New Hampshire Title Transfer

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

Transferring a New Hampshire title from seller to buyer is a same-day transaction at any NH DMV substation, with the buyer's registration usually completed in the same visit. The state has no sales tax, so the transfer paperwork is unusually short — but New Hampshire is one of the few states that exempts older vehicles from titling, and that exception trips up out-of-state buyers more than anything else in the process.

The 30-day rule

The buyer of a New Hampshire vehicle must apply for a title transfer within 30 days of the date of sale shown on the existing title. Missing the deadline triggers a $10 late penalty plus daily fees. The seller, separately, should file a DSMV 38 Notice of Transfer with the NH DMV within 10 business days to release liability — without it, the seller can still appear as the owner of record after the buyer drives the vehicle.

Title-exempt vehicles

New Hampshire does not require titles for certain older vehicles. As of the current rule, vehicles with a model year of 2000 or older are title-exempt — they are registered and transferred using a bill of sale and the existing registration alone. The exemption can shift forward over time; verify the current rule with the NH DMV before relying on it. For all other vehicles, a title is required at every transfer.

Seller's responsibilities

The seller must:

Sign and date the assignment section on the back of the certificate of title.
Print the buyer's name and address in the buyer fields.
Disclose the odometer reading at the time of sale (federal requirement for vehicles 9 model years old or newer).
Provide the buyer with a bill of sale showing the date and purchase price.
Submit a DSMV 38 Notice of Transfer to the NH DMV.
Remove the license plates from the vehicle — New Hampshire plates stay with the registered owner, not the vehicle. The seller can transfer them to a new vehicle within 30 days or surrender them.

Buyer's responsibilities

The buyer must visit any NH DMV substation within 30 days of the sale with:

The original certificate of title, properly assigned by the seller.
A completed TDMV 23 Application for Certificate of Title.
A bill of sale showing the date and purchase price.
An odometer disclosure if not stated on the title (vehicles 9 model years old or newer).
Proof of identity: driver license, passport, or other government-issued photo ID.
The town permit certificate from the buyer's town or city clerk (the municipal permit fee must be paid before the state title and registration are issued).

Fees

The New Hampshire state title fee is $25. There is no sales tax on the transfer because New Hampshire has no general sales tax. The state registration fee depends on vehicle weight, and the municipal permit fee is calculated separately by the town clerk based on the vehicle's MSRP and depreciation schedule.

Liens

If the seller still has a lien on the vehicle, the lienholder must release the lien before the title can be transferred to the buyer. The lien release is typically printed directly on the title or comes as a separate document signed by the lienholder. If the buyer is financing the purchase, the buyer's lender becomes the new lienholder, and the new title is issued in the buyer's name with the lender listed as the lienholder. The lender's address must be on the TDMV 23.

Out-of-state titles

If you've purchased a vehicle outside New Hampshire, the existing out-of-state title is your starting point. The NH DMV will require:

The out-of-state title properly assigned to you.
A VIN verification by the NH DMV or by an NH-licensed inspection station.
A bill of sale or dealer invoice.
Proof of identity and New Hampshire residency.
Lien release from the prior state's lienholder if applicable.

If the prior state did not issue a title (some Northeastern states historically didn't title older vehicles), the buyer can submit the prior registration along with a bill of sale.

Gifted vehicles and family transfers

A gifted vehicle still requires a title transfer in New Hampshire. The transferor signs the assignment showing $0 or "gift" as the purchase price, and the transferee submits the standard TDMV 23 with a $25 state title fee. There is no sales tax to avoid because New Hampshire has none. Confirm any name change with proper documentation — see address and name change.