Vehicle Titles

Titling a vehicle

Purchased from an Idaho dealer

If you bought a vehicle from an Idaho dealer, the dealer will prepare the application for title for you and file it with ITD or a county motor vehicle office. The dealer must file within 30 days of delivery.

Purchased from an out-of-state dealer

If you bought a vehicle from an out-of-state dealer, the dealer may prepare the application for title for you and file it with ITD. If they do not, you must file the the required documents listed below with a county motor vehicle office within 30 days of transfer to avoid a $20.00 late-filing penalty.

Purchased from a private party

• Private party sale with a lien from a financial institution: The financial institution may prepare the application for title and file it with ITD. If they do not, refer to the instructions below
• Private party sale with no lienholder: You must file the following documents with a county assessor’s motor vehicle office within 30 days of transfer to avoid a $20.00 late-filing penalty.

Required titling documents

• If bought used from a private party you will need to provide the existing title with proper signatures releasing interest from the previous owner or lienholder.

OR

• A Bill of Sale (PDF), which must include vehicle description, sales price, buyer’s full legal name, original signature of seller, and date. A bill of sale is not required if the seller has entered the sales price on the title in a space dedicated for this information.

AND

• Odometer Disclosure for vehicles newer than 2010, weighing under 16,000 lbs. 
• A VIN inspection completed by an officer of the law, DMV employee, military police officer, or Idaho licensed vehicle dealer if the vehicle is coming in from another state or has never been titled in Idaho before.
• Any applicable fees
• Optional: Title Application – Out-of-state dealers, lienholders, and leasing companies may prepare this for you.
• Situational: Power of Attorney (PDF) – Include if applying for a title with a county assessor’s motor vehicle office through the mail. This authorizes the County Assessor to sign the application for the owner. The Power of Attorney must fully describe the vehicle and be signed by the owner/applicant.

Duplicate titles

Duplicate title processes are used when an owner’s title has become lost, mutilated, or illegible. It allows the owner to obtain a copy of their title and in some cases complete changes to that title record at the same time. There are several types of duplicate titles.

• Standard Duplicate – Used when the owner needs an exact copy, with no changes, of their existing title. [$14] 
• Duplicate with Transfer – Used when the owner needs a copy of their title and is looking to sell the vehicle at the same time. Vehicle must be odometer exempt. [$14] 
• Affidavit of Lost Title – Used when the owner needs a copy of their title, but needs to change information on the title. At least one owner must remain on the title. [$14] 
• Undeliverable Title – This is where a title was returned to the department as undeliverable. [No fee if filed within 90 days]
• Title Never Received – This is where the owner did not receive the title, but it was not returned to the department. [No fee if filed within 90 days]

Fees

Corrections

If a title has been issued with an incorrect owner name, lienholder name or vehicle description, the owner or lienholder must resubmit the title and include a signed letter of explanation. If the error was caused by faulty information provided on the original application, a $14.00 title correction fee is required.

Conditions

Generally, only Idaho residents and businesses may title and register vehicles in Idaho. Idaho residents who are temporarily in another state (i.e., students or military personnel) may request titles and registrations for their vehicle(s) through the mail. Likewise, lienholders located in other states who are financing vehicles for Idaho residents may request titles through the mail. If there is a lien recorded, the title will be mailed or electronically transmitted to the lienholder. If there is no recorded lien, the title will be mailed to the registered owner. The registration and license plates will always be issued (and mailed if necessary) to the registered owner.

Recording Liens

To record a lien on an existing Idaho title, the lienholder name and address must be printed in the new lienholder section of the title. The title and an $14.00 fee may be mailed directly to the Idaho Transportation Department, Vehicle Services Section, at Post Office Box 34, Boise, Idaho 83731-0034, or submitted to your county motor vehicle office.

Paperless Idaho titles are issued when a lienholder participating in Idaho’s ELT program is recording a lien. It generally remains paperless until the lien is paid and the lienholder sends an electronic transaction back to ITD requesting issuance of a paper title. Once the electronic lien is released, ITD prints the title and mails it to the customer the following day.