2025 Session Last amended: 2019 session

§ 168A.12 — Interest Passing by Nonvoluntary Transfer

Plain-Language Summary

This section covers how a vehicle title transfers when the transfer is not voluntary — for example, through inheritance, repossession, or court order. The new owner must submit the old title, proof of the transfer, and an application for a new title. When a lender repossesses and resells a vehicle, they must provide an affidavit confirming the repossession was lawful. Lenders who take the vehicle and want to resell it can hold it temporarily without getting a new title.

Practical Notes
Heirs who receive a vehicle through an estate need to provide appropriate probate documents (like Letters of Personal Representative or an Affidavit of Survivorship) to obtain a new title. Lenders repossessing vehicles must follow legal procedures and submit an affidavit of lawful repossession. The new title issued by the state does not conclusively determine the underlying rights of prior owners or lienholders.