Vermont DMV Form VD-119: How to Transfer a Vehicle Title After Death

When someone dies in Vermont, their vehicles can't sit in limbo — insurance lapses, registrations expire, and liability exposure grows. Form VD-119 (Registration/Tax/Title Application) is the central DMV form for transferring vehicle titles after a death, but the exact documents you need alongside it depend entirely on how the vehicle was originally titled.

Transfer Scenarios and Required Documents

The Vermont DMV has four distinct pathways for transferring a deceased person's vehicle:

Joint ownership (Tenants by the Entirety or Joint Tenants):

• Certified death certificate
• Form VD-119

This is the simplest transfer. The surviving co-owner already has legal rights to the vehicle. The DMV removes the deceased's name from the title.

Transfer on Death (TOD) beneficiary:

• Certified death certificate
• Original title with lien releases (if any liens existed)
• Form VD-119

If the decedent designated a TOD beneficiary on the title (using Form VT-007), the named beneficiary can claim the vehicle directly without going through probate.

Sole ownership, no probate:

• Certified death certificate
• Letter from Court Officer confirming no probate is required and naming the heir
• Original title
• Form VD-119

This applies when the estate qualifies for small estate administration and the vehicle is part of the personal property being distributed.

Sole ownership, formal probate:

• Letter from Probate Court confirming executor appointment (Letters of Administration)
• Original title assigned by the executor (Section 1 of the title)
• Form VD-119

The executor signs the title over to the heir or new owner as part of the estate distribution.

The Surviving Spouse Exception

This is the provision most families don't know about, and it saves real money. Under 23 V.S.A. §2023 and §3816, a surviving spouse can transfer up to two vehicles — plus an unlimited number of vessels, snowmobiles, and ATVs — into their own name completely free of:

• Title fees
• Registration fees
• Purchase and use tax

The conditions: the deceased spouse either died without a will, or the will did not specifically direct what should happen to the vehicles. In either case, the surviving spouse is legally entitled to claim them.

To use this exception, submit Form VD-119 along with a Surviving Spouse Statement and a certified death certificate. The DMV processes these without charge.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't let insurance lapse. Contact the auto insurer immediately after the death to keep coverage active on the vehicle. If the car is uninsured and causes damage — even parked — the estate could be liable.

Don't drive on the deceased's registration indefinitely. Vermont law requires the title transfer to happen within a reasonable timeframe. Driving on expired registration or someone else's plates creates traffic violations that fall on the driver.

Don't sell the vehicle before transferring title. The executor cannot sell a vehicle to a third party without first having the title properly assigned. This means either going through probate to get Letters of Administration, or using the small estate pathway.

Check for liens. If the vehicle has an outstanding loan, the lender's lien must be satisfied before the title can be transferred. Contact the lender to determine the payoff amount — this is a legitimate estate expense.

Where to File

Form VD-119 is filed at any Vermont DMV office. Bring all supporting documents — death certificate, title, court letters — in one trip. Incomplete submissions get sent home.

The Vermont Estate Settlement Guide includes a complete vehicle transfer checklist with the exact documents for each ownership scenario, plus the surviving spouse exception process step by step.

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