How much does it cost to transfer a car title in New Jersey?

No general title fee amount is stated on the main Transferring Ownership page. In the death-transfer sections of that same page: $60 title fee ($85 for a financed vehicle title fee); $4.50 to transfer an existing registration to an immediate family member.

What is the deadline to transfer a car title in New Jersey?

To avoid a $25 penalty, New Jersey or dealer reassigned titles must be transferred within 10 working days from the date of sale.

Does New Jersey require an odometer disclosure when transferring a title?

The bill of sale from the seller must include the mileage odometer reading. The seller/buyer must provide an accurate odometer reading at the time of sale to show whether the vehicle has passed its mechanical limitations and is on a second or third cycle; if the actual odometer reading is inaccurate, the seller must give an estimate of what the actual reading should be.

What happens to a lien when transferring a car title in New Jersey?

Liens noted on a decedent's title shall be paid before a new title is issued unless the lien on the title is being transferred to the sole owner; contact the lending institution for more information (death-transfer section of the opened page). No general private-sale lien procedure was stated on the page opened.

How to Transfer a Car Title in New Jersey

The New Jersey transfer in one table

Step	New Jersey rule
Title transfer fee	No general private-sale title fee is stated on the page opened. A $60 title fee, or $85 for a financed vehicle, appears in the death-transfer sections of that page; this guide does not present it as the general private-sale fee.
Deadline and late penalty	To avoid a $25 penalty, New Jersey or dealer reassigned titles must be transferred within 10 working days from the date of sale.
Application form	Vehicle Registration Application, Form BA-49 (if applicable); Universal Title Application (referenced on the page for odometer/lien contexts; form number not stated on the page opened); Affidavit, Form BA-62 (death transfer where title is in both spouses'/domestic partners' names); Transfer on Death Beneficiary Form (TOD designation, held by owner)
Odometer	The bill of sale from the seller must include the mileage odometer reading. The seller/buyer must provide an accurate odometer reading at the time of sale to show whether the vehicle has passed its mechanical limitations and is on a second or third cycle; if the actual odometer reading is inaccurate, the seller must give an estimate of what the actual reading should be.
Lien	Liens noted on a decedent's title shall be paid before a new title is issued unless the lien on the title is being transferred to the sole owner; contact the lending institution for more information (death-transfer section of the opened page). No general private-sale lien procedure was stated on the page opened.

The transfer, step by step

Buyer steps:

Sign in the buyer's section on the reverse side of the title and insert driver's license number or Entity Identification Number (EIN, formerly Corpcode).
Visit a motor vehicle agency (this transaction cannot be handled through the mail) to transfer the title, complete the Vehicle Registration Application (Form BA-49) if applicable, and receive license plates.

Seller steps:

Remove the plates and surrender them to a motor vehicle agency, unless the plates are being transferred to another vehicle (plates can be transferred to another vehicle, but not to another owner).
Sign in the seller's section of the reverse side of the title and give it to the buyer, along with a bill of sale including: buyer's name and address, date of sale, mileage odometer reading, and sale price.

Check the requirements before you go

Run your state through the Title Transfer Requirements Checker: pick your state and see the fee, the deadline, the forms, and the odometer rule as the official pages state them. Then compare how the other states do it in the Car Title Transfer by State directory.

Renewing is not transferring

If the owner is staying the same and only the registration needs renewing, see Vehicle Registration Renewal in New Jersey for deadlines, grace periods, and late fees.

Transferring a title somewhere else

See Transferring a title in Minnesota.

See Transferring a title in New York.

For all states side by side, see the Car Title Transfer by State directory.

Source

NJ MVC , Transferring Vehicle Ownership

Facts verified 2026-10-29.

This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your specific situation, talk to your state motor vehicle agency.