Bring the signed title, the bill of sale, your license or ID, and a way to pay. The MVC takes American Express, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, checks, money orders and cash.
- Pay and leave registered. You'll pay the title fee, registration and sales tax, and you'll get your new plates at the agency.
Plan how the car gets home. Because the seller keeps the plates, you can't simply drive away on them. Most buyers arrange to leave the car with the seller until they've been to the MVC, or tow it.
If the car is titled in another state, comes from a state that doesn't issue titles, or was bought at auction, the MVC asks for a different set of documents. Check the MVC's transfer page for your situation before you go.
What it costs
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Title transfer | $60 | $85 if there's a lien (a loan) on the car |
| Sales tax | 6.625% of the purchase price | Paid by the buyer; a dealer collects it at the sale |
| Registration | Varies | Set by the car's weight and age — for example, $46.50 for a passenger car over two years old under 3,500 lbs, or $71.50 if it's over 3,500 lbs |
| Late penalty | $25 | If you miss the 10-working-day window |
Example: you buy a $15,000 minivan from a private seller. It's over two years old, weighs more than 3,500 lbs and has no loan on it. Sales tax is $993.75, the title is $60 and registration is $71.50 — about $1,125 on top of the price, before insurance.
Write the real price on the paperwork. Sales tax is based on the purchase price, and if the state can't verify the price it can assess the tax using the car's book value instead. A lowball number on the bill of sale doesn't save money — it invites a tax notice.
Fees change from time to time, so check the MVC's fee page before your visit.
Gifts and family transfers
If someone gives you a car, the seller writes "gift" on the purchase-price line on the back of the title. When there's no loan on the car, no sales tax is due.
If you take over a loan as part of the transfer, the rules change: unless you were already a co-owner on the title, sales tax is due on the loan balance you assume. The Division of Taxation's own example — a $5,000 balance — works out to $331.25 in tax.
Mistakes to avoid
- Missing the 10-working-day window. It's an easy $25 to lose. Weekends and holidays don't count, but don't wait for the last day.
- A seller whose name isn't on the title. The name on the title should match the seller's ID. If someone is selling a car titled to somebody else, walk away — it's a classic sign of an unlicensed flipper or worse.
- An unpaid loan. If the title lists a lienholder, ask for proof the loan has been paid off before any money changes hands.
- Altered titles. Avoid cross-outs or correction fluid on the title. An altered title can be rejected, and fixing it means tracking the seller down again.
- Skipping the history check. Before you sign anything, run the VIN — our guide to checking a used car's history covers the free tools.
Sources
- NJ MVC — Transferring vehicle ownership
- NJ MVC — Registration and title fees
- NJ Division of Taxation — Motor vehicle sales tax questions and answers
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees were checked against the official sources above in October 2026; confirm current details with the MVC before your visit.