The short version
- The buyer pays a 5% excise tax on the purchase price, plus a $5 title fee, when titling the car.
- Each side has 30 days: the seller to hand over the signed title, and the buyer to apply for a new one after getting it.
- The seller keeps the plates, and the unused months can go toward registering another vehicle.
North Dakota titles are handled by the Motor Vehicle Division of the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT). The seller signs the title over, and the buyer applies for a new title and registration, paying the excise tax at the same time.
Not a private-sale title transfer?
- Got the car from family? A gift between spouses, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, or siblings is exempt from the excise tax, according to the state’s excise tax guideline.
- Inherited a car? Transfers by inheritance, bequest or a trust set up by the deceased owner are exempt too.
- Moving to North Dakota with your car? You’ll title it as a new resident instead. You’ll also need to transfer your out-of-state license to North Dakota.
How to Sign Over a Car Title in North Dakota: Seller Steps
- Pay off any loan so your lender can release its lien before you sell.
- Fill in the assignment on the title, including the buyer’s name and the selling price, as N.D.C.C. § 39-05-17requires. The NDDOT’s checklist rules out write-overs, cross-outs and white-out.
- Record the mileage on the secure odometer disclosure if the car is model year 2011 or newer.
- Complete a damage disclosure (SFN 18609) if the car is less than nine model years old. You sign it, then the buyer signs it.
- Give the buyer the signed title within 30 days of the sale.
- Take off your plates. For a $5 fee, you can apply the unused months toward registering one replacement vehicle. Any credit beyond its registration fee is lost.
North Dakota Title Transfer Requirements: Excise Tax and the 30-Day Deadline
- Excise tax: The state charges 5% of the purchase price, and the NDDOT collects it when you title the car.
- Deadline: Under § 39-05-17, the buyer has 30 days after receiving the title to apply for a new one, with a $5 transfer fee. Missing it can get the car’s registration suspended or revoked, and it’s a class B misdemeanor.
- Insurance: On the application, you certify that the car will be insured as state law requires.
- Disclosures: The seller’s odometer and damage disclosures go in with your application, so check that they’re filled out before you pay.
How to Title a Car Bought From a Private Seller in North Dakota
Documents You Need for a North Dakota Title Transfer
- The title, signed over with your name and the price
- The odometer disclosure, for model year 2011 and newer, and the damage disclosure, for cars less than nine model years old
- A current state or government-issued photo ID
- The Application for Certificate of Title and Registration (SFN 2872)
- Payment by cash, check or card
Title and Register the Car in North Dakota
- To drive the car before it’s titled, print a 75-day temporary registration online. It’s for North Dakota residents, and you agree to title and register the car within 30 days. Our guide to North Dakota temporary registration explains your options.
- Take your documents to an NDDOT motor vehicle location within 30 days of getting the title. Locations work by appointment, which you can book at 1-855-633-6835.
- Pay the excise tax, the $5 title fee and the registration fee. Branch offices may add their own fee.
How Much Does It Cost to Transfer a Car Title in North Dakota?
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Title transfer | $5 |
| Excise tax | 5% of the purchase price |
| Excise tax on a family gift or inheritance | Exempt |
| Plate credit transfer, when you sell | $5 |
| Duplicate title | $5, or $10 if a lien is added or removed |
| Registration, most cars | $49 to $175 a year |
| Example: $12,000 private sale | $605 ($600 excise tax + $5 title), before registration |
The title, tax and plate credit figures come from the NDDOT’s title application, and the duplicate fee from its duplicate credentials form.
Registration depends on the car’s weight and the year it was first registered. Our guide to North Dakota registration renewal lists the fees.
North Dakota Car Title Transfer FAQs
5% of the purchase price. On a $12,000 car, that’s $600, plus the $5 title fee.
No. Neither the NDDOT’s title application nor its checklist calls for a notary. The exception is the Seller’s Certificate and Vehicle Bill of Sale (SFN 2888), used when a title can’t be provided, which has to be notarized.
The seller has 30 days from the sale to hand over the signed title, and the buyer has 30 days after getting it to apply for a new one.
The seller. You take them off, and the unused months can be credited toward registering one replacement vehicle.
Not if it’s a gift between spouses, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, or siblings. A sale between relatives isn’t covered by that exemption.
The seller applies for a duplicate on the NDDOT’s duplicate credentials form (SFN 61982), for $5. Wait until it arrives before you pay.
Before you pay, check that the seller has written your name and the price on the title and filled out the damage disclosure if the car is newer. In North Dakota, the 5% excise tax is usually the biggest cost, and the title itself is just $5.
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