Missing title
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 159
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I went through this a couple of years ago. I was the executor of my Step-Dads estate. I went online and requested a duplicate title for his car. It came in a couple of weeks in his name. I simply went to the BMV with the title, his death certificate, and the document for the estate naming me as the executor and they issued the estate a title. I then signed as the agent and it was sold. All in all, it took about three weeks.
On the other hand, possession to the BMV is 9/10 of the law. You can go to the county court with a bill of sale and they will mandate the BMV to issue a title as long as the vehicle is not stolen. Not as clean, but it is legal. Ken
On the other hand, possession to the BMV is 9/10 of the law. You can go to the county court with a bill of sale and they will mandate the BMV to issue a title as long as the vehicle is not stolen. Not as clean, but it is legal. Ken
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Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Honah Lee
I went through this a couple of years ago. I was the executor of my Step-Dads estate. I went online and requested a duplicate title for his car. It came in a couple of weeks in his name. I simply went to the BMV with the title, his death certificate, and the document for the estate naming me as the executor and they issued the estate a title. I then signed as the agent and it was sold. All in all, it took about three weeks.
On the other hand, possession to the BMV is 9/10 of the law. You can go to the county court with a bill of sale and they will mandate the BMV to issue a title as long as the vehicle is not stolen. Not as clean, but it is legal. Ken
On the other hand, possession to the BMV is 9/10 of the law. You can go to the county court with a bill of sale and they will mandate the BMV to issue a title as long as the vehicle is not stolen. Not as clean, but it is legal. Ken
However, the two in Virginia I handled. That bill of sale would not fly in a DMV unless it had been notarized. If the title was in two names, they would have had to be alive to sale it legally.
Virginia DMV requires what you talked about in your first example. Four documents. A legal notarized will, the designated executor, a title or vin listed in will and a Virginia death certificate.
A hand written will without witnesses and notarized would have to be probated by the courts and require a lawyer.
In VA, there no premade forms for most court work.
My wife's a paralegal and that helped but going to court requires a lawer for sure in VA to probate an inheritance.
In Maryland, there is premade court forms. As long as you know what you need, one could probably fill out the forms.
The slow down here on the VA will was getting the legal death certificate from Richmond.. Took a few extra weeks because I didn't secure enough original copies. Banks, brokerage accounts, mortgages and such keep originals.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Sep 20, 2025 at 09:04 AM.
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