Alabama car title transfer

At a glance

Seller's signature

No. The Department of Revenue says a title assignment doesn't have to be notarized.

Odometer

The mileage on the buyer's title application has to match the mileage written in the title assignment exactly.

Buyer's deadline

The buyer gets a plate within 20 calendar days of buying, and the title application comes first.

Plates

The registrant removes the plate at the sale; it may move to a replacement vehicle.

Title fee

$15 title application fee; a designated agent may add a $1.50 commission.

Agency

Alabama Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division

If you're selling

1. Find the title and clear any lien. Have the original title in hand. If a lender is listed, get the lien release or the lender's sign-off before the sale; the buyer can't title the car over an open lien.
2. Sign the title over. No. The Department of Revenue says a title assignment doesn't have to be notarized. Don't sign until the buyer is ready, and write in the buyer's name and the sale date exactly.
3. Write down the mileage. The mileage on the buyer's title application has to match the mileage written in the title assignment exactly.
4. Deal with the plates. The registrant removes the plate at the sale; it may move to a replacement vehicle.
5. Cancel insurance and keep copies. Once the car is gone and the plates are off, call your insurer. Keep a photo of the signed title, the bill of sale and any sale report.

If you're buying

1. Check the title against the car and the seller. The VIN on the title should match the car, and the seller's ID should match the owner's name on the title. Ask about any lien listed on it.
2. Watch the title get signed. Seller: No. The Department of Revenue says a title assignment doesn't have to be notarized. Buyer: the pages we read don't say whether your signature needs a notary.
3. Check the mileage entry. The mileage on the buyer's title application has to match the mileage written in the title assignment exactly.
4. Insure the car before you drive it. Most states require insurance to register. Arrange it before driving away.
5. Title it in your name in time. The buyer gets a plate within 20 calendar days of buying, and the title application comes first.
6. Plates and fees. The registrant removes the plate at the sale; it may move to a replacement vehicle. Title fee: $15 title application fee; a designated agent may add a $1.50 commission.

Sold on the first of a month? See the due date for a December 1, 2026 sale.

Your own checklist, marked step by step: seller · buyer.

In the agency's words

Seller

"No, the state of Alabama does not require the assignment of an MSO or title to be notarized."

Deadline

"shall obtain a license plate within twenty (20) calendar days from the date of acquisition"

Plates

"License plates are to be removed by the registrant upon the sale or disposal of the vehicle."

Not stated on the pages we read: the buyer's notary rule, a bill of sale rule.

Official sources

• Alabama Department of Revenue: Titles FAQs (checked November 2026)
• How many days do I have to title and register this vehicle? (checked November 2026)
• Alabama DOR: Does the license plate remain on the vehicle when I sell it? (checked November 2026)

General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Checked November 2026 against the official pages listed above. Forms, fees and deadlines change, a county office can add its own steps, and gifts, estates, liens and out-of-state titles follow other rules; the agency or an attorney can tell you how a rule applies to your sale. MCC Solutions is not affiliated with any motor vehicle agency.

Common questions

All states: car title notarization by state · California