Oregon is a nature lover’s dream and many adventures are possible within a short distance via car. Whether you need to buy a new set of wheels or want to sell yours and opt for public transportation, there must be an official Oregon DMV title transfer. In this guide, learn how to transfer a car title in Oregon.
What is required to do a title transfer in Oregon?
When doing a title transfer in Oregon, you’ll need to prepare various documents for the Oregon Driver & Motor Vehicle Services (DMV). You’ll need:
- To complete and submit an Application for Title and Registration
- The current Oregon title
- Submit an odometer disclosure if applicable
- Bill of sale
- Lien releases if applicable
- Pay the title fee (use this calculator to determine the cost)
Having these documents handy can help you figure out how to transfer car ownership in Oregon and make it a smooth process.
Does Oregon require emission testing?
The state of Oregon requires emission testing for some vehicles in the Portland and Medford areas. In Portland, all vehicles from 1975 and later powered by gas (including hybrids) must take an emission test. Oregon is a CARB state and has stricter emission requirements than non-CARB states.
In Medford, vehicles that run on gas and hybrids that are up to 20 years old or less must take an emissions test.
Some notable exceptions are electric vehicles, motorcycles, vehicles outside the Portland and Medford areas, plus newer vehicles from 2019 and later.
How to do a title transfer in Oregon
When a vehicle goes from one owner to another via buying or selling or gifting a vehicle, or even moving to Oregon, an Oregon DMV title transfer needs to happen. This ensures the transfer of ownership and that all documents are up-to-date. Below are some common scenarios when you’ll need to do a title transfer.
Buying from a dealership
When you buy a vehicle from a dealership, they’ll typically take care of the title and registration for you. If you do it yourself, you must submit:
- An Application for Title and Registration
- A Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO)
- An odometer disclosure
- Bill of sale
- A lien release (if you have a lien on the vehicle, your lender or lienholder will likely need to submit documents on your behalf)
- Title fee, which can vary
You can choose to make a DMV appointment or mail the documents to:
DMV Services
1905 Lana Ave NE
Salem, OR 97314
Buying from an individual
If you purchase a vehicle from an individual, they need to sign the Oregon title and give it to you. The buyer and the seller must also complete the bill of sale. Within 30 days, submit an Application for Title and Registration to officially transfer ownership.
For vehicles that are from 2011 and less than 20 years old, an odometer disclosure will need to be provided. Vehicles from 2010 or before are exempt. If applicable, provide a lien release as well. You may also need to do an emission test based on the type of vehicle and pay the required title and registration fees, which may vary. You can make an Oregon DMV appointment or mail the documents to complete the process. The address is:
DMV Services
1905 Lana Ave NE
Salem, OR 97314
If you go the appointment route, fill out the bottom part of Form 6775 to see if a late fee will be tacked on. If you complete the process within 30 days, you’re good. After that, you may pay a $25 late fee for days 31 to 60 and up to $50 on days 61 and beyond.
Selling a vehicle
As a seller, you want to take the appropriate steps and learn how to transfer car ownership in Oregon. The buyer is responsible for most of the paperwork when it comes to doing an Oregon DMV title transfer, but as the seller, you need to provide a few documents including:
- The original Oregon title, signed
- A bill of sale
- A statement of lien satisfaction, if you previously had a loan on the car that has been paid off
- An odometer disclosure, if the car is from 2011 or later
You must report the sale within 10 days either online or by filling out the Notice of Sale or Transfer of A Vehicle and mailing to:
DMV
1905 Lana Ave NE
Salem, OR 97314
Missing a title?
To sell a vehicle in Oregon, you need to transfer the title. If you’ve lost or misplaced the original vehicle title, complete the Application for Replacement / Duplicate Title form and submit it to the Oregon DMV and pay any applicable fees, which may vary.
Title transfer in Oregon as a new resident from out-of-state
If you’re a new resident in Oregon and have an out-of-state title, you need to get a new title and registration in Oregon. You’ll need:
- Your current out-of-state title
- An Application for Title and Registration
- Odometer disclosure, if the car is from 2011 or later
- A bill of sale
- Lien release, if applicable
- A VIN inspection, which costs $7
- An emissions test, if required
- If your vehicle has 7,500 miles or less on it and it’s from a dealership from a different state, you may need to pay use tax on the vehicle
- The title fee, which you can calculate here
To finalize the process, you’ll need to get Oregon license plates.
Title transfer in Oregon if the owner has passed away
If the owner of the vehicle has passed away and there is a family member to inherit the vehicle, in Oregon you need to transfer the title to the new owner. This can vary depending on whether there was a will and if it needs to go through probate or not.
Without probate
If not going through probate, you’ll need:
- The original vehicle title, if you have it
- An Application for Title and Registration
- The heir must fill out Inheritance Affidavit and have it notarized
- Odometer disclosure, if applicable
- Any bill of sale or lien release from prior owner(s) (not the deceased)
- Title fee
With probate
If there is a court process to deal with the estate, you’ll need:
- The original vehicle title, if you have it
- An Application for Title and Registration
- Copies of court documents such as Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Odometer disclosure, if applicable
- Release of the bill of sale from an estate representative
- Any previous bills of sale from the prior owner(s) (not the deceased)
- Lien release, if applicable
- Title fee
In both cases, you can make an Oregon DMV appointment or mail documents to:
DMV Services
1905 Lana Ave NE
Salem, OR 97314
Gifting vehicle to family
Sometimes cars can change hands within the family. But the Oregon transfer title process still needs to happen. If you gift a vehicle to a family member, you need the current title signed and hand it over to the family member to transfer ownership.
Get a bill of sale as well and mark the sale price as zero. Notify the DMV of the sale and the family member will need to take steps to transfer the title, as outlined in the buying a vehicle from an individual section.
Cost of Oregon DMV title transfer
The cost of an Oregon DMV title transfer can vary based on the type of vehicle you have. There is a fee calculator you can use, but in general, you can expect the cost to be between $101 and $192. Here is the breakdown of fees, according to the Oregon DMV website:
| Vehicle year is 1999 or older | $101 |
| Vehicle year 2000 or newer, has 0-19 Combined MPG | $101 |
| Vehicle year 2000 or newer, has 20-39 Combined MPG | $106 |
| Vehicle year 2000 or newer, has 40+ Combined MPG | $116 |
| Electric Vehicle | $192 |
The bottom line
If you decide to buy or sell a car in Oregon, or move to the state, learn how to transfer car ownership in Oregon. You want to make things official and avoid any trouble or late fees. Based on your situation, follow the steps above to complete the Oregon transfer title process and check the Oregon DMV’s website for current information. If you need to update your insurance during this time and don’t drive that much, consider pay-per-mile insurance where you pay based on how much you drive. Get a quote with Metromile today.
Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.