Prior Title Assignment Guide

Introduction

Welcome to visitor.us’ step-by-step prior title assignment guide.  Follow the steps below in order.

Before proceeding, please note - a vehicle title is an official ownership document, which means that:

• Copies, scans, photos, or images are not acceptable for ownership transfer, and
• Cross-outs, write-overs, or white-outs may void the title.

If vehicle ownership documents are present and properly signed, nothing further (e.g., bill of sale, buyer's order, etc.) is required to register your vehicle.

If you think you have made a mistake on the vehicle’s title, Stop.  Send photos of the front and rear of the vehicle’s title to hello@visitor.us, and we’ll advise how to proceed.

Table of contents

Step 1. Ownership Documents
Step 2. Ownership interest release
Step 3. Odometer Disclosure
Step 4. Lien Release
Step 5. Reassignments
Step 6. New Registered Owner / Buyer

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Step 1. Ownership Documents

1a. Did you receive an authentic (not a scan, photo, copy, or image of the) title document, issued by a US state, to the vehicle?

Yes. Proceed to Step 2.

No, I received a manufacturer’s statement of origin / manufacturer’s certificate of origin (MSO/MCO) for the vehicle. Proceed to Step 2.

No.  Proceed to 1b.

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1b. Did you receive a scan, photo, copy, or image of the vehicle’s title?

Yes - Stop.  Authentic ownership documents are required.  Return to step 1a when you have received the vehicle’s authentic ownership document(s).

No - proceed to Step 1c.

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1c. Did the seller give you a registration document instead of a title?

Yes - proceed to step 1d.

No - proceed to step 1e.

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1d. Is the vehicle’s registration document from one of the following states, and does the model year of the vehicle fall within the indicated age for that state?

• Alabama: 36 years or older. Proceed to Step 2.
• Connecticut: 20 years or older. Proceed to Step 2.
• Georgia: 1985 or older. Proceed to Step 2.
• Maine: 1994 or older. Proceed to Step 2.
• Massachusetts: 1980 or older. Proceed to Step 2.
• New Hampshire: 1999 or older. Proceed to Step 2.
• New York: 1972 or older. Proceed to Step 2.
• Rhode Island: 2000 and older. Proceed to Step 2.
• Vermont: 16 years or older. Proceed to Step 2.

None of the above.  Stop.  The seller needs to provide you an official ownership document. Return to Step 1 when the seller provides an official ownership document.

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1e. Did the seller tell you that a lender holds the title?

Yes.  Stop.  The lender owns the vehicle, and the seller can’t sell it to you until the loan is paid off.

Return to step 1 when the seller has the title in hand, or arrange to use an escrow agent such as Keysavvy.

No.  Stop.  If you don’t have any documentation, you didn’t actually buy a vehicle.

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Step 2. Ownership interest release

2a. Was the vehicle’s title issued by any of the following states?

• Kentucky,
• Louisiana,
• Montana*,
• North Carolina,
• Ohio,
• Oklahoma, or
• Pennsylvania

Yes.  Each seller’s signature must be notarized in order to release ownership interest in the vehicle.  Proceed to 2b.

*Notarization of the seller's signature is not required for a Montana vehicle owned by a company (such as an LLC).

No. The seller’s signature releases ownership interest in the vehicle.  Proceed to 2b.

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2b. How many owners are listed on the face of the vehicle’s title?

Multiple.  Proceed to Step 2c.

One.  Proceed to Step 2d.

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2c. Are the owners’ names separated by the word “OR” on the front of the title?

Yes.  Only one owner’s signature is required to release ownership interest in the vehicle.  Proceed to 2d.

No.  Both owners’ signatures are required to release ownership interest in the vehicle.  For each owner listed on the front of the title, complete 2d.

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2d. Is the owner listed on the front of the title a trust, a company, a living individual, or a deceased individual?

• A Living Individual. The individual listed on the front of the vehicle’s title must fully complete and sign the seller’s section of the title. When signature is complete, proceed to Step 3.
• A Company. An authorized individual must write the name of the company that owns the vehicle, and sign on behalf of the company. When signature is complete, proceed to Step 3.
• A Trust. The trustee must sign the title, as well as Montana form MV40 - Statement of Trustee. When signature and MV40 - Statement of Trustee are complete, proceed to Step 3.
• A Deceased Individual. Each state has its own rules for releasing the ownership interest of a deceased person in a vehicle. The rules of the state that issued the title must be followed. When signature(s) are complete, proceed to Step 3.

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Step 3. Odometer Disclosure

3a. Is the vehicle model year 2011 or newer?

No.  Odometer disclosure not required - proceed to Step 4.

Yes.  Seller must write the vehicle’s current odometer reading on the vehicle’s title, or on a separate Conforming Odometer Disclosure form.  When the title reflects the vehicle’s odometer reading, proceed to Step 4.

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Step 4. Lien Release

4a. Is there a lien recorded on the front of the vehicle’s title?

No.  Lien release not required - proceed to Step 5.

Yes.  The vehicle may not be sold until the lien is released (i.e., the loan against the vehicle is paid off).  Proceed to 4b.

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4b. Are any of the following true?

• The lien release field on the vehicle’s title has been signed and stamped by an authorized representative of the entity listed on the title as the lienholder. Yes - proceed to Step 5.
• The title is accompanied by a lien release letter that has been signed and stamped by an authorized representative of the entity listed on the title as the lienholder. Yes - proceed to Step 5.
• No. Stop. The seller cannot sell the vehicle until the lien is released. Return to Step 4 when the lien is released, or arrange to use an escrow agent such as Keysavvy.

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Step 5. Reassignments

5a. Is the seller of the vehicle the same as the party listed on the front of the vehicle’s title?

Yes.  Proceed to Step 6.

No.  Proceed to 5b.

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5b. Are all of the subsequent owners listed on the vehicle’s ownership documents auto dealers?

No.  Stop.  The seller does not own this vehicle, and cannot sell it to you without registering it in his or her own name.

Yes.  Proceed to Step 5c.

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Step 5c. The documents must reflect a clear chain of ownership.

For example, if John Smith is listed on the front of the vehicle’s title, he sold the vehicle to Supreme Auto Group, and Supreme Auto Group sold the vehicle to Main Street Motors, and Main Street Motors sold the vehicle to you, the chain of ownership should look as follows:

• Seller: John Smith
• Buyer: Supreme Auto Group by John Doe, agent
• First dealer reassignment:
  • Seller: Supreme Auto Group by John Doe, agent
  • Buyer: Main Street Motors by Jane Roe, agent
• Second dealer reassignment:
  • Seller: Main Street Motors by Jane Roe, agent
  • Buyer: You.

Do the documents reflect a clear chain of ownership?

Yes. Proceed to Step 5d.

No - Stop.  The seller of the vehicle is responsible for properly documenting all of the owners that came before him.  If the chain of ownership between the person listed on the front of the title and the person selling you the vehicle, the person selling you the vehicle doesn’t own the vehicle.  Proceed to Step 5d. when the seller has caused the documents to reflect a clear chain of ownership.

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5d. Are any of the signatures on the title followed by “POA” or “Power of Attorney”?

No, proceed to Step 6.

Yes, signed Power of Attorney documents must accompany the vehicle’s title.  Proceed to Step 6.

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Step 6. New Registered Owner / Buyer

6a. Are you present to sign the vehicle’s title?

Yes.  Complete the vehicle’s title as follows:

Name of new registered owner / buyer: Example LLC

Address of new registered owner / buyer: 544 E Main St. Suite B Bozeman, MT 59715

Signature of new registered owner / buyer: Example LLC by Your Signature, president

Date: date of sale

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No.  Instruct the seller to complete the vehicle’s title as follows:

Name of new registered owner / buyer: Example LLC

Address of new registered owner / buyer: 544 E Main St. Suite B Bozeman, MT 59715

Date: date of sale

visitor.us will sign the title on behalf of your LLC as its authorized agent.

Because signed, authentic ownership documents are required to transfer a vehicle’s ownership, and cross-outs, white-outs, and write-overs void ownership documents, your ownership document is secure in transit.  If it is intercepted, your vehicle can only be transferred to the name listed as the vehicle’s new registered owner.

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Send your vehicle’s signed ownership documents (and any accompanying power of attorney or dealer reassignment forms) to visitor.us using the shipping label provided for you in autos.visitor.us.

If you have any questions about the steps above, please send images of the front and back of all documents to hello@visitor.us - we’d be glad to advise.

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