Missouri lets you transfer a car title to a family member without going through a dealer, but you'll need the right paperwork and both signatures
When you transfer a vehicle title to a family member in Missouri, you're changing the legal owner on the state's records. The Missouri Department of Revenue handles this, and the process differs depending on whether the car has a loan on it, whether you're transferring it for free or for money, and your relationship to the person receiving it. You'll need the current title, a completed process form, and both signatures — yours as the current owner and the family member's as the new owner.
Missouri does not charge a transfer fee when the vehicle goes to a spouse, parent, child, or sibling, but you will pay sales tax on the transaction unless you meet a narrow exception. The whole process typically takes two to four weeks once you submit everything to your local Missouri license office.
Key Takeaways
- You must have the original title in hand, and both you and the family member must sign the process for title — the new owner cannot sign it alone.
- Missouri charges sales tax on the transfer unless the vehicle is going to your spouse, and even then only if you meet specific conditions; check with your local office about your situation.
- If the car has a loan, the lender must release their lien on the title before you can transfer it, which usually takes a phone call to the bank or credit union.
- You submit your paperwork to your local Missouri license office, not to the state capital; processing takes two to four weeks.
- The family member will need to get a new registration and pay the registration fee once the title transfer is complete.
What paperwork you need to transfer the title
Start with the original title certificate. If you have lost it, you can request a duplicate from your local Missouri license office before you begin the transfer. The title must be in your name as the current owner.
Next, complete Form DOR 108, which is the process for Missouri Title and Registration. You can read this from the Missouri Department of Revenue website or pick it up at your local license office. On this form, you fill in your information as the seller, the family member's information as the buyer, the vehicle details, and the sale price (even if you are giving it away — you would write zero). Both you and the family member must sign the form in front of a notary public or at the license office itself; Missouri does not accept unsigned or single-signature forms.
Bring a form of identification — a driver's license, passport, or state ID. If the vehicle has a lien (a loan against it), you will also need written confirmation from the lender that they have released the lien, or you will need the lender's name and account number so the license office can contact them directly.
Handling the sales tax on a family transfer
Missouri charges sales tax on vehicle transfers at the state rate of 4.225 percent, plus any local sales tax in your county. The tax is calculated on the sale price you list on Form DOR 108. If you are giving the vehicle to the family member for free, you would list the price as zero, and no sales tax applies.
However, if you are transferring the vehicle to your spouse, you may not owe sales tax at all. Missouri exempts spousal transfers from sales tax under certain conditions — typically when the vehicle is being transferred as part of a marital property settlement or when both spouses are on the title together. Call your local Missouri license office before you submit your paperwork to confirm whether your situation qualifies for the exemption, because the rules can vary by county.
For transfers to adult children, parents, or siblings, sales tax applies unless you are giving the vehicle away with a sale price of zero. If you list any price, you will owe tax on that amount.
If the car has a loan or lien on it
A lien means the bank or credit union that loaned you money to buy the car still has a legal claim to it until the loan is paid off. You cannot transfer the title to a family member while a lien is active — the lender must release it first.
Contact your lender and tell them you want to pay off the loan and transfer the title. They will give you a payoff amount, which may be slightly different from your regular monthly payment because it includes any interest through the final payment date. Once you pay the lender in full, they will send you a lien release letter or a stamped title showing the lien has been removed. Keep this document — you will need to show it when you submit your transfer paperwork to the license office.
If you want to transfer the vehicle to a family member but still owe money on the loan, the family member can take over the loan with the lender's permission, but this is a separate transaction from the title transfer and requires the lender's approval. Most lenders will not allow this unless the family member meets their credit requirements.
Where to submit your paperwork and what happens next
Take your completed Form DOR 108, the original title, your identification, and proof of sales tax payment (if applicable) to your local Missouri license office. You can find the office nearest you on the Missouri Department of Revenue website by entering your county. Do not mail the paperwork to the state capital — all title transfers are processed at the local level.
When you arrive, tell the staff member you are transferring a title to a family member. They will review your paperwork, confirm that both signatures are present and notarized or witnessed, and collect the sales tax if it applies. Processing typically takes two to four weeks. You will receive a receipt showing your transaction number; keep this in case you need to follow up.
The family member will receive a new title in the mail at the address listed on Form DOR 108. At the same time, they will need to register the vehicle in their name and pay the registration fee, which varies by the vehicle's weight and age. They can do this at the same license office or by mail.
What to do if you cannot both go to the license office together
Missouri requires both the current owner and the new owner to sign Form DOR 108, but they do not have to sign it at the same time or in the same place. You can each sign the form in front of a notary public separately, and then bring the notarized form to the license office together, or one of you can bring it on behalf of both.
If the family member lives out of state or cannot travel to Missouri, they can sign the form in front of a notary in their state, and that signature will be accepted in Missouri. Mail the signed form to yourself or have the family member mail it to you, then bring the complete, signed, and notarized form to your local license office along with the title and your identification.
Transferring a title when the family member is a minor
If you are transferring a vehicle to a child under 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign the title transfer form on the child's behalf. The child does not sign separately. Bring the child's birth certificate or adoption papers to prove the guardianship relationship, along with the guardian's identification and the original title.
The registration will be issued in the child's name, but the guardian will be listed as the responsible party. If the child turns 18 before the registration expires, they can renew it in their own name without transferring the title again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to notarize the title transfer form?
Missouri requires both signatures to be notarized or witnessed by the license office staff. If you go to the license office together, the staff can witness both signatures there, and you do not need a separate notary. If you sign separately, each signature must be notarized by a notary public in front of the person signing.
What if I lost the original title?
Request a duplicate title from your local Missouri license office before you begin the transfer. Bring your identification and the vehicle's VIN (visible on the dashboard or in your registration). The duplicate will arrive in the mail in about two weeks, and you can then proceed with the transfer.
Can I transfer the title if the car is still being financed?
No. The lender must release the lien first. Contact your lender, pay off the loan, and get a lien release letter. Once you have that, you can transfer the title. If the family member wants to take over the loan instead, that is a separate agreement between them and the lender.
How much does it cost to transfer a title to a family member?
There is no transfer fee for family members in Missouri. You will pay sales tax on the sale price (unless it qualifies for an exemption), and the family member will pay a registration fee once the title is in their name. The registration fee depends on the vehicle's weight and age.
How long does the transfer take?
Processing at the license office typically takes two to four weeks from the date you submit your paperwork. You will receive a receipt with a transaction number when you submit it. The new title will arrive by mail at the address you listed on the form.