Registering and titling a vehicle in DC: new residents, purchases and renewals

How to title, inspect and register a vehicle in the District of Columbia after buying it or moving from another state, plus excise tax, insurance minimums, renewals and tags, from the DC DMV.

Guide · District of Columbia · Vehicle registration · Titles · updated October 29, 2026

In the District of Columbia, vehicles are inspected, titled and registered by the DC Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV), the same agency that issues driver licenses. The DMV says all vehicles housed and operated in the District must be registered there, unless the owner displays a DC DMV reciprocity sticker. This guide covers the steps after buying a vehicle or moving to DC, renewals, and what to know about inspection, insurance, excise tax and tags.

Before you start

  • You need a DC credential. At least one registered owner must be a District resident with a valid DC DMV driver license or non-driver ID. Only the DC residents are listed on the registration.
  • Clear your debts. The DMV says all outstanding tickets, dishonored check fees, delinquent child support and other debts to the DC government must be paid before you can title and register.
  • Use the Document Verification Guide. The DMV's online tool lists the documents for your transaction.

The documents

For a title and registration, the DMV lists:

  • The Certificate of Title/Temporary Tag Application, with the right signatures
  • The title or the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (for a new vehicle), plus a title reassignment form if applicable
  • An odometer mileage statement and a bill of sale
  • The lien or lease contract, if any
  • Proof of valid DC insurance
  • A DC DMV vehicle inspection certificate, if applicable
  • A copy of each owner's DC driver license or ID card
  • Payment. The documentation page asks for a check or money order payable to DC Treasurer for title and registration fees. The service centers also accept cash and cards, with a 2.5% card fee.

The DMV mails your DC title to the primary owner, or to the primary lienholder, within 10 business days of receiving all the documents.

Buying a vehicle

The DMV says most new-car dealerships collect DC's excise tax and registration fees and handle titling and registration for you. If you buy from a dealer who submits the paperwork, you may still need a service center visit for a temporary residential parking permit, if you qualify.

In a private sale, the seller must sign the back of the title over to you, with the odometer reading. Do not buy if the seller does not have the title in their name. Get a bill of sale too. If the seller does not issue temporary tags, go to a service center for a temporary DC registration. With it you can take the vehicle through inspection before registering it. If you title and register the vehicle yourself, you pay the District's excise tax, so the DMV says it should not be included in the sale price.

As a seller, remove your tags. Surrender them to the DMV unless you are moving them to another vehicle, and give the buyer the signed title. Do not cancel your insurance before surrendering the tags. If you do, you will owe an insurance lapse fee.

Moving to DC with a vehicle

To register a vehicle in DC, the DMV lists four requirements:

  1. A DC driver license or ID card. The DMV advises starting the conversion before your out-of-state license or registration is close to expiring.
  2. The vehicle title. If there is a lien, ask the lienholder to send the title to the DC DMV using the DMV's lienholder title request form. You can check online whether it has arrived.
  3. A DC inspection. Every vehicle registered in DC needs a valid DC inspection sticker, and stickers from other jurisdictions are not accepted. You can drive to inspection on your current out-of-state tags. If they have expired, bring your title and proof of DC insurance to a service center for a temporary DC registration first.
  4. Proof of DC insurance showing your name, coverage dates, the vehicle's VIN and your District address.

The DMV issues a 45-day temporary registration and tag to residents whose vehicle must be inspected before full registration. It is not extended or issued a second time. You pay the title fees, excise tax and any lien fee when you get it. Once the vehicle passes inspection, you renew the temporary registration online as a regular one- or two-year registration.

Fees and excise tax

The DMV lists a title fee of $30 and lien recordation of $20 per lien. Registration fees are annual and based on weight. From March 30, 2026, a passenger vehicle of up to 3,499 pounds is $70 and one of 3,500 to 4,999 pounds is $175. The excise tax is a percentage of the vehicle's fair market value. Since February 17, 2025, the rate depends on the vehicle's weight and city fuel economy. Electric vehicles are no longer exempt. The DMV offers online estimators for the excise tax and for registration and title fees.

Inspection

A vehicle must pass DC DMV inspection before it can be registered. First-time inspections are done at the Inspection Station, 1001 Half Street, SW. It is first-come, first-served, and you pay the inspection fee when you register, not at the station. A personal vehicle inspection is valid for 2 years. Exceptions:

  • Brand-new passenger vehicles with a certificate of origin get a 4-year inspection sticker at registration and should not be taken to inspection.
  • Fully electric passenger vehicles get a non-expiring sticker.
  • Diesel passenger vehicles and motorcycles do not need an emissions inspection, but need a non-expiring sticker from the station.

The DMV charges a late inspection fee once a sticker expires and for each 30-day period after, up to $480. Self-service emissions kiosks are available around the clock at the Fort Stanton and Takoma recreation centers. They serve private vehicles from model year 2005 or newer that have already been inspected at the station.

Insurance

DC law requires valid DC insurance to register a vehicle, kept for as long as it is registered. The DMV lists these minimums:

  • $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for third-party liability
  • $10,000 for property damage liability
  • $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for uninsured motorist bodily injury
  • $5,000 for uninsured motorist property damage, with a $200 deductible

If your coverage ends, surrender your tags right away. The DMV lists an insurance lapse fee of $150 a day for days 1 to 30, then $7 a day, up to $2,500.

Renewing your registration

The DMV says vehicle registrations cannot be renewed in person, only online or by mail. Its service center pages also mention a dropbox. You need valid DC insurance, and every vehicle registered in DC must have a valid DC inspection sticker.

Tags

DC vehicles display two tags, front and rear. Motorcycles, mopeds and trailers display one, on the rear. Lost, stolen or worn tags are replaced at a service center; lost or stolen tags need a Metropolitan Police Department police report. You must surrender your tags if you move out of DC, sell the car without moving the tags, or cancel the registration. You can do this online if you are the primary owner and an individual. After surrendering, you may be eligible for a refund of the unused registration.

For service center hours and payment, see the DC DMV visit guide. For licenses, see the DC driver license and ID guide.

Sources · checked October 29, 2026

We wrote this summary ourselves from the official pages above on the date shown. Agencies change rules without notice: the official page always wins. DMVorganization.org is independent and not a government agency.

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