My sister passed... now I can't find her car title, what can I do?

Traffic Laws Forum
1

My sister passed on 10/02/24 and I was planning to give her car away, but I can’t find the title. I do have her death certificate showing me as her only living relative though. Do you think I can get a duplicate title for her car? Anyone know the process?

2

I’m really sorry to hear about your sister. I think you should start by contacting the DMV about getting a duplicate title. They’ll guide you through what you need to do.

3

Dakota said:
I’m really sorry to hear about your sister. I think you should start by contacting the DMV about getting a duplicate title. They’ll guide you through what you need to do.

Yeah, the DMV might ask for proof of your relationship, like a birth certificate or something. Do you have any of those docs?

4

@Amir
I do have her death certificate showing me as her sister. But I’m not sure if that’s enough.

5

You might also need to get a court order to transfer the car into your name, since it’s considered part of her estate. So it could take a little longer.

6

Wynn said:
You might also need to get a court order to transfer the car into your name, since it’s considered part of her estate. So it could take a little longer.

Oh wow, that sounds complicated. Do you have to be officially appointed as the executor of her estate first?

7

@Freeman
Yeah, pretty much. The court usually has to appoint someone as the executor before you can transfer any property.

8

Did you notify the insurance company about her passing yet? They might also need to be involved before anything changes with the car.

9

I think contacting the DMV first is your best bet. They’ll let you know if you need to go through the courts to transfer ownership. But make sure to gather any documents you can find, like her driver’s license or vehicle registration.

10

@Oli
Yeah, DMV will probably need more proof. If you can’t find the title, you might need to do a search with them to track it down. They should be able to help.

11

Sorry to hear about your sister. If you’re still unsure, I’d recommend getting in touch with a lawyer who specializes in estate stuff to help guide you through the process.