West Virginia Title Transfer

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

Transferring a West Virginia title from seller to buyer is processed at any WV DMV regional office, with the buyer's registration usually completed in the same visit. The 6% Privilege Tax is the largest cost in most transfers — and the rules around private-party sales versus dealer sales, family transfers, and out-of-state titles are where the procedure gets complicated.

The 30-day rule

The buyer of a West Virginia 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 $5 late penalty plus daily fees. The seller, separately, should file a DMV-TM-1 Notice of Transfer with the WV 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.

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 DMV-TM-1 Notice of Transfer to the WV DMV.
Remove the license plates from the vehicle — West Virginia 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 WV DMV regional office within 30 days of the sale with:

The original certificate of title, properly assigned by the seller.
A completed DMV-1-TR Application for Certificate of Title for Motor Vehicles.
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: West Virginia driver license, passport, or other government-issued photo ID.
Proof of West Virginia auto insurance meeting the state minimum 25/50/25.
Current safety inspection certificate.
Payment for the title fee, registration fee, and 6% Privilege Tax.

The 6% Privilege Tax

West Virginia collects a 6% Privilege Tax on every title transfer, calculated on the higher of:

The actual purchase price as shown on the bill of sale.
The vehicle's NADA-listed clean trade-in value as of the title transfer date.

The minimum Privilege Tax is $30 regardless of value. The tax is paid at the WV DMV regional office at the same time as the title fee. There is no exemption for private-party transactions — the tax applies whether the seller is a dealer or a private party.

Title fee and other costs

The West Virginia title fee is $15 for a passenger vehicle. Other transfer costs include:

$10 lien fee if the vehicle is being financed.
$51.50 annual registration fee if the buyer is taking new plates.
$5 Motor Vehicle Safety Equipment fund fee.

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 DMV-1-TR.

Out-of-state titles

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

The out-of-state title properly assigned to you.
A VIN verification by the WV DMV or by a WV-licensed inspection station.
A bill of sale or dealer invoice.
Proof of identity and West Virginia residency.
Lien release from the prior state's lienholder if applicable.
Proof of West Virginia auto insurance.

New residents transferring an out-of-state title to West Virginia do not owe Privilege Tax if they have owned the vehicle for at least 30 days outside West Virginia and the title has not changed hands during that period.

Family transfers and gifts

West Virginia offers a reduced Privilege Tax of $10 flat for vehicle transfers between immediate family members — spouses, parents and children, siblings, and grandparents and grandchildren. The transfer must be a true gift or family transfer; the receiving party must complete an Affidavit of Gift form. A title transfer from one spouse to another is also exempt from sales tax in most cases. See title replacement for related procedures and address and name change for name updates.