You just bought a car in Missouri, or you are about to sell one, and you want the title in the right name without a second trip to the license office. Missouri does this differently from most states: no notary on the title, a hard 30-day clock, and an emissions test if you live in the St. Louis area. Here is exactly what each side does.
The short answer: To transfer a car title in Missouri, the seller signs the title over and the buyer takes it, Form 108, proof of insurance, and any required inspections to a Missouri license office within 30 days of purchase. The title costs $8.50 plus a $9 processing fee, and you pay 4.225% state sales tax plus local tax. Title signatures do not need a notary.
Updated October 5, 2026. Checked against the Missouri Department of Revenue, the Revised Statutes of Missouri, the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program, and the Illinois Department of Revenue. Sources are linked at the bottom.
Key takeaways
- Deadline: 30 days from the purchase date to title the car and pay sales tax. Late penalties start at $25 and can reach $200.
- Main form: Form 108, Application for Missouri Title and License, plus the signed title.
- Cost: $17.50 for the title ($8.50 fee plus $9 processing), plus sales tax, plus registration if you need plates.
- No notary: buyer and seller signatures on a Missouri title do not need to be notarized. A lien release does.
- St. Louis area: St. Louis City and St. Louis, St. Charles, and Jefferson counties need an emissions test at title transfer for most cars.
- Seller duty: report the sale to the Department of Revenue within 30 days and keep your plates.
How do you transfer a car title in Missouri?
Here is the buyer’s side, start to finish. The Missouri Department of Revenue buying a vehicle page is the official checklist behind these steps.
- 1. Get the signed title. The seller fills in the back of the title, including the sale price and odometer reading, and signs it. You sign as the purchaser.
- 2. Get a lien release if needed. If the title shows a lender, the seller must give you a notarized lien release (Form 4809) or a notarized letter from the lender.
- 3. Get your inspections. A safety inspection if the car is more than 10 model years old or has 150,000 miles or more, and an emissions test if you live in the St. Louis area. Both must be recent (details below).
- 4. Fill out Form 108. This is the Application for Missouri Title and License.
- 5. Bring proof of insurance. A current insurance ID card or other proof of financial responsibility.
- 6. Bring a property tax receipt if you want plates. You need a paid personal property tax receipt or a statement of non-assessment from your county or the City of St. Louis to register the car.
- 7. Go to a license office within 30 days. Pay the title fee, processing fee, sales tax, and registration. Use the Missouri license office locator to find one near you.
Not sure whether you need a new title, new plates, or both? Our guide to car registration vs title transfer explains the difference.
What does the seller have to do?
Missouri puts real duties on the seller too. From the DOR selling a vehicle page and the title instructions:
- Sign the title: every owner listed on the front prints and signs in the seller section on the back. No correction fluid or erasures.
- Fill in the sale details: the net price (sale price minus any trade-in), the odometer reading, and the date of sale.
- Hand over a lien release: notarized, if the title shows a lien.
- Give recent inspections: DOR lists a safety inspection less than 60 days old and, in the St. Louis area, an emissions inspection not more than 60 days old, when required for that car.
- Report the sale within 30 days: send the Notice of Sale (Form 5049) or a Bill of Sale (Form 1957) to the Department of Revenue.
- Keep your plates: remove them before the buyer drives away, whether they are valid or expired.
Selling more than a few cars a year? Missouri has limits for unlicensed sellers. See how many cars you can sell in Missouri without a dealer license.
Which Missouri title transfer forms do you need?
| Form | What it is | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Title | The original title, signed over | Seller signs, buyer submits |
| Form 108 | Application for Missouri Title and License | Buyer |
| Form 5049 | Notice of Sale | Seller, within 30 days |
| Form 1957 | Bill of Sale | Seller (can be used instead of Form 5049) |
| Form 4809 | Lien Release, notarized | Lienholder, only if there is a lien |
| Form 768 | General Affidavit, used for gifts | Person giving the car |
How much does it cost to transfer a car title in Missouri?
The title itself is cheap. Sales tax is the big number. Fees below come from the DOR motor vehicle fees page and the buying a vehicle page.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Title fee | $8.50 |
| Title processing fee | $9.00 |
| Sales tax | 4.225% state, plus your local sales tax, on the price minus any trade-in |
| Registration, 1 year (passenger car) | $18.25 to $51.25 based on taxable horsepower, plus $9 processing |
| Registration, 2 years (passenger car) | $36.50 to $102.50, plus $18 processing |
| Late title penalty | $25 after day 30, plus $25 every 30 days after, up to $200 |
| Emissions test (St. Louis area) | $24 at a Gateway station |
| Card payment convenience fee | 2.0% plus $0.25 |
Example: on a $6,000 private sale, the state part of the sales tax alone is $253.50 (4.225% of $6,000). Add your local rate (our Missouri car sales tax rates for St. Louis lists them by city and county), the $17.50 title cost, and registration. Your local rate depends on your exact address, so run it through the DOR vehicle sales tax calculator before you go.
Does a Missouri title need to be notarized?
No. DOR says buyer and seller signatures on a Missouri title do not require notarization. A few documents around the sale do:
- Lien release: Form 4809 or the lender’s letter must be notarized.
- Duplicate title: the application for a replacement title must be notarized. A duplicate costs $8.50 plus a $9 processing fee, per the DOR duplicate title page.
- Gift statement: Form 768 for a gift does not need a notary.
If the seller cannot find the title, do not pay until they get a duplicate. Our article on why a car’s title status matters covers what else to check.
Do you need a safety inspection or emissions test to transfer a title in St. Louis?
Safety inspection
Under RSMo 307.350, a car is exempt during the 10 years after its model year if it has fewer than 150,000 miles. Older cars and high-mileage cars need a safety inspection to title. The inspection cannot be more than 60 days old, or 90 days if you bought from a dealer and the dealer’s inspection was done within 60 days of the sale.
Emissions test
The Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program requires an emissions test in the St. Louis area at any sale or title transfer for cars registered in:
- St. Louis City
- St. Louis County
- St. Charles County
- Jefferson County
It covers gas vehicles from model year 1996 and newer and diesels from 1997 and newer, 8,500 pounds or less. Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, motorcycles, and qualifying historic vehicles are exempt. The test costs $24, and Gateway says a failed car gets one free retest at the same station within 20 business days. Other Missouri counties are not part of the program.
Buying a car you have not seen in person? Our vehicle inspection checklist helps you catch problems before they cost you an inspection failure.
How do you transfer a car title to a family member or as a gift?
Missouri treats a gift almost like a sale, with one big difference: no sales tax. Per the DOR selling page (our full guide to gifting a car to family in Missouri covers every step):
- Write GIFT: in the sale price area of the title. Do not write $1.
- Add a gift statement: Form 768 (General Affidavit) or a written statement that the car was a gift. No notary needed.
- Inspections still apply: safety and St. Louis-area emissions rules are the same as a sale.
- No sales tax: DOR says the person receiving the car will not pay state or local tax on a gift.
- Plates stay behind: the new owner cannot use the plates that were on the car.
- One gift in a row: a vehicle cannot be gifted two times in a row.
How do you transfer a car title when the owner has died?
It depends on what the title says. According to the DOR titling FAQ:
- TOD beneficiary on the title: a transfer on death beneficiary, added on Form 108, can take ownership without probate.
- No beneficiary: the vehicle generally goes through probate first. You submit the original or a certified copy of Letters of Administration, Letters Testamentary, or a Small Estate Certificate or Affidavit with Form 108.
- Surviving spouse or unmarried minor child: may transfer one vehicle in the deceased owner’s name without a probate order.
- Fee: $17.50 for the title.
Estates get complicated fast. Call the Department of Revenue or a probate attorney before you sell or drive an inherited car.
Bought the car out of state or live in the Illinois Metro East?
Bringing a car into Missouri with a title from another state adds one step: an identification and odometer inspection at an authorized Missouri inspection station to verify the VIN and mileage, less than 60 days old, per the DOR help resources page. If you paid sales tax to another state, DOR credits it toward the Missouri tax due. Our step-by-step guide to titling an out-of-state car in Missouri covers every document and fee.
Live on the Illinois side, in places like the Metro East? Missouri rules do not apply to you. Illinois buyers in a private sale file Form RUT-50 with the Illinois Department of Revenue within 30 days of purchase, and buyers from an out-of-state dealer use Form RUT-25. Then you title the car with the Illinois Secretary of State. Our guide to car auctions in Illinois covers buying on that side of the river.
What happens if you miss the 30-day deadline?
You still have to title the car, and it costs more. DOR charges $25 starting on day 31, then another $25 for every 30 days after that, up to a $200 penalty. The seller keeps the plates, so you need your own registration or a 30-day temporary permit ($5 plus a $9 processing fee) to drive the car. Book your inspections in the first week so they are done well before day 30.
Buying online or at auction? Title paperwork can take weeks to reach you. Our How It Works page says titles from a Remarket Space purchase typically arrive in 8 to 12 weeks. Before you bid on any car, from anyone, ask how titling works for your state so the Missouri clock does not catch you. Buying a car at auction and transferring the title walks through it.
Buying your next car in the St. Louis area?
Remarket Space is an online car marketplace open to the public. You do not need a dealer license or a membership. Every listing has an inspection report, a free Carfax, real photos, and the out-the-door total before you bid, so you know what you are getting and what it costs. Buy Now if you want it today, or bid in a live auction for a better price. Cars are delivered nationwide, including to the St. Louis metro, with the delivery quote right on the listing. Title issues are guaranteed for life.
See cars up for auction now, read how bidding works, and check the buyer fees up front. You can also browse used SUVs and cars under $5,000. Those cars are currently in Minnesota and ship to Missouri with a quote. Our St. Louis hub, car auctions in St. Louis, compares every local option, and cars under $1,000 in St. Louis shows what a tight budget buys. New to bidding? Start with our tips for first-time auction buyers and the statewide guide to car auctions in Missouri.
Frequently asked questions
You have 30 days from the purchase date to title the vehicle and pay sales tax. Starting on day 31 the Missouri Department of Revenue charges a $25 penalty, plus another $25 for every 30 days after that, up to $200.
The title fee is $8.50 plus a $9 processing fee, so $17.50. You also pay 4.225% state sales tax plus local sales tax on the price minus any trade-in, and registration fees if you need plates.
No. Buyer and seller signatures on a Missouri title do not need a notary. A lien release from a lender must be notarized, and so must an application for a duplicate title.
The buyer files Form 108, Application for Missouri Title and License, with the signed title. The seller reports the sale within 30 days on Form 5049, Notice of Sale, or Form 1957, Bill of Sale.
Usually yes. Cars registered in St. Louis City or St. Louis, St. Charles, or Jefferson counties need an emissions test at sale or title transfer if they are gas models from 1996 or newer or diesels from 1997 or newer. The test costs $24.
No. The Missouri Department of Revenue says the person receiving a gift does not pay state or local tax. Write GIFT in the sale price area of the title and include Form 768 or a written gift statement.
Not for a private sale. You title the car at a Missouri license office or by mail with the signed title, Form 108, proof of insurance, and any required inspections. Online service is for things like plate renewals.
Sources
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Buying a vehicle
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Selling a vehicle
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Motor vehicle fees
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Titling and registration FAQ
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Additional help resources
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Duplicate titles
- Missouri Department of Revenue: How to fill out a Missouri title
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Vehicle sales tax calculator
- Revised Statutes of Missouri 307.350: Inspection exemption
- Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program: Does my vehicle need a test?
- Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program: Test cost and retests
- Illinois Department of Revenue: Tax requirements for vehicles
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and rules can change, so confirm with the Missouri Department of Revenue before you buy or sell.
