How To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Georgia in 2026

Motor vehicle ownership changes in Georgia must be recorded through the Motor Vehicle Division of the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR). Transfers to immediate family members may be structured as outright gifts or as purchases at an agreed price, and each carries distinct tax consequences under Georgia's Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) framework. Both the transferor and the transferee must satisfy the DOR's documentation and submission requirements before the change of ownership is legally recognized on the state's title record.

What Does Transferring a Car Title to a Family Member in Georgia Mean?

A vehicle title transfer in Georgia is the formal legal process by which recorded ownership of a motor vehicle is transferred from one party to another on the state's certificate of title. The Georgia Certificate of Title is the primary legal instrument establishing motor vehicle ownership under state law. Until a new certificate is issued in the recipient's name, the transferor remains the owner of record and retains all associated legal liabilities.

The DOR Motor Vehicle Division administers Georgia's titling system, but title applications for ownership changes are not submitted directly to the DOR central office. Instead, all title and registration transactions are processed at the County Tag Office in the county where the new owner resides. Georgia has 159 counties, each with a Tax Commissioner or Tag Commissioner who serves as the local processing authority.

A one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT), established under O.C.G.A. § 48-5C-1, applies to most vehicle transfers in Georgia. TAVT replaced both the state sales tax and the annual ad valorem ("birthday") tax for vehicles subject to the system. The tax rate and any available reductions depend on the nature of the relationship between the transferor and transferee.

Eligible Family Members for Title Transfers in Georgia

Georgia law provides a reduced TAVT rate for transfers between immediate family members, as defined by the DOR under GA Admin. Code § 560-11-14 and O.C.G.A. § 48-5C-1. To qualify for the reduced rate, the vehicle must currently carry a Georgia title for which TAVT was previously paid. The transferee must complete and notarize Form MV-16 (Affidavit to Certify Immediate Family Relationship) and submit it with the title application.

Qualifying immediate family relationships are:

• Spouse
• Parent or stepparent
• Child or stepchild
• Sibling (including half-siblings and stepsiblings)
• Grandparent
• Grandchild

Transfers to relatives outside this defined group — such as aunts, uncles, cousins, or in-laws — do not qualify for the reduced TAVT rate and are processed as standard casual sales subject to the full 7% rate.

Regardless of the family relationship, both parties must complete the standard title transfer process. Any transfer in which a purchase price is stated — even a nominally reduced one — is treated as a casual sale, and the applicable TAVT rate is assessed on the higher of the stated price or the vehicle's fair market value as determined by the DOR's valuation schedule.

How To Transfer a Car Title as a Gift to a Family Member in Georgia

Step 1 — Confirm the title is free of recorded liens. Obtain the original Georgia Certificate of Title and review the front for any recorded lienholder. If a lien is listed, the lienholder must release it before the title assignment can be completed. Lenders holding electronic liens may release the lien through Georgia's Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) system; lenders holding paper liens must complete and sign the lien release section on the title itself. Verify that all lien release entries are fully completed before proceeding.

Step 2 — Complete the title assignment on the reverse of the certificate. Using only blue or black ink, the transferor completes the assignment section on the back of the title. No erasures or alterations are permitted, as any change may void the certificate. Fields to complete include:

• Transferee's full legal name, exactly as it appears on the transferee's Georgia driver's license or state-issued ID
• Transferee's current residential address
• Date of transfer (month, day, and year); altering this date after the fact carries a separate $10 penalty
• Odometer reading at the time of transfer, recorded in complete miles without tenths of a mile
• Indication of any odometer discrepancy: check the appropriate box if the reading exceeds mechanical limits (99,999 on a 5-digit odometer or 999,999 on a 6-digit odometer) or if the odometer does not reflect actual mileage due to malfunction, replacement, or repair
• Purchase price entered as "$0" or the notation "Gift"
• Transferor's printed legal name and signature; if the vehicle is jointly owned, all recorded owners must print and sign

The transferee must also print and sign in the designated buyer section. If the vehicle is to be jointly received, all incoming owners must sign.

Step 3 — Obtain and notarize Form MV-16. The transferee — and the transferor, as the certifying party to the relationship — must complete Form MV-16 (Affidavit to Certify Immediate Family Relationship). Both parties must sign the form in the presence of a notary public. This notarized affidavit is required to establish eligibility for the 0.5% TAVT rate; without it, the full 7% rate applies.

Step 4 — Prepare a bill of sale. Although a bill of sale is not a statutory requirement for gift transfers between family members in Georgia, preparing one is strongly recommended. The document should record the VIN, year, make, model, date of transfer, the names and addresses of both parties, and a stated value of "$0" or "Gift." A signed bill of sale provides evidentiary support in the event of a later dispute over the nature of the transaction.

Step 5 — Complete the pre-application for Form MV-1 (optional but recommended). The transferee may begin the MV-1 Title/Tag Application online through the DRIVES e-Services portal before visiting the County Tag Office. Completing this step in advance reduces wait time at the office. The final signed application must be submitted in person.

Step 6 — Submit all documents to the County Tag Office. The transferee brings the complete package to the County Tag Office in the county of the transferee's residence:

• Original Georgia Certificate of Title (fully assigned, all liens released)
• Notarized Form MV-16
• Completed and signed Form MV-1
• Valid Georgia driver's license or state-issued ID
• Proof of Georgia liability insurance (either an insurance binder or insurer-filed confirmation)
• Emission inspection certificate, if applicable in the transferee's county
• Payment for all fees: $18 title fee, $20 license plate fee, and TAVT at 0.5% of fair market value

Step 7 — Receive the new certificate of title and registration. Upon processing, the County Tag Office collects all applicable fees and issues a new Georgia Certificate of Title and registration in the transferee's name.

How To Transfer a Car Title as a Sale to a Family Member in Georgia

Step 1 — Establish the purchase price in writing. The transferor and transferee agree on a purchase price. For TAVT purposes, the tax base is the higher of the agreed purchase price or the DOR's fair market value for the vehicle, as calculated through the DRIVES valuation schedule.

Step 2 — Release any recorded lien. If the vehicle carries an active lien, the lienholder must fully release it before the title is transferred. Electronic lienholders release through the ELT system; paper lienholders complete the lien release section on the face of the title. All lien release entries must be present on the original certificate before submission.

Step 3 — Complete the title assignment on the reverse of the certificate. Using the same procedures and field requirements as described in the gift transfer process, the transferor completes the assignment section in blue or black ink without erasures. The actual purchase price is entered in the price field.

Step 4 — Prepare a bill of sale. A written bill of sale is required for all casual sales, including private sales to family members. The document must include:

• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• Year, make, model, and body style of the vehicle
• Full legal names and addresses of both parties
• Stated purchase price
• Date of sale
• Signatures of both the seller and the buyer

For vehicles manufactured in 1985 or earlier that do not require a Georgia title, a properly completed Form T-22B (Certification of Inspection) is also required.

Step 5 — Complete Form MV-16 for the reduced TAVT rate. Even for sale transactions, the transferee may qualify for the reduced 0.5% TAVT rate by submitting a notarized Form MV-16. Both parties must sign the form before a notary public. If Form MV-16 is not submitted, the full 7% TAVT rate applies to the transaction.

Step 6 — Pre-fill Form MV-1 online (recommended). The transferee may begin the MV-1 Title/Tag Application through the DRIVES e-Services portal prior to the office visit. The completed and signed form must be brought in person.

Step 7 — Submit all documents to the County Tag Office. The transferee presents the following at the County Tag Office in the county of residence:

• Original Georgia Certificate of Title (fully assigned, all liens released)
• Bill of sale
• Notarized Form MV-16 (for reduced TAVT rate)
• Completed and signed Form MV-1
• Valid Georgia driver's license or state-issued ID
• Proof of Georgia liability insurance
• Emission inspection certificate, if applicable
• Payment for all fees: $18 title fee, $20 license plate fee, and TAVT at 0.5% (with MV-16) or 7% (without MV-16) of the higher of the sale price or fair market value

Step 8 — Receive the new certificate of title and registration. The County Tag Office issues a new Georgia Certificate of Title and registration upon processing all documents and fees.

What Documents Are Needed To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Georgia

Required for All Transfers

• Original Georgia Certificate of Title — The existing certificate, with the assignment section on the reverse fully completed in blue or black ink, no erasures or alterations. All recorded liens must be released in the designated spaces on the document, or confirmed as electronically released through the ELT system.
• Form MV-1 — DOR Motor Vehicle Title/Tag Application, signed by all incoming owners. This form may be pre-started online, but must be signed and submitted in person.
• Form MV-16 — Affidavit to Certify Immediate Family Relationship. Required for all immediate family transfers seeking the reduced 0.5% TAVT rate. Must be signed by both parties before a notary public.
• Valid Georgia driver's license or state-issued ID — For the transferee; government-issued photo identification is required.
• Proof of Georgia liability insurance — Either an insurance binder showing liability coverage or confirmation filed directly by the insurer in the DOR's database.
• Fee payment — Title fee ($18), license plate registration fee ($20), and applicable TAVT.

Required for Sale Transfers

• Bill of sale — A signed document containing the VIN, vehicle year/make/model, full names and addresses of both parties, purchase price, date of sale, and signatures of both parties. Required for all vehicles manufactured after 1985.
• Form T-22B — Certification of Inspection, required for vehicles manufactured in 1985 or earlier that do not have a Georgia title, or for vehicles transferred from a non-title state.

Additional Documents That May Be Required

• Lien release documentation — Written confirmation from the lienholder, or completion of the release section on the title, when a lien was previously recorded. Electronic lien releases are confirmed through the ELT system.
• Emission inspection certificate — Required in designated metropolitan counties; contact the local County Tag Office or visit Clean Air Force to verify applicability.
• Form MV-20 — Request for Motor Vehicle Data, used to obtain vehicle title history or lien information prior to the transfer.

How To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member Online in Georgia

All title transfers between family members in Georgia cannot be completed entirely online. No mechanism exists within DRIVES or MyMVD through which a private-party ownership change can be initiated, executed, and finalized without an in-person appearance. All new owners listed on a title application must appear in person at the appropriate county tag office to sign the application at the time of submission. This requirement applies regardless of the parties' relationship, the form of consideration, or the manner in which the title assignment was completed.

What's the Cost To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Georgia?

Title Fees

All title fees below are drawn from the official DOR fee schedule.

Registration Fees

Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT)

For all immediate family transfers, the 0.5% reduced rate applies only when (1) the vehicle already carries a Georgia title for which TAVT was previously paid and (2) a properly notarized Form MV-16 is submitted at the time of the title application. The tax base is the higher of the stated purchase price or the DOR-assigned fair market value; if the stated price falls below fair market value, the tax is calculated on the higher figure. Use the official TAVT Estimator to calculate the amount due before visiting the County Tag Office.

TAVT Late Penalties (Casual Sales)

Note: TAVT eliminates the obligation to pay annual ad valorem tax on the vehicle going forward. Once a transferee pays TAVT at the time of title transfer, no subsequent annual motor vehicle property tax is assessed on that vehicle for the duration of the transferee's ownership.

Contact Information

Georgia Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division
4125 Welcome All Road, Atlanta, GA 30349
Phone: (855) 406-5221
Official Website: Georgia Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division