Utah titles are issued by the DMV, a division of the Utah State Tax Commission. The title itself costs just $6. Sales tax is the real expense, and the buyer pays it when titling the car, not the seller.
Moving to Utah with your car? You have 60 days to title and register it, and any vehicle titled in Utah for the first time needs a VIN inspection. You’ll also want to start transferring your out-of-state license to Utah.
The short version
- Most Utah-to-Utah transfers can be done online through the DMV’s Utah Person to Person (UPP) service, without visiting an office.
- Always get a bill of sale. Without one, the DMV charges sales tax on the car’s fair market value rather than the price you paid.
- No notary is needed to sign off a Utah title, and the seller must hand it over within 48 hours of the sale.
Can You Transfer a Utah Title Online?
Usually, yes. Utah’s Person to Person (UPP) service lets buyers apply for a title and registration, and print a temporary permit, from home. You upload images of the ownership documents instead of sending originals, and your title and registration arrive by mail once processed. The original title or a bill of sale is enough to get started.
UPP works when the vehicle’s current title is a Utah title, and the VIN and title number (or VIN and owner name) you enter must exactly match the state’s records. It can’t handle:
- Out-of-state titles
- Vehicles branded Non-Repairable, or with a pending notice to obtain a salvage brand
- Records in suspend, or waiting on information from the previous owner
All taxes and fees are due when you apply. Don’t leave it hanging: transactions pending more than 120 days may be canceled, and fees may not be refunded.
How To Transfer Utah Car Title
Step 1: What the Seller Does
- Sign the title. If owners are joined by “and,” both must sign; with “or,” one signature is enough.
- Fill in the purchase date and price, and complete the odometer disclosure if the vehicle is less than 20 years old. Form TC-891 can be used instead.
- Clear any lien. A title that seems lost is often just being held by the seller’s bank or credit union.
- Hand over the title within 48 hours, as Utah law requires, along with the current registration and any emissions certificate.
- Remove your license plates unless you’re selling them with the car. Leave them on and you may be liable for parking or traffic violations.
- Report the sale with the Motor Vehicle Portal’s Report Sold Vehicle tool, by calling 1-800-DMV-UTAH, or by mailing Form TC-502 or a signed note listing the year, make, and plate number or VIN.
Step 2: What the Buyer Brings
- The signed title, or the seller’s completed Form TC-123
- A bill of sale
- Form TC-656, the Vehicle Application for Utah Title and Registration
- Government-issued ID for every owner on the application
- An emissions certificate, if you’re registering in Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, Weber or Cache County
- Payment for the title, registration and sales tax
Apply online through UPP or at a DMV office. The Ogden, Farmington, Taylorsville, South Valley (Draper), Provo and Hurricane offices take bookings through the DMV’s appointment scheduler.
Step 3: Get a Temporary Permit If You Need One
If you need to drive the car before the paperwork is finished, to reach an emissions test for example, a temporary permitcosts $6. All title and registration fees are due when it’s issued.
Utah Bill of Sale and Sales Tax Rules
A private seller doesn’t collect sales tax. The buyer pays it at titling, and the bill of sale decides how much.
With a proper bill of sale, tax is based on the net purchase price. Without one, the DMV uses the car’s fair market value, which can be well above what you paid. You can dispute it with a certified appraisal.
A valid bill of sale lists the buyer’s name and address; the seller’s name, address and signature; a full vehicle description including the VIN; the price; and any trade-in and its value. It can be handwritten, but in ink, and the DMV’s Form TC-843 covers everything. No notary is needed for the title, and the DMV’s bill of sale requirements don’t call for one either.
The rate depends on where the car will be registered: Utah’s 4.85% state rate plus local taxes, which puts most combined rates between roughly 6% and 9%. Check yours on the Tax Commission’s rate chart.
Family sales are taxed too. The DMV says Utah has no sales tax exemption for family-to-family purchases. Don’t understate the price, either. The Tax Commission reviews the documents, and underreporting can bring an audit and a fraud penalty of 100% of the tax or $500, whichever is greater.
Gifts are where guides disagree. Some say a genuine gift between close relatives is exempt; others say Utah has no gift exemption at all. Confirm with the DMV before writing $0 as the price.
Utah Title Transfer Fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Title fee | $6 |
| Sales tax | 4.85% state rate plus local tax |
| Temporary permit | $6 |
| New license plates | $18.75 |
| Duplicate title | $6 |
| Registration | Varies by vehicle age and county |
| Example: $15,000 car at a 7% combined rate | $1,056 ($1,050 tax + $6 title), plus registration |
Registration is usually handled at the same time. Our guide to Utah registration renewal explains the age-based fee and the other charges involved.
Utah Car Title Transfer FAQs
For a Utah title, the seller can complete Form TC-123, the duplicate title application, sign both Part 1 and Part 2, and give it to you in place of the title, with no wait for a replacement. The DMV recommends including a bill of sale. Sellers who’d rather get a new title first can follow our guide to replacing a lost Utah title. Out-of-state titles must be replaced by the state that issued them.
Only if the vehicle is being titled in Utah for the first time. For cars and trucks, an inspection certificate showing the correct VIN is accepted. Form TC-661 is the other route, completed by a DMV employee, peace officer, licensed dealer or certified safety inspector.
Use Form TC-569C, the Survivorship Affidavit, if at least 30 days have passed, the owner left no more than four vehicles, boats or trailers in total, the rest of the estate is worth $100,000 or less, no personal representative has been appointed or requested, and there’s no active lien. Unlike the title, the affidavit must be notarized. If the estate doesn’t qualify, it goes through probate and you’ll need court documents.
Two things make a Utah title transfer go smoothly: a bill of sale showing the real price, and a Utah title, which lets you skip the office entirely through UPP.
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