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How to Transfer a Car Title in Indiana From Executor to New Owner
By: George Lawrence, J.D.
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In Indiana, executors of an estate are required to perform a number of different tasks, including opening the estate for probate, collecting and conducting an inventory of the estate's assets, and distributing assets to beneficiaries. One common devise (gift) is to will a car to an heir. An executor dealing with such a gift must transfer the car's title to the new owner. To do this, the executor (as personal representative to the vehicle's former owner) must comply with Indiana's motor vehicle laws.
Fill out an Affidavit for Transfer of Title. Indiana requires the executor and the new owner to fill out a sworn statement containing the names of the parties (executor and new owner), the name of the deceased, the date the deceased died, and the basic vehicle information. A sample form is included in the Resource section below.
Read More: What Is the Meaning of "Executor of an Estate"?
Obtain the title to the vehicle from the decedent's estate. The executor must ensure that the deceased had proper title to the car and therefore had the right to make the gift.
Obtain a copy of the death certificate. The executor of the estate will be able to obtain this document from the appropriate coroner's office.
Bring the Affidavit, the car's title and the death certificate to an Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles office. For locations, use the link in the Resource section below.
Pay a filing fee to receive a new title. As of 2010, the fee was $15.
paulsward.com: Executor Duties in Indiana
DMV.org: Transfering Car Title
Affidavit for Transfer of Title (Indiana Form)
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles: Customer Service Locations
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles: Forms
Based in Traverse City, Mich., George Lawrence has been writing professionally since 2009. His work primarily appears on various websites. An avid outdoorsman, Lawrence holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in both criminal justice and English from Michigan State University, as well as a Juris Doctor from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where he graduated with honors.