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

A car title transfer between family members in Mississippi is handled by the Mississippi Department of Revenue (DOR), which administers vehicle titles, registration, and related motor-vehicle taxes. A family transfer may be documented as a gift or as a sale, and Mississippi applies different tax rules depending on the relationship between the parties and the nature of the transfer.

For a newly acquired vehicle, Mississippi requires that the title and registration be filed within 30 business days of the purchase date. The state’s title and registration procedures are administered under Title 35, Part VII, and regular private transfers are ordinarily filed through the local county tax collector rather than through a fully online transfer process.

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

Transferring a car title to a family member in Mississippi means changing the legal owner of record through the official state title process. Mississippi describes a title as a secure, negotiable document representing ownership of a motor vehicle.

Until the existing certificate of title has been properly assigned and the new title application has been processed, the current titled owner remains the owner of record. Mississippi uses the certificate of title as the principal ownership document for titled vehicles, and the transfer is completed by assigning that title and submitting the required application via the county filing system.

Eligible Family Members for Title Transfers in Mississippi

Mississippi has limited special treatment for certain family transfers, but it does not exempt every transfer simply because the parties are related. Casual sales of motor vehicles in the state are generally taxable, including vehicles sold or given to relatives, unless the transfer falls within a listed exempt family relationship.

The department states that transfers between spouses, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, and siblings are not subject to the casual sales tax. Transfers involving other relatives, including aunts, uncles, cousins, and in-laws, remain taxable. For title-processing purposes, Mississippi separately instructs certain related parties to complete a family affidavit when the buyer and seller are spouses, children, parents, grandchildren, grandparents, brothers, or sisters.

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

Step 1 — Review the Current Title and Lien Status
The current owner should confirm that the Mississippi title is available for assignment and that any lien shown on the title has been properly released before the transfer is submitted. A clear ownership record is needed before a new title can be issued.

Step 2 — Complete the Title Assignment
Mississippi directs the seller to complete all sections of the title assignment except for the buyer’s printed name and signature. The state also warns that an incomplete or improperly assigned title should not be accepted or delivered.

Step 3 — Prepare the Family-Transfer Affidavit if the Relationship Qualifies
When the parties are a spouse, child, parent, grandchild, grandparent, brother, or sister, Mississippi requires an affidavit. The current state form is the Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Transfer.

Step 4 — Complete the Mileage Disclosure if Required
If the vehicle is subject to mileage disclosure, the transferor should complete the Odometer Disclosure Statement or the mileage section required with the title paperwork. Mississippi includes odometer disclosure in applicable title transactions through its motor vehicle procedures.

Step 5 — Remove the Existing Plate
Mississippi requires the previous owner to remove the license plate once the title has been assigned and the vehicle has been delivered to the new owner. The plate does not remain with the vehicle in the ordinary private transfer process described by the Department.

Step 6 — Submit the Title and Registration Filing Through the County Tax Collector
The recipient should submit the assigned title and the state title application through the local county tax collector's office. Mississippi identifies the standard title application as Form 78-002, and the filing should be completed within 30 business days of the transfer date.

Step 7 — Determine the Tax Status of the Gift.
A family gift is not automatically exempt in every case. Mississippi’s business tax states that gift transfers between spouses, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, and siblings are not subject to casual sales tax, while transfers to other relatives may still be taxable.

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

Step 1 — Assign the Current Title to the Buyer
For a family sale, the seller must assign title to the buyer and complete the required assignment fields before delivering the vehicle. Mississippi’s title guidance requires a complete assignment and cautions against leaving the title incomplete.

Step 2 — Record the Sale Information Accurately
The sale should be reported in the title-and-registration filing made through the county office. Mississippi uses Form 78-002 for title application processing, and the transaction details should match the assigned title and supporting paperwork.

Step 3 — Resolve Any Recorded Lien
If the title shows an active lien, the lien must be released before a clear title can be issued to the buyer. If the original title is missing, Mississippi requires a replacement title before the transfer can proceed.

Step 4 — Remove the Old Plate and Deliver the Vehicle
After the title has been assigned and the vehicle delivered, the prior owner must remove the existing plate. The buyer then completes registration through the county filing process.

Step 5 — File the Title and Registration Paperwork Within the State Deadline
The buyer should complete the county filing within 30 business days of the purchase date. Mississippi’s Motor Vehicle Registration and Renewal guidance states that failure to register within the required period results in standard late penalties and an additional $250 penalty.

Step 6 — Pay the Taxes and Fees Due on the Sale
A family sale is not automatically exempt from tax. Mississippi exempts sales between spouses, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, and siblings from casual sales tax, but sales involving other relatives remain taxable.

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

Required for All Transfers

• Current Mississippi certificate of title — The existing title must be properly assigned before a new title can be issued, as required by the state’s Motor Vehicle Titles guidance.
• Application for Mississippi Title and Registration (Form 78-002) — Mississippi identifies Form 78-002 as the standard title application used in county title processing.
• Odometer disclosure, when applicable — If mileage disclosure is required for the vehicle involved, the transfer should include the Odometer Disclosure Statement or the mileage section required with the title paperwork.

Additional Documents for Sale Transfers

• Transaction details reflected in the county filing — A sale must be reported for title, registration, and tax purposes through the assigned title and Form 78-002.
• Casual sales tax payment, if taxable — If the transfer is outside Mississippi’s exempt family categories, the filing must include the tax due under the state’s casual sales rules.

Documents Required in Specific Circumstances

• Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Transfer — When the buyer and seller are in a qualifying family relationship recognized by the Department for this purpose, the state indicates that the Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Transfer should be completed.
• Application for Replacement Certificate of Title (Form 78-006) — If the original title has been lost, stolen, or damaged, the titled owner must first obtain a replacement title using Form 78-006.
• Lien-release documentation — If a lien appears on the title, supporting documentation is required so the transfer can be processed with clear ownership.
• Notarization in special cases only — Mississippi’s ordinary title-transfer guidance does not state that the routine title assignment itself must be notarized, although certain supporting documents used in special circumstances may carry notarization requirements.

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

A standard private family title transfer cannot be completed entirely online under the ordinary Mississippi process. Routine title and registration filings for privately transferred vehicles are handled through the local county tax collector's office.

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

Mississippi publishes a statewide title fee, but the total amount due at the county office can be higher because registration charges, ad valorem taxes, and casual sales taxes may also apply.

Mississippi does not exempt every family transfer from tax. Casual sales tax does not apply to transfers between spouses, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, and siblings. Other family transfers remain taxable. For taxable automobiles and light trucks weighing 10,000 pounds or less, the state’s sales tax rates schedule lists a 5% rate.

Mississippi also imposes a motor vehicle ad valorem tax on vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or less at the time of registration. The Department explains that the tax is based on assessed value multiplied by the local millage rate, with assessed value derived from 30% of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price and reduced for depreciation over time under the rules described in the motor vehicle ad valorem tax guidance.

Contact Information

Mississippi Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Services
500 Clinton Center Drive, Clinton, MS 39056
Phone: (601) 923-7200
Official Website: Mississippi Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Services