3 days ago
What is required for me to gift my vehicle to my daughter?
− Frederick D.
A: If you go to our website, click on the 'Registration, Plates & Title' tab, a drop-down menu will appear. Click on 'Registration' and then 'New Registration.' Follow the list to 'Gifted Vehicles.' The following information is provided, but I customized it to your situation:
Gifted Vehicle
TR-1 application including RI Insurance
Sales Tax Exempt Certificate
Gift letters for the vehicle and plates
Original Title or Proof of Previous Owner (such as a registration certificate or paid sales tax form).
Seller (Person gifting the vehicle) and Buyer (Person receiving the vehicle) must sign the back of the title if one is available.
Proof of Identity (RI license or identification card)
RI Division of Taxation information for gifted vehicles
Immediate Family: No sales tax on the vehicle unless outstanding taxes are due. A signed letter of gift is required to exempt you from the sales tax. Immediate family members for purposes of taxation are: parent, step-parent, sibling, step-sibling, spouse, child or step-child.
The DMV has samples of Vehicle Gift Letters and Plate Gift Letters on the website. They can be found in the 'Forms' tab and 'Registration Forms.' You can also write a gift letter to your daughter, and it should go something like 'I, NAME, gift to my daughter, NAME, the following vehicle: Year, Make, Model, and VIN.' Make sure to date it and sign it.
On the RI DMV website, you can find most forms, applications, and information/instructions. Just follow the blue bar across the top of the homepage for the different areas and offices. All our forms are also available at each branch (Cranston, Middletown, Wakefield, Woonsocket) as well as the AAA branches, if you are a member.
Your daughter will need to make a reservation to come in and do this 'New Registration' transaction. Instructions on making a reservation can be found on our homepage. Please make sure to scroll down the page to the 'Schedule Reservations and/or Road Tests' section as the 'Alert' section of our homepage may have several messages in it and you may miss this Reservation section.
Chuck Hollis is assistant administrator of the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles. Please email your questions to cars@ with 'Ask the DMV' in the subject field.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: What is required to gift my vehicle to my daughter? | Ask the RI DMV
