How To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Alaska in 2026

In Alaska, transferring a car title to a family member is a legal process administered by the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), a division of the Alaska Department of Administration. Regardless of whether the transaction is structured as a gift or a private sale, both parties must follow the procedures established by the state’s DMV to ensure that vehicle ownership is accurately recorded.

What Does Transferring a Car Title to a Family Member in Alaska Mean?

The certificate of title is the primary legal document establishing vehicle ownership in Alaska. Until a new certificate is issued in the transferee's name, the transferor remains the owner of record under state law, regardless of whether physical possession of the vehicle has already changed hands. Per AS 28.10.321, the new owner must apply for title in their name within 30 days of the date of acquisition.

Title applications may be submitted through three channels:

• In person at any state DMV office or authorized business partner location
• By mail to the DMV Correspondence address in Anchorage
• Through commission agents serving eligible remote communities across the state

Intra-family title transfers may be structured as a gift — in which no monetary consideration changes hands — or as a sale at an agreed purchase price. Each structure carries distinct documentation requirements and different implications under Alaska's tax framework, as described in detail throughout this article.

Eligible Family Members for Title Transfers in Alaska

The tax most commonly associated with vehicle ownership in Alaska is the Motor Vehicle Registration Tax (MVRT), a municipality- and borough-administered assessment collected by the DMV at the time of original registration or renewal. The MVRT is computed based on the vehicle's type, model year, and the transferee's municipality of residence — not on the agreed sale price and not on the family relationship between the transferring parties. It applies uniformly to all new owners, regardless of how the vehicle was acquired.

As a result, the title transfer process is procedurally identical for transactions among family members and those between unrelated parties. Common family relationships involved in intra-family vehicle transfers include:

• Spouses and domestic partners
• Parents and children, including stepparents and stepchildren
• Grandparents and grandchildren
• Siblings, including half-siblings and stepsiblings
• In-laws
• Aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and other close relatives

The distinction that affects documentation and federal tax exposure is the nature of the transaction itself: a genuine gift with no monetary consideration, or a sale at an agreed-upon purchase price. Both structures require the same core title transfer documents; a sale additionally requires a Bill of Sale reflecting the agreed price. Neither structure eliminates nor reduces the MVRT, which is assessed at registration regardless of transaction type or family relationship.

How To Transfer a Car Title as a Gift to a Family Member in Alaska

Step 1 — Verify Title Clarity and Lien Status. Before initiating the transfer, the transferor must confirm that the existing certificate of title carries no unreleased lienholder. If a lien is recorded on the title, a formal written lien release letter from the lienholder is required before proceeding. If the certificate of title has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, the transferor must first apply for a duplicate title before the transfer can proceed.

Step 2 — Complete the Title Assignment. The transferor must sign the Assignment of Vehicle Title by Owner section printed on the reverse of the existing certificate of title. The transferee's full legal name and address must be entered in the designated buyer fields without abbreviation. Because the transfer is structured as a gift, the sale price field should be set to either "Gift" or "$0.00" to accurately document the transaction. If the existing title lists two owners joined by the conjunction "AND," all listed owners must sign to release the vehicle. If the conjunction is "OR," a single owner's signature is sufficient.

Step 3 — Complete the Odometer Disclosure. Federal law under 49 CFR 580 requires the transferor to certify the vehicle's current odometer reading at the time of transfer. This disclosure may be completed within the designated odometer section of the title assignment. If that section is blank, damaged, or incorrectly completed, a standalone Form V6 (Odometer Disclosure) must be submitted alongside the other documents. Both the transferor and the transferee must sign the disclosure. Vehicles exempt from this requirement include those weighing more than 12,000 pounds (unladen weight), non-self-propelled trailers (such as boats), and model year 2010 or older vehicles. Model year 2011 or newer vehicles become exempt from odometer disclosure requirements after 20 years from their model year.

Step 4 — Prepare a Bill of Sale. The Alaska DMV strongly recommends preparing a Bill of Sale for every vehicle transfer, including gifts. For a gift transfer, the Bill of Sale should reflect a sale price of "$0.00" or the notation "Gift," along with the transfer date, the vehicle's year, make, model, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and the printed names and signatures of both parties. Each party retains a signed copy. The Bill of Sale establishes a contemporaneous record of when possession of the vehicle changed hands and protects the transferor from liability for events involving the vehicle after the transfer date.

Step 5 — Complete Form V1 (Vehicle Transaction Application). The transferee must fully complete Form V1, the Alaska DMV's Vehicle Transaction Application, which serves as the formal application for a new title and registration. If a new lienholder will be recorded on the title, the lienholder's full legal name and mailing address must be entered on Form V1 at this step.

Step 6 — Notify the DMV of the Transfer. Under AS 28.10.271(c), the transferor is required to notify the Alaska DMV of the transfer of ownership within 10 days following the transfer. This notification may be submitted by completing the Notice of Vehicle Sale or Transfer form attached to the bottom of the original title and delivering or mailing it to the DMV, or by filing the notification electronically through the online vehicle transfer reporting tool.

Step 7 — Submit Documents and Pay Fees. The transferee submits the signed and assigned title, completed Form V1, odometer disclosure, Bill of Sale, and applicable fee payment to a state DMV office, an authorized business partner, or by mail to the DMV Correspondence address at 4001 Ingra Street, Suite 101, Anchorage, AK 99503.

How To Transfer a Car Title as a Sale to a Family Member in Alaska

Step 1 — Establish Sale Terms and Verify Title Status. The transferor and transferee must agree on a purchase price before proceeding. The transferor must confirm that no unreleased lien is recorded on the existing certificate of title. If a lien exists, a written lien release letter must be obtained from the lienholder prior to the transfer. If the title has been lost or destroyed, the registered owner of record must obtain a duplicate title before any transfer can be completed.

Step 2 — Execute a Bill of Sale. Both parties must execute a written Bill of Sale documenting the agreed purchase price, the date of sale, the full vehicle description, and the printed names, addresses, and signatures of both the seller and the buyer. Both parties retain a signed copy. Per the Alaska DMV's selling guidance, a Bill of Sale alone does not constitute a valid ownership transfer under Alaska law; it functions as an evidentiary record of the agreed transaction terms and must accompany the properly assigned certificate of title.

Step 3 — Complete the Title Assignment. The transferor must complete the Assignment of Vehicle Title by Owner section on the reverse of the existing certificate of title, entering the agreed sale price, the transferee's full legal name and address, and the date of the transaction.

Step 4 — Complete the Odometer Disclosure. The transferor must certify the current odometer reading, either within the odometer section of the title assignment or on a separate Form V6 if that section is incomplete or damaged. Both the seller and buyer must sign the disclosure. If the odometer disclosure is absent or incorrectly completed, the odometer will be recorded as "Unknown" on any subsequently issued title — a designation that cannot be corrected unless the error originated with the DMV.

Step 5 — Notify the DMV of the Sale. The seller must notify the Alaska DMV of the transfer within 10 days following the transfer by submitting the Notice of Vehicle Sale or Transfer form attached to the bottom of the original title, by written correspondence mailed to the DMV, or electronically through the online vehicle transfer reporting tool. Once the notification is received, the DMV will flag the record to prevent further registration renewal in the seller's name.

Step 6 — Complete Form V1. The buyer completes Form V1 (Vehicle Transaction Application), providing all required information on ownership, address, vehicle, and registration. If the buyer is financing the purchase and a lender is taking a security interest in the vehicle, the lienholder's full legal name and mailing address must be entered on Form V1. All new owners listed on the title must sign the application.

Step 7 — Submit Documents and Pay Fees. The buyer submits the original signed and assigned title, completed Form V1, odometer disclosure, Bill of Sale, and fee payment to a state DMV office, an authorized business partner, a commission agent, or by mail to the DMV Correspondence address.

What Documents Are Needed To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Alaska

Required for All Transfers

• Certificate of Title — The original Alaska-issued certificate of title (or a valid out-of-state title), with the Assignment of Vehicle Title by Owner section on the reverse fully and correctly completed. All releasing owners must sign in accordance with the conjunction on the face of the title, and the transferee's full legal name and address must be entered without abbreviation or truncation.
• Form V1 (Vehicle Transaction Application) — The Alaska DMV's official combined title and registration application, completed in full by the transferee.
• Odometer Disclosure — Completed either within the designated odometer section of the title assignment or on a separate Form V6 (Odometer Disclosure) when the title's odometer section is blank, damaged, or incorrectly completed.
• Proof of Identity — A valid Alaska Driver's License, Alaska State ID, or equivalent government-issued photo identification for the applicant submitting the title application.
• Fee Payment — Payment for the applicable title fee, biennial registration fee, and Motor Vehicle Registration Tax where the transferee's municipality of residence participates in MVRT collection.

Required for Sale Transfers Only

• Bill of Sale — A written document recording the agreed purchase price, vehicle description, full names and addresses of both parties, date of sale, and signatures of both the seller and buyer. While Alaska law does not treat a Bill of Sale as a standalone instrument of ownership transfer, the Alaska DMV recommends its preparation for every private sale as a protective record and liability safeguard for both parties.

Additional Documents That May Be Required

• Lien Release Letter — Required when the existing certificate of title carries an unreleased lienholder. The letter must come directly from the lienholder and must explicitly state that the lien has been fully released or is conditionally released pending placement of a new lien on the Alaska title. A "paid in full" notation on the title or a payment receipt is not an acceptable substitute.
• Form 809 (Affidavit of Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Title) — Required, in notarized form, when the original title has been lost, stolen, or destroyed and a duplicate certificate must be obtained before the transfer can proceed.
• Form V6 (Odometer Disclosure) — Required as a standalone document when the odometer disclosure section of the existing title has not been completed or has been filled in incorrectly and cannot be corrected on the face of the title.
• Form 811 (Verification of Vehicle) — Required when no title or Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO) exists for the vehicle. An authorized vehicle inspector must complete this form, which is available free of charge at state DMV offices.
• Power of Attorney — Required when an agent or authorized representative signs the title application or title assignment on behalf of a listed owner who cannot appear in person.
• Lien Recording Information — If the transferee intends to record a new lienholder on the title.

How To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member Online in Alaska

The Alaska DMV maintains an online services portal at online.dmv.alaska.gov, through which vehicle owners may initiate or complete a limited set of title and registration-related transactions.

A complete transfer of vehicle ownership cannot be completed through online means alone in Alaska. This limitation exists because the process requires submission of the original, physically signed certificate of title and an original, ink-signed Form V1 to the Alaska DMV. Physical ownership instruments bearing original signatures cannot be transmitted through the DMV's online portal.

The transferee must deliver all original documents either in person at a state DMV office or authorized business partner, or by mail to the DMV Correspondence address. The online transfer reporting tool serves only to satisfy the seller's statutory notification obligation under AS 28.10.271(c); it does not itself effect any change in the title record or register the vehicle in the buyer's name.

Mail-In Application Note: Applicants who are uncertain about the correct fee amount are not required to include payment with mailed documents. The Alaska DMV can generate and send an electronic invoice for the exact amount owed. Including a current phone number and email address on Form V1 enables the DMV to contact the applicant promptly if any submitted document is incomplete or requires correction.

What's the Cost To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Alaska?

All fees governing vehicle title transfers and registrations in Alaska are set by AS 28.10.421 and are reflected in the Alaska DMV's registration cost schedule.

Title and Transfer Fees

Biennial Registration Fees (Non-Commercial Vehicles)

Registration fees are assessed biennially for most non-commercial vehicles and are due concurrently with the title transfer application.

Tax Charges by Transaction Type

Alaska imposes no state-level sales tax on motor vehicle transactions of any kind. Neither a gift transfer nor a sale transfer generates a state sales or use tax liability at the time the title is transferred. This treatment is uniform and is not contingent on the stated sale price, the relationship between the parties, or the presence of a lien.

The Motor Vehicle Registration Tax (MVRT) is a separate, locally administered tax collected by the DMV on behalf of participating municipalities and boroughs at the time of initial registration or renewal. It is calculated based on vehicle type and model year, applied according to the new owner's municipality of residence, and is unaffected by whether the preceding transfer was a gift or a sale.

MVRT Rate Reference: MVRT rates vary by jurisdiction. For a new-model-year non-commercial passenger vehicle, the biennial MVRT ranges from approximately $145 to $152 in participating taxing jurisdictions such as Anchorage, Juneau, and Ketchikan, and decreases incrementally as the vehicle ages. Vehicles registered in non-participating areas of the state owe no MVRT.

Contact Information

Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles
4001 Ingra Street, Suite 101, Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: (907) 269-5551
Official Website: Alaska DMV