§ 168A.10 — Transfer of Interest by Owner
Plain-Language Summary
When an owner sells or transfers a vehicle, they must sign an assignment and warranty of title on the certificate, fill in the selling price, and include the odometer reading. Within ten days of the sale, the seller must send the 'Notice of Sale' form to the department with the buyer's information. The buyer then has 20 calendar days to apply for a new title. Sellers who complete these steps are not personally liable if the buyer causes an accident after delivery.
168A.10 TRANSFER OF INTEREST BY OWNER.
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Subdivision 1.Assignment and warranty of title; mileage; notice of sale.
If an owner transfers interest in a vehicle other than by the creation of a security interest, the owner shall at the time of the delivery of the vehicle execute an assignment and warranty of title to the transferee and shall state the actual selling price in the space provided on the certificate. Within ten days of the date of sale, other than a sale by or to a licensed motor vehicle dealer, the owner shall: (1) complete, detach, and return to the department the form on the certificate entitled “Notice of Sale,” if one is provided, including the transferee’s name, address, and driver’s license number, if any, and the date of sale; or (2) transmit this information electronically in a form acceptable to the commissioner. With respect to motor vehicles subject to the provisions of section 325E.15, the transferor shall also, in the space provided therefor on the certificate, state the true cumulative mileage registered on the odometer or that the actual mileage is unknown if the odometer reading is known by the transferor to be different from the true mileage. The transferor shall cause the certificate and assignment to be delivered to the transferee immediately. §
Subd. 2.Application for new certificate.
Except as provided in section 168A.11, the transferee must, within 20 calendar days after assignment to the transferee of the vehicle title certificate, execute the application for a new certificate of title in the space provided on the certificate, and cause the certificate of title to be mailed or delivered to the department. Failure of the transferee to comply with this subdivision results in the suspension of the vehicle’s registration under section 168.17. §
Subd. 3.
MS 1988 [Repealed by amendment, 1989 c 148 s 7] §
Subd. 4.Notification of security interest.
If a security interest is reserved or created at the time of the transfer, a notification of security interest shall be delivered or mailed to the person who becomes the secured party. §
Subd. 5.Compliance removes liability after delivery.
Except as provided in section 168A.11 and as between the parties, a transfer by an owner is not effective until the provisions of this section have been complied with; however, an owner who has delivered possession of the vehicle to the transferee and has complied, or within 48 hours after such delivery does comply, with the provisions of this section requiring action by the owner is not liable as owner for any damages resulting from operation of the vehicle after the delivery of the vehicle to the transferee. An owner is not liable who has complied with the provisions of this section except for completing and returning the Notice of Sale or transmitting the required information electronically under subdivision 1. §
Subd. 6.
MS 1996 [Repealed, 1997 c 135 s 4]
History:
1971 c 162 s 10; 1977 c 105 s 3; 1986 c 444; 1988 c 647 s 11; 1989 c 148 s 7; 1990 c 480 art 4 s 1; 1999 c 238 art 2 s 11-13; 2008 c 287 art 1 s 28; 2024 c 127 art 3 s 36
History: History: 1971 c 162 s 10; 1977 c 105 s 3; 1986 c 444; 1988 c 647 s 11; 1989 c 148 s 7; 1990 c 480 art 4 s 1; 1999 c 238 art 2 s 11-13; 2008 c 287 art 1 s 28; 2024 c 127 art 3 s 36