How to fill out Certificate of Title / Temporary Registration and Tag Application (District of Columbia)

What this form is

Certificate of Title / Temporary Registration and Tag Application is the application a buyer files with District of Columbia to put a vehicle in their name. A dealer usually fills in the vehicle, seller, buyer, lien holder and sale information so the buyer can finish titling.

The DC DMV's title and temporary tag application (08/15/2013 edition), filled from the deal: owners, vehicle, lien holder and insurance. The owners sign.

When a dealer uses it

Use it when you sell a vehicle that the buyer will title or register in District of Columbia. Check with the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles for the exact situations and any other documents your sale needs.

Information you need before you start

• The vehicle's VIN, year, make, model and body type
• The odometer reading at the time of sale
• The buyer's full legal name and address, and any co-buyer
• Your dealership's name, address and dealer license number
• The sale date and price
• The lien holder's name and address, if the buyer is financing
• Trade-in details, if there is a trade-in
• The previous title number and state

How to fill it out with DMS Apex

1. Add the car to Inventory with its VIN, mileage and title details.
2. Start the sale in Sales and enter the buyer, price, fees, trade-in and lien holder.
3. Open the deal's documents page and tick Certificate of Title / Temporary Registration and Tag Application.
4. Preview it. DMS Apex shows the state's own form with your deal's information filled in.
5. Print it, review it, and have the right people sign in ink.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Writing the odometer reading differently on two documents.
• Leaving out a co-buyer's signature or information.
• Using an old version of the form. Always use the state's current published version.
• Strike-throughs or corrections on a form that does not allow them. Reprint instead.
• Forgetting the lien holder's name and address on a financed deal.

District of Columbia tax and fees at a glance

DMS Apex fills District of Columbia's published form and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles. Always check current requirements with the state.