How To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Wyoming in 2026

A motor-vehicle title transfer between relatives in Wyoming is handled through the state and county title system administered by the Wyoming Department of Transportation. Title and lien filings are processed through the county clerk in the county of residence, while vehicle registration and license plates are issued through the county treasurer.

A family transfer may be documented as a gift. It may also be documented as a sale. For most private transfers, the transferee must apply for the new title within 45 days after the transfer. A 60-day period applies only in limited dealer-related situations described in W.S. 31-2-104 and 31-2-201.

What Does Transferring a Car Title to a Family Member in Wyoming Mean?

In Wyoming, a title transfer between family members is the legal reassignment of ownership shown on the certificate of title. The process requires a properly completed assignment by the current owner, disclosure of any liens, any required mileage statement, and a new application filed with the county clerk.

Under Wyoming law, the certificate of title is prima facie proof of ownership. Until the county clerk accepts the reassignment and issues a new title, the current titled owner remains the owner of record. Wyoming law also allows issuance of a paper certificate of title or, if available, an electronic certificate of title under W.S. 31-2-103.

Eligible Family Members for Title Transfers in Wyoming

Wyoming provides special tax treatment for some family transfers, but the exemption is limited and date-specific. Effective July 1, 2026, SF0061 exempts qualifying motor-vehicle sales and gifts made to an immediate family member from sales and use tax if the statutory conditions are met, including prior payment of tax by the seller or donor.

For this exemption, "immediate family member" means

• Parent
• Child
• Spouse
• Sibling
• Stepparent
• Stepchild
• Stepsibling
• Grandparent
• Grandchild

Outside that statutory exemption, a family relationship by itself does not remove the ordinary title, registration, lien, and documentation requirements.

How To Transfer a Car Title as a Gift to a Family Member in Wyoming

Step 1 — Review the Current Title and Lien Status
The existing certificate of title should be available and should accurately reflect ownership. If a lien remains on record, it must be released or otherwise addressed before a clear transfer can be completed.

Step 2 — Complete the Title Assignment as A Gift
The current owner must endorse the assignment and warranty of title on the certificate, state any liens or encumbrances, and sign the certificate before a notary public. For a true gift, the transfer documentation should show that no purchase price is being paid.

Step 3 — Complete the Mileage Disclosure if Required
Wyoming requires a seller's mileage statement for vehicles that are subject to odometer-disclosure rules. The disclosure may appear on the title or in separate title paperwork. A vehicle not originally manufactured with an odometer is excluded from that requirement.

Step 4 — Prepare the County Title Application
The recipient applies for the new title using the Application for Certificate of Title and VIN/HIN Inspection (MV-300A). The form includes purchaser and seller information, lien information, branded-title information, and a sworn certification signed before a notary. A separate bill of sale is not identified as a mandatory statewide gift form, but a written gift statement or bill of sale showing no consideration can be useful if the county clerk requests supporting proof of ownership.

Step 5 — File the Title Application Within the Statutory Period
For a standard private transfer, the new title application should be filed within 45 days after the transfer date.

Step 6 — Complete Registration Through the County Treasurer
Title work and registration are separate county functions. After title paperwork is accepted, registration and plates are handled through the county treasurer rather than through the title office.

How To Transfer a Car Title as a Sale to a Family Member in Wyoming

Step 1 — Record the Sale Terms Clearly
The parties should document the sale date, the agreed purchase price, and the vehicle description. Wyoming materials allow the county clerk to request a bill of sale or similar document as part of a proof-of-ownership review, so a written bill of sale is advisable.

Step 2 — Endorse the Title Before a Notarial Officer
The seller must complete the assignment and warranty of title on the certificate, identify any liens or encumbrances, and sign the transfer before a notarial officer.

Step 3 — Provide the Odometer Disclosure
If the vehicle falls within odometer-disclosure requirements, the seller must provide the mileage statement as part of the transfer record.

Step 4 — Resolve Any Recorded Lien.
If a lender remains on the title record, the lien must be released or properly carried forward in the new filing, as applicable.

Step 5 — Submit Title Paperwork to the County Clerk and Registration Paperwork to the County Treasurer
Wyoming processes titles through local county clerk title offices, while registration and plates are handled by local county treasurers. The title program described on the state Titles, Plates and Registration page confirms that these functions are divided between the two offices.

Step 6 — Pay the Applicable Taxes and Fees and File on Time.
For most private transfers, the title application should be filed within 45 days. A family sale completed on or after July 1, 2026, may qualify for the immediate-family sales and use tax exemption if the statutory conditions are satisfied. If the exemption does not apply, standard tax rules remain in effect.

What Documents Are Needed To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Wyoming

Required for All Transfers

• Current certificate of title.
  The existing title is the core ownership document. It must be properly assigned by the current owner, disclose any liens or encumbrances, and be signed before a notary public.
• Application for Certificate of Title and VIN/HIN Inspection (MV-300A).
  This form is used to apply for the new Wyoming title. It captures vehicle data, purchaser and seller information, lien information, branded-title disclosures, and the sworn application certification. It also includes the required notary block. See MV-300A.
• Odometer disclosure.
  A mileage statement is required when the vehicle is subject to odometer-disclosure rules. Wyoming law does not require disclosure for a vehicle that was not originally manufactured with an odometer.
• Proof of ownership support.
  County clerks may request a bill of sale or similar supporting document as part of a proof-of-ownership review, even when the title is available.

Additional Documents for Sale Transfers

• Bill of sale or comparable purchase record.
  This document helps establish the purchase price, transfer date, vehicle description, and party information. It is especially useful when the county clerk needs support for valuation or proof of ownership.
• Sales or use tax receipt, or proof that an exemption applies.
  The county clerk does not deliver a title until the required tax receipt or exemption status has been established under Wyoming law.

Documents Required in Specific Circumstances

• Lien release.
  If a lien is shown on the title record, release documentation from the lienholder is needed before a clear title can be issued.
• Affidavit of Vehicle Ownership (MV-147).
  This form is used when ordinary title evidence cannot be produced, and additional proof of ownership is needed. It requires supporting documentation and is filed with the county clerk. See the MV-147 affidavit.
• Title search request (MV-220).
  A title search may be needed when prior owner information or lien information is unclear. WYDOT provides the search process and fee on the MV-220 title search page.
• VIN/HIN inspection.
  A VIN inspection is required for situations identified on the MV-300A, including vehicles previously titled in another state, homemade, rebuilt, reconstructed, and kit vehicles, and certain bonded-title situations.

Wyoming requires notarization for the title assignment and the application itself. The state materials reviewed for this article do not indicate that ordinary family transfers are exempt from notarization.

How To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member Online in Wyoming

A standard family title transfer cannot be completed entirely online. The transfer still requires the original assigned title, a notarized application, and filing through the local county clerk title offices. Registration and plate issuance remain separate county-treasurer functions.

What's the Cost To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Wyoming?

The official Wyoming materials reviewed for this article identify the following statewide title-related charges through WYDOT.

Title and Filing Fees

Taxes and Registration

No separate statewide late title-transfer fee was identified in the official materials reviewed here. The statutory filing deadline still applies, and delayed filing can create title and registration issues at the county level.

Contact Information

Wyoming Department of Transportation — Motor Vehicle Services
5300 Bishop Blvd, Cheyenne, WY 82009
Phone: (307) 777-4709
Official Website: Wyoming Department of Transportation — Motor Vehicle Services