https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/Recent content in Chapter 168A — Application; Registration and Renewal on MinnesotaLawyer.comHugoen-ushttps://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.01/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.01/This section defines key terms used throughout Minnesota’s vehicle title law (Chapter 168A). It covers terms like ‘owner,’ ‘dealer,’ ‘salvage vehicle,’ ‘reconstructed vehicle,’ ‘security interest,’ and ‘vehicle.’ These definitions determine how the law applies to different kinds of vehicles and transactions.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.02/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.02/Every vehicle owner in Minnesota must apply for a certificate of title if no current Minnesota title exists for the vehicle. A vehicle cannot be registered or have its registration renewed unless a title has been issued or is in process. Manufactured homes also require a certificate of title, with a special notice that it describes a home rather than a motor vehicle.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.03/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.03/This section lists vehicles that do not need a Minnesota certificate of title. Exempt vehicles include those owned by the federal government, certain vehicles owned by nonresidents, vehicles pulled by animals, farm implements, special mobile equipment, wheelchairs, small trailers under 4,000 pounds, snowmobiles, and e-bikes. Dealers do not need titles for vehicles they hold for sale.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.04/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.04/This section specifies what information must be included on an application for a vehicle title in Minnesota. The application must identify all owners, describe the vehicle (make, model, year, VIN), state the purchase date and seller’s information, disclose the odometer reading, and identify any lenders with security interests. New vehicles require the manufacturer’s certificate of origin; out-of-state vehicles require the prior state’s title.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.05/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.05/This section describes how the state issues a vehicle certificate of title and what information it must contain. Each title includes the owner’s name and address, vehicle description (VIN, make, model, year), mileage, any lender (secured party) names, and any required brands like ‘salvage,’ ‘flood damaged,’ or ’lemon law vehicle.’ The department maintains records indexed by title number, VIN, and owner name. A title certificate is treated as official evidence of the facts it shows.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.06/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.06/Once a certificate of title is issued, it must be delivered directly to the owner named on it. If there are any lenders (secured parties) with interests in the vehicle, they must be mailed notice that their security interest has been recorded.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.07/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.07/When ownership of a vehicle is unclear, the state can withhold a title until adequate proof is provided, or it can issue a title if the applicant posts a bond worth 1.5 times the vehicle’s value. For vehicles more than five model years old where a prior owner or lienholder cannot be located, the applicant can get a title by filing a bond and a sworn statement explaining the ownership gap. The bond protects prior owners and lienholders for three years.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.08/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.08/The Department of Motor Vehicles must refuse to issue a vehicle title in several situations: required fees are unpaid, there are grounds to believe the applicant is not the true owner, the application appears to contain false information, required documents or information are missing, or the applicant has not paid at least one month’s registration tax.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.085/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.085/This section controls how vehicles imported from outside the United States can be titled and registered in Minnesota. Imported vehicles must meet federal emission and safety standards, with proof required from the U.S. Department of Transportation and EPA. Foreign ownership documents must be translated into English, and a consular ID or foreign passport can serve as identity proof.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.09/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.09/If a vehicle title is lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed, the owner can apply for a duplicate title at the DMV or a deputy registrar. The duplicate will be clearly marked as such and mailed to the owner. If ownership questions arise, a bond may be required. Owners of restored pioneer vehicles (pre-1919) can request a replacement title to remove an incorrect ‘reconstructed vehicle’ brand. Anyone who finds an original title after a duplicate has been issued must return the original to the department.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.10/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.10/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.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.101/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.101/When a vehicle sale is canceled after the title has already been transferred, the parties must submit paperwork within 90 days of the original purchase date to undo the transfer. Required documents include a written refund claim, a signed affidavit correcting ownership, and the current title with a proper assignment. The vehicle sales tax (chapter 297B) may be refunded if the 90-day deadline is met; other fees are not refundable.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.11/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.11/Licensed vehicle dealers do not need to obtain a new title when they buy a vehicle for resale. When a dealer sells the vehicle, they must complete the assignment on the title, record the odometer reading, and submit the paperwork with taxes to the department within the required timeframe. Dealers must notify the department electronically within 48 hours of acquiring a Minnesota-titled vehicle, remove any license plates, and keep records of all vehicle transactions for three years.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.12/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.12/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.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.125/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.125/This section allows a vehicle owner to add a transfer-on-death (TOD) beneficiary to their vehicle title so the car automatically transfers to that person upon the owner’s death without going through probate. The beneficiary has no rights to the vehicle while the owner is alive, and the owner can change the beneficiary at any time. A married owner designating someone other than their spouse as beneficiary needs the spouse’s written consent.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.13/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.13/All title applications must include the required fees when submitted. Applications to add a lender to a title also require fees. When selling a vehicle (other than when a dealer sells a new vehicle), the seller must give the buyer the registration card and license plates at the time the vehicle is handed over.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.14/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.14/This section describes how the state issues new titles and handles old ones. When a properly assigned title is received with an application and required fees, the department issues a new title in the new owner’s name and notifies any lenders. For transfers through estates, a new title is issued based on a statutory affidavit. Old surrendered titles are kept on file for seven years to allow ownership history to be traced.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.141/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.141/This section has been repealed and is no longer in effect.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.1411/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.1411/This section provides a process for manufactured homes in cooperatives or nonprofit corporations to be converted from personal property (titled vehicles) to real property improvements. The owner surrenders the title for cancellation and records an affidavit of affixation to make the home part of the land. Any loans on the home must be paid off or released before the title can be canceled.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.1412/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.1412/This section establishes the process for converting a manufactured home from personal property (with a vehicle title) to real property (an improvement to land). The owner surrenders the manufacturer’s certificate of title or certificate of origin for cancellation, then records an affidavit of affixation with the county recorder. Any existing loans on the home must be paid off first. Once converted, the home is taxed as real estate rather than personal property.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.142/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.142/This section provides the process for reissuing a vehicle title for a manufactured home that was previously converted to real property but has since been detached from the land. The owner must file an affidavit of severance with the county recorder and provide an attorney’s title opinion confirming the home is free of liens. All current-year property taxes must be paid before the title can be reissued.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.143/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.143/This section provides a way for manufactured home owners to get a title when ownership records are unclear or cannot be traced. The applicant must submit an application, an affidavit describing their ownership and possession, and a licensed attorney’s affidavit confirming a title search was done and all prior owners were notified or could not be located. After seven years, old security interests on a manufactured home can be cleared if the loan is paid and the lender cannot be found.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.15/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.15/When a vehicle is significantly rebuilt from its original construction, it becomes a ‘reconstructed vehicle’ and the owner must apply for a new title that reflects this change. A dealer who buys a vehicle for scrap or dismantling must keep the title for three years before destroying it, and no new title can be issued for that vehicle. Motorcycles with replacement engines do not automatically get a ‘reconstructed’ stamp if the same rule does not apply to cars.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.1501/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.1501/This section regulates scrap vehicle dealers, junk yards, and metal recyclers who buy vehicles for scrap or dismantling. They must keep detailed written records of each purchase, including VIN, seller identification, and a signed seller statement that the vehicle is not stolen and has no liens. Payment must be by check or electronic transfer (not cash). Operators must report purchases to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System and maintain video surveillance cameras.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.1502/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.1502/When an insurance company pays a total-loss claim on a vehicle but the owner fails to deliver the title within 15 days, the insurer can apply directly to the state for a new title. The insurer must first notify the owner and any lienholders by certified mail at least 15 days before applying. Once the state issues a title to the insurer, all prior liens on the vehicle are extinguished.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.1503/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.1503/This 2025 law establishes procedures when an insurance claim on a salvage vehicle is not paid and the vehicle is left with a salvage auction company. If the insurer does not take ownership, it can direct the auction company to return the vehicle to the owner or lienholder. The auction company must notify the owner and lienholders twice before the vehicle can be deemed abandoned. After 30 days without recovery, the vehicle is deemed abandoned and the auction company can get a clean title free of all liens.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.151/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.151/This section requires that damaged vehicles receive a ‘salvage’ or ‘prior salvage’ brand on the title when they are declared total losses or severely damaged. Insurers must apply for a salvage-branded title or stamp the existing title within ten days of taking ownership. Vehicles that are completely unrepairable require a ‘junking certificate’ instead of a regular title. A junking certificate only allows the holder to possess and transport the vehicle — not to register or sell it on the road.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.152/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.152/This section explains what a salvage title allows and what it does not. A salvage title lets the holder possess, transport, and sell the vehicle, but it cannot be used to register the vehicle for road use. To convert a late-model salvage vehicle to a ‘prior salvage’ title (which allows registration), the vehicle must pass an inspection and the owner must pay a $35 inspection fee. Salvage vehicle purchasers must keep the salvage title available for inspection.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.153/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.153/When a licensed dealer buys a vehicle to be dismantled or destroyed, they must report the transaction to the department within ten days electronically, including the vehicle’s VIN, license plate number, and the seller’s information. Special rules apply when acquiring abandoned vehicles left for repair at a dealership. The report can be filed through a deputy registrar for a fee up to $7.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.154/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.154/When a licensed dealer sells a salvage vehicle to a buyer who plans to take the vehicle out of Minnesota, the dealer must report the sale to the Department of Motor Vehicles within ten days.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.16/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.16/Minnesota’s vehicle title law does not apply to certain types of liens and security interests. Mechanic’s liens and other service liens given by law, federal government liens, and manufacturer or dealer security interests on vehicles held for sale are excluded. Government liens held by the state or local governments are also excluded from the security interest provisions.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.17/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.17/This section governs security interests in vehicles that require a certificate of title. A security interest is not valid against other creditors unless it is perfected by delivering the title and an application to the Department of Public Safety. The section also clarifies that certain commercial vehicle leases are not treated as sales or security interests.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.172/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.172/This section allows charitable auto dealers (limited dealers) to retain a recorded interest in a vehicle they donate to someone for free. The charitable interest must be described in a written agreement between the dealer and the recipient, and it is perfected by filing with the vehicle title. When the charitable purpose is fulfilled, the dealer must release the interest within seven days.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.18/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.18/When a vehicle owner takes out a loan using the vehicle as collateral, both the owner and the lender have specific duties. The owner must fill out the security interest section on the title certificate and deliver it to the lender. The lender must then promptly send the certificate and required fees to the Department of Motor Vehicles, which issues a new title listing the lender’s interest.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.19/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.19/A lender who holds a security interest in a vehicle may transfer (assign) that interest to another party without the vehicle owner’s approval. The transfer does not affect the owner’s rights. Until the new lender is officially listed on the title certificate, the original lender remains legally responsible for lien-related duties.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.20/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.20/When a vehicle loan is paid off, the lender must release the lien on the title within 15 days — or within 7 days if the loan was paid off by a licensed dealer. The lender executes a release on the title certificate and delivers it to the owner, who then submits it to the state for a clean title. If a lien is 7 years old and the lienholder cannot be located, a car owner can request cancellation of the lien after making a documented attempt to contact the lender by certified mail.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.21/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.21/A lender whose name appears on a vehicle title must share information about the loan when the vehicle owner or another lender asks in writing. If the lien is for unpaid child support, the holder of that lien must tell the vehicle owner the total amount owed when asked in writing.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.22/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.22/The only way to legally create a security interest in a motor vehicle in Minnesota is to follow the process set out in chapter 168A — there is no alternative method. This rule prevents lenders from claiming a lien through some other legal mechanism outside the vehicle title system.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.23/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.23/The state can suspend or revoke a vehicle title certificate if it was obtained by fraud, if the vehicle has been destroyed, or if the vehicle was transferred without the owner surrendering the title. The owner must return the certificate to the state when notified of the suspension or revocation, and the state can seize the certificate if necessary. Suspending a title does not automatically cancel any lien recorded on it.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.24/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.24/The Department of Motor Vehicles is responsible for creating and providing all the forms needed to run Minnesota’s vehicle title system, including title applications, lien notices, and other required documents. The department also has the power to investigate, make rules, assign new identification numbers to vehicles that have none, and require deposit of title certificates in certain situations.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.25/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.25/Anyone who is harmed by an action or failure to act by the Department of Motor Vehicles under the vehicle title law has the right to appeal to the district court. This gives vehicle owners, lienholders, and dealers a formal legal remedy when the department makes a decision they believe is wrong.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.26/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.26/This section has been repealed and is no longer in effect.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.27/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.27/This section has been repealed and is no longer in effect.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.28/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.28/This section has been repealed and is no longer in effect.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.29/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.29/This section lists the fees the state charges for vehicle title transactions. An original title costs $8.25 plus an additional $3.50 public safety surcharge. Recording a security interest (lien) on a title costs $2. A duplicate title costs $7.25. Certain disabled veterans are exempt from title fees. All fees must be paid before a title is issued.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.30/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.30/Providing false information on a vehicle title application is a felony punishable by up to four years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Less serious violations — such as willfully failing to submit a title on time, failing to deliver a title to a buyer, or failing to notify the department of required information — are misdemeanors. These penalties apply to individuals, dealers, and lenders alike.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.31/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.31/All fees collected under the vehicle title law go into the state’s general fund unless the law says otherwise. The cost of running the Department of Motor Vehicles’ title program is paid out of the driver and vehicle services operating account, with funds specifically appropriated for that purpose.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.40/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-168a/168a.40/This section has been repealed and is no longer in effect.