How To Transfer a Car Title in Alaska
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In Alaska, having a valid title for most types of vehicles is mandatory. If you have recently bought a car, you must legally transfer ownership by transferring the title.
Submit your signed title, odometer reading, bill of sale, driver's license, title application, and payment to the Alaska DMV to transfer the title.
Learn more about how to transfer a car title in Alaska.
Key Takeaways
To transfer a car title in Alaska, you need:
- The original title (signed by buyers and sellers)
- The official odometer reading
- Completed bill of sale
- A valid driver's license
- The complete Title and Registration application
- Title transfer payment
Table of Contents
Documents Needed To Transfer Car Title in Alaska
To legally acquire ownership of the vehicle, gather the following documents and sign them either in person or with e-signatures:
- Vehicle Transaction Application Form.
- Lien release.
- Odometer verification.
- Bill of sale (optional).
- Driver's license
- Title transfer payment
Fees for Title Transfer in AK
You must pay the applicable fees including:
- Title transfer: $15
- Registration
- Passenger vehicles: $100
- Motorcycles: $60
- Trailers: $30
- Motorhome: $100
Note that Alaska does not charge vehicle sales tax.
How To Transfer Car Title in Alaska
Transferring car titles in Alaska involves two procedures, with distinct obligations for buyers and sellers.
Seller Requirements:
- Sign and date the title.
- Record the mileage if the vehicle is less than ten years old (not required if over ten years old).
- Complete the Notice of Car Sale for Transfer, which can be accessed online or is at the lower end of the car title, and send it to the address below:
State of Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles: Mailouts, 1300 W Benson Boulevard STE 200 Anchorage, AK 99503
- Remove any personalized license plates.
- While providing a bill of sale is recommended, it's not mandatory as per state regulations.
Please note that you cannot sell a vehicle that has outstanding liens on the title.
Buyer Requirements
- Sign and date the title.
- Obtain and complete an application for title and registration, and bring it along with the signed and dated title to the DMV office.
- Pay the $15 transfer fee, which is doubled to $30 if the vehicle has a lien.
- The same information can be sent to the address mentioned above without the "attention" line for residents of remote regions in the state.
The buyer is responsible for registering the car in their name and completing the title transfer process with the Alaska DMV.
How To Transfer a Title in Alaska After a Lease Buyout
Follow these steps after a lease buyout:
- Provide ownership documents, such as the vehicle's title or Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO).
- The documents must have your name printed on the front, and if the vehicle was purchased from a dealership, the dealership name must also be printed on the front, along with a Dealer Reassignment to transfer the vehicle to you.
- Fill out an Original Vehicle Transaction Application (Form 812), which needs to be signed in ink by the vehicle owner. Vehicles under ten years old and weighing over 12,000 pounds require an odometer reading.
In the "contact information" section of the title application, provide your complete mailing and residence address.
- Registration is required if you are purchasing a used vehicle with Alaska plates.
- Pay the applicable fees.
- Provide a Notarized Power of Attorney, which is required for all transactions if you sign the title on behalf of the vehicle's owner, including leased vehicles.
- Provide a Lien Release, necessary when a lien is present on the MCO and has been paid.
How To Register a Car in Alaska
In addition to the title transfer, you must register your vehicle in Alaska. Car owners in the state are obligated to renew their registration biennially.
If you relocate to Alaska from a different state, you must perform vehicle registration within ten days from arrival.
How Much is Vehicle Registration in Alaska?
The registration charge is $100 for passenger cars, non-commercial trucks, and cargo vans, whereas motorcycles are subject to a $60 fee.
Ancillary charges may also be applicable contingent on variables such as vehicle type, weight, and city of residence.
If you choose to make an in-person payment at a DMV office, an additional $10 fee shall be levied. Those 65 or older and residents of Alaska are exempted from the registration fee.
1. Recording a Lien
Alaska's law permits to record of a primary lienholder's name on the title. In contrast, secondary lienholders can register their liens in the recorder's office of their residing district by a Uniform Commercial Code or UCC filing.
Applications received by mail from outside Alaska are unacceptable, except when there is no change of ownership and the customer has an Alaska title in their name.
To record a lien, applicants must submit an application for title & registration, a title, or a Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin.
Fee for Recording a Lien
A $15.00 lien recording fee and a $15.00 title fee ($100.00 for manufactured homes) are required. Additional charges and registration requirements may exist if the vehicle is not registered.
The vehicle's registered owner must sign the application, while a Power of Attorney is acceptable for someone other than the registered owner to sign the application and title.
After recording a lien on a title, it will be automatically mailed to the lienholder.
2. Releasing a Lien
After fulfilling the final payment of your vehicle, the lienholder will waive their interest in the vehicle and give you the original title.
After obtaining the title, applying for a "clear" title with the Division of Motor Vehicles is necessary.
To acquire a new title, the following documents are required:
- The original title with the lien released or a letter from the lienholder indicating their release of interest. The lien release must include the signature, date, and title of the person releasing the lien. A "PAID" stamp is not considered an acceptable lien release.
- A completed application for title & registration (provided the last title issued was not an Alaska title).
- A fee of $15.00.
Conclusion
Transfering your car title in Alaska is quite simple. You must collect the necessary documents, visit the DMV, complete the title application form, and pay the transfer fee.
Learn more about the title transfer process in other states via our detailed guides!
