- 1). Research the laws of your state to find out if the right of survivorship is conferred on joint owners of an automobile. The right of survivorship entitles the surviving owner to claim title without the permission of the executor of the estate or the probate court.
- 2). Obtain a certified copy of the death certificate of the deceased co-owner.
- 3). Obtain an application for certificate of title or an application for amended title (whichever is applicable under your state's nomenclature) from your state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). It is likely that this form can be downloaded from the DMV website. Fill out the form and sign it. If your signature must be notarized, wait until you are in the presence of a Notary Public before you sign it.
- 4). Obtain a certified copy of the letter of administration that appointed the executor to the other owner's estate. This is used to establish the executor's identity, and can be obtained from the probate court.
- 5). Locate the estate administrator, and have her assign the title to the car to you. In most states, this is accomplished by having the executor fill out the assignment section of the car title.
- 6). Take your photo ID, the death certificate, the car's current title certificate, the application for new title, the letter of administration, and a check or money order for the filing fee to your state's DMV office. Submit all of these items, and a new title will be issued that lists you as the sole owner.
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