The title to a car shows who the legal owner(s) is. When you sell a car in Alaska (or any other state in the US), you have to transfer the title to the new owner’s name. The buyer must then take that information to the DMV and register the car in their name, and pay the appropriate fees. The steps to transferring a car title in Alaska aren’t difficult to follow, and you really only need to worry about it in a private-party sale, as dealerships will take care of the process for you if you’re buying new or used off a lot.
Steps to transferring a car title in Alaska
There are two sets of steps required to transfer a car title in Alaska, and both the buyer and the seller have separate requirements.
Step 1: Seller requirements
- Sign the title and date it.
- If the vehicle is under 10 years of age, record the mileage (don’t worry about the mileage if it’s 10 years old or older).
- The seller must complete the Notice of Vehicle Sale for Transfer. It’s located at the bottom of the title. It can also be found online. This must be mailed to the following address:
State of Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles ATTN: MAILOUTS 1300 W Benson Boulevard STE 200 Anchorage, AK 99503
- Any personalized license plates must be removed.
- Note that a bill of sale is recommended, but is technically optional and the state does not mandate this.
Step 2: Buyer requirements
- Sign the title and date it.
- Print out an Application for Title and Registration, and take that along with the signed and dated title to the DMV office.
- Pay the $15 transfer fee. Note that if there is a lien on the vehicle, an additional $15 fee is charged.
- Note that for residents in remote areas of the state, Alaska allows this information to be mailed to the same address above, but without the “attention” line.
Gifting or inheriting a car
The steps involved with gifting or inheriting a car are slightly different from those required when buying or selling one, as far as transferring the title is concerned. The primary differences are as follows:
Gifting a car
- The person gifting the car must either complete a Notice of Transfer Pending or submit the Notice of Vehicle Sale for Transfer as above.
- The person receiving the car as a gift must submit the title along with a completed Application for Title and Registration to the DMV office, with $15 for the transfer fee. Note that if there is a lien on the vehicle, an additional $15 fee is required.
Inheriting a car
- The state of Alaska recommends that anyone inheriting a car wait for the probate process to finish. Alternatively, a claim against the estate can be filed, but the entire estate can be worth no more than $150,000 in this instance.
For more information on how to transfer a car title in Alaska, visit the state’s DOT website.
