Learn What Steps To Take After You Inherit A Car After A Loved One Passes Away
When someone passes away, there are times when the person will leave their car to a loved one. If you have recently inherited a car that is located in another state, it can be hard to know what steps to take to transfer the car to your name, if you have never had to do it before. The guide below walks you through what you need to do when you inherit a vehicle after a loved one passes away.
Transfer the Title to Your Name
The first thing that you will need to do is you will need to have the title of the car transferred to your name. In order to do this you must take the original copy of the title to a local Department of Motor Vehicle. If the person left you the car, they should have left the title with it. If they did not, you will have to request a title from the state where the car is currently titled. You may need to provide a copy of the will to show that you inherited the car from a loved one.
Have the Car Inspected
There are some jurisdictions that do not require you to have regular inspections done on a vehicle and other jurisdictions that do require annual inspections on vehicles. If the vehicle was located in a jurisdiction that did not require inspections and you are transporting it to an area that does require the inspections, it will need to pass an inspection before you can register it in your name.
Insure the Vehicle
Some jurisdictions require you to show proof of insurance before they will allow you to register the vehicle. You should be able to get insurance for the car over the phone and have the proof of insurance mailed, emailed, or even faxed to you for you to show it when you go to register the car.
Register the Vehicle in Your Name
Once the title is in your name, you will then need to register the car in the jurisdiction where you live. You will be given new license plates to put on the car, as well. You may have to pay a fee to register the car depending on where you live.
Once the car has a new title and registration, it is insured, and it has been inspected, you can start driving it right away. It may take a few days to get everything done, but it will be well worth it in the end because you will be able to drive the car with peace of mind.
