Titling and registering a vehicle in Minnesota: new residents, purchases and renewals

How to transfer a title and register a vehicle in Minnesota after buying from a dealer or a private seller or moving from another state, plus sales tax, insurance, annual tab renewal and plates, from Minnesota DVS.

Guide · Minnesota · Vehicle registration · Titles · updated October 29, 2026

In Minnesota, vehicle titles and registration are managed by Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), part of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. In person, most vehicle work is done at a deputy registrar office, one of the partner offices DVS works with around the state. Many tasks can also be done by mail or online, and tabs can be renewed at a DVS kiosk. This guide covers buying a vehicle, moving to Minnesota with one, renewing your registration, and plates.

Where vehicle work happens

DVS says title transfers can be submitted at any deputy registrar office or by mail. Deputy registrars also renew registrations in person and issue duplicate plates and stickers. DVS's online office search shows the deputy registrar nearest to you, and you can see offices on the Minnesota office list on this site. DVS says fees are set by the Minnesota Legislature. To verify them, visit a motor vehicle office or email pic.dvs@cx.mn.gov.

Buying from a licensed dealer

DVS says that when you buy through a licensed dealer, the dealer submits the title transfer to DVS.

Buying from a private seller

DVS "highly recommends" that the seller and buyer go to a deputy registrar together, to make sure the vehicle is properly transferred. If the seller cannot come, they should give the buyer all the documents needed. The rules DVS lists:

• The transfer must be done on the most current title. If it is lost, the owner on record must get a duplicate title first.
• All sellers and buyers must complete and sign the assignment of ownership section. It includes the sale date, the odometer disclosure and the damage disclosure. Any alteration voids the title.
• If a lien is listed on the title, the seller must give the buyer a lien release.
• Buyers must say whether the vehicle is subject to a loan, and all buyers must sign the application area.

DVS also recommends checking a used vehicle's history before you buy, for example through the federal National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS).

Taxes and fees

For sales on or after July 1, 2023, DVS says sales tax is 6.875 percent of the purchase price, unless the sale is exempt or qualifies for an in-lieu tax. For example, a $10 in-lieu tax applies to passenger vehicles ten model years or older bought for under $3,000 with a fair market value under $3,000. Gifts to qualified people are exempt from sales tax.

DVS's fee list for title work includes:

• A $12 filing fee
• An $8.25 title fee
• A $2.25 technology surcharge
• A $10 transfer tax (with some exceptions)
• A $3.50 public safety vehicle fee

There is a $2 late transfer penalty if the transfer is not submitted within 20 calendar days of the sale date. If the registration has expired, the current registration tax is also due.

Moving to Minnesota with a vehicle

DVS says new residents have 60 days to register a passenger vehicle, motorcycle, utility trailer or house trailer. If the registration has expired, or the vehicle is a commercial trailer or truck, you must register it immediately. You can register in person at a deputy registrar, or mail the Application to Title/Register a Vehicle form with the fees to DVS. You need:

• The name and address of any lienholders
• The current odometer reading
• Valid identification, for example a current Minnesota license or ID, a license from another state, or a primary document from DVS's required documents list
• Your insurance company's name, the policy number and the policy's expiration date
• Your current out-of-state title or manufacturer's certificate of origin

Without the current title, DVS can still register the vehicle using other documents. These include your most recent out-of-state registration card (expired no more than one year), a copy of the title clearly marked "COPY", or a "Confirmation of Ownership" issued when a bank holds the title. However, DVS issues a Minnesota title only when the most current out-of-state title is submitted. Leased vehicles need extra paperwork from the leasing company. Imported vehicles need federal customs, EPA and NHTSA forms.

For your license, see the Minnesota driver's license and ID guide.

Insurance

DVS says the Minnesota No-Fault Act requires vehicle owners to carry no-fault insurance. It is a crime to drive, or let someone drive, an uninsured vehicle on public roads. Proof of insurance must be kept in the vehicle and shown to law enforcement on request.

Renewing your registration (tabs)

Minnesota requires every motor vehicle to be registered every year. Tabs expire on the last day of the month shown on your plates. You get a renewal notice by mail or email listing the fees and taxes for your vehicle. For passenger vehicles, the registration tax depends on the vehicle's base value and age. The minimum for vehicles 10 years old and older is $30. DVS has an online tool to estimate it.

You can renew:

• Online, for vehicles under 55,000 pounds whose registration expires within 6 months or expired less than 10 months ago. You need the plate number, the last three digits of the VIN, your current insurance details and a bank account or credit card.
• In person, at a deputy registrar.
• At a DVS kiosk, which issues tabs on the spot.
• By mail, with the completed renewal notice and fees in the enclosed envelope. It goes to Driver and Vehicle Services Renewal, P.O. Box 64587, St. Paul, MN 55164-0587.

Tabs renewed online should arrive in about 14 days, and mailed renewals in about 21. If nothing has arrived after two weeks, DVS has an online form to report it. Keep your vehicle address current, online through MyDVS or at a deputy registrar, so the renewal notice reaches you.

License plates

Passenger vehicles must display plates on the front and back, with a few exceptions such as collector classes. Motorcycles, mopeds and most trailers need one plate. Registration stickers must be put on the plate no more than 10 days after the end of the expiration month.

All passenger plates must be replaced if they are seven years old or older at renewal, or will become so during the registration period. That is why some renewals come with new plates. You can request duplicate plates or stickers at a deputy registrar, online, or by mail with DVS's duplicate plate or stickers application. If your stickers never arrived and it has been more than 14 but less than 60 days, replacements are free.

To visit an office, see the Minnesota DVS visit guide.