Georgia Form MV-1 — the title and tag application, section by section.
Form MV-1 is what a Georgia buyer fills out to put a title and a tag in their name. It's a one-page form with instructions on the back and six sections, A to F: the vehicle, the owners, the seller, a lessee, lienholders and an attorney-in-fact. Every owner signs it, and the signature is a sworn statement. You take it to the tag office in the county where you live, with the signed-over title, proof of insurance and the title ad valorem tax. Here's what each section asks, what you'll pay, and the deadline that catches private buyers out.
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Quick Answer
- What is Georgia Form MV-1?
- The Georgia Department of Revenue's Motor Vehicle Title/Tag Application. The form says it is used when applying for a tag and title and must be signed by all owners listed in Section B. The current PDF is marked "Revised 02/2024", although the DOR download page still calls it "Revised 6-2020". It's a free download, and DOR also lets you start the application online before you visit the county tag office.
- How long do I have to title a car in Georgia after buying it?
- After a private sale, DOR's registration page says to register within 7 business days of purchase, and its buyer and seller page says to title and register within 7 days. DOR's fee table separately charges a $10 title penalty if you apply more than 30 days after purchase, and late tax in a private sale adds 10% after day 30. From a dealer, the deadline is 30 days; new residents also have 30 days.
- How much is tax on a used car in Georgia?
- Georgia charges a one-time title ad valorem tax (TAVT) of 7% of fair market value when the car is titled. For a used car, DOR says that value comes from the state's assessment manual (an average of wholesale and retail), not the price you paid, and a trade-in lowers it only in a dealer sale. New residents pay 3%; a family transfer of a Georgia-titled car with TAVT already paid can qualify for 0.5%.
Four steps from a private sale to a Georgia tag
The title assignment, the MV-1 and the tax all meet at one counter: the tag office in your county.
- 1Get the title signed overBuyer and seller complete the assignment on the back, in blue or black ink, with any lien released.
- 2Fill in the MV-1Sections A to C for most private buyers; Section E if you financed it.
- 3Pass emissions if requiredRequired before registering in 13 metro Atlanta counties.
- 4File at your county tag officeWith ID, insurance and payment, within 7 business days of a private purchase.
The Six Sections of Form MV-1
From Form MV-1 (Revised 02/2024) and its instruction page, read on 28 October 2026.
| Section | What it asks |
|---|---|
| A — Vehicle | VIN, make, model, body style, current title number and state, county and tax district, year, color, cylinders, fuel, odometer reading and exception boxes, purchase date; a commercial-vehicle block where it applies |
| B — Owners | How many owners, leased or not, out-of-state pickup; for up to 2 owners, full legal name, driver's license and state, date of birth, email, phone, addresses; a joint tenancy with survivorship box; every owner signs |
| C — Seller | A Georgia dealer's or bank's 12-digit customer ID, the seller's Georgia sales tax number, name, address and county, and whether the dealer financed the sale |
| D — Lessee | Only if the vehicle is leased |
| E — Lienholders | Up to 2 lienholders, each with a 12-digit ELT ID, name and address; attach any more |
| F — Attorney-in-fact | Only if the title is to be mailed to an attorney-in-fact; attach the original power of attorney |
The form must be completed in full, legibly printed or typed. It has no notary block and no fee printed on it.
What You'll Pay at the Tag Office
Most of the bill is the title ad valorem tax, a one-time tax that replaced sales tax and the annual motor vehicle tax for most vehicles bought on or after March 1, 2013. It's 7% of fair market value, paid when the title is first applied for, in the county where the buyer lives. For a used car, DOR's FAQ says fair market value is the value in the state's motor vehicle assessment manual, which averages current wholesale and retail values. A trade-in reduces it only when a dealer made the sale. DOR's online estimator gives a figure, and DOR notes its values are updated once a year.
On top of the tax: a $18 title fee and a $20 license plate fee for a regular passenger car or light pickup, with other vehicles on DOR's fee schedule. New residents pay TAVT at 3%. A family member taking over a Georgia-titled car on which TAVT was paid can pay 0.5% with Form MV-16, and inherited cars in the TAVT system qualify for the same rate with Form T-20.
Penalties come from DOR's fee table: $10 for applying for the title more than 30 days after purchase, another $10 for an altered purchase date on the title, and $10 for not answering a DOR letter within 60 days. Late tax in a private sale costs 10% of the TAVT after day 30, plus 1% a month after that. DOR says missing a registration deadline can bring fines of up to $100.
Form MV-1 at a Glance
The fees, the tax and the deadlines on one card.
From the Georgia Department of Revenue's MV-1, TAVT, fee and registration pages, read on 28 October 2026.
The Deadline Private Buyers Miss
DOR's own pages don't all put it the same way. Its "when and where to register" page says to register within 7 business days of a private purchase, and its "buy a car" page agrees. Its buyer and seller page says title and register within 7 days. Gwinnett County's tax commissioner says 7 business days for both. The 30-day figure you may see belongs to DOR's fee table: that's when the $10 late title penalty and the late-tax penalty start.
Plan on the shorter deadline. Buying from a dealer is different: the dealer submits the title application and tax for you, and if it doesn't register the car you have 30 days, even though the temporary operating permit lasts 45. Gwinnett adds a warning for private buyers whose seller still owes a lender: if the lender doesn't produce the title within the seven days, you can't title or register the car yet.
What DOR says voids or costs you
- A blank title: never sign one; delivering or accepting it is a misdemeanor.
- An altered date: may void the title and cost $10.
- Ink: blue or black only.
- Odometer: whole miles, no tenths.
Check the Georgia Title Before You Pay the Tax
TAVT is paid on the car you're titling. Enter the VIN for a free preview of the title brands, junk and salvage records and odometer readings on file.
What to Bring to the County Tag Office
DOR's casual-sale checklist, with Gwinnett County's additions where they differ.
Georgia license or ID
A valid Georgia driver's license or ID card.
The original title
Assigned to you by your full legal name, with every lien released on it.
Proof of insurance
Filed electronically by your insurer, or a binder showing liability cover.
Emissions certificate
If you live in one of the 13 metro Atlanta counties that test.
Payment
For TAVT, fees and any penalties; ask your county which methods it takes.
Power of attorney
Form T-8, notarized and original, valid for no more than 12 months.
Buying From a Dealer or a Private Seller
The same MV-1, filed by different people on different clocks.
Dealer sale
- The dealer submits the title application and TAVT for you.
- A trade-in reduces the taxable value.
- 30 days to register if the dealer doesn't; the temporary permit lasts 45.
- Late dealer TAVT: 5% after day 30, plus 5% a month.
Private sale
- You file the MV-1 at your county tag office.
- No trade-in reduction; the manual value applies.
- 7 business days to register, per DOR.
- Late TAVT: 10% after day 30, plus 1% a month.
Titles are generally required for 1986 and newer vehicles. An older car that doesn't need one is registered with a bill of sale and, if it wasn't registered in Georgia before, Form T-22B.
Related Checks and Guides
The other DMV form guides, and the Georgia pages they connect to.
Where These Facts Come From
From the Georgia Department of Revenue's MV-1 and its title, tax, fee and registration pages, plus the Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner, read on 28 October 2026. Get the current form from dor.georgia.gov.
CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with the Georgia Department of Revenue or any county tag office. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Georgia Form MV-1 — Frequently Asked Questions
What Georgia buyers ask most.
Does the MV-1 need to be notarized?+
No. The form has no notary block. Each owner's signature is a sworn statement: the form warns that a false name, address or material statement is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, up to 5 years in prison, or both. A Form T-8 power of attorney, if you use one, must be notarized.
Do I need a bill of sale in Georgia?+
DOR's casual-sale checklist asks for one only for a 1985-or-older vehicle that doesn't need a title. Gwinnett County asks every private buyer for a copy of the seller's bill of sale dated within seven business days. DOR's own bill of sale is Form T-7, and it says any correction or alteration voids it.
Can I fill out the MV-1 online?+
You can start it online: DOR's MV-1 page links to an online pre-application to begin before you visit the county tag office. The form can also be printed at home or by the tag office, and it needs your signature either way.
Do I pay TAVT on what I paid for the car?+
Not necessarily. For a used car, DOR says fair market value is the value in the state's assessment manual, which averages wholesale and retail values. A trade-in reduces it only in a dealer sale.
What if the seller still has a loan on the car?+
Every recorded lien has to be released on the title before you file. Gwinnett County warns that if the seller's lender doesn't provide the title within the seven-day period, you won't be able to title or register the car until it does.
Who signs the MV-1 if there are two owners?+
Both. The form says all owners listed in Section B must sign, and it has room for 2. Section B also has a box for joint tenancy with right of survivorship, under which a deceased owner's share passes to the survivor.
Run the VIN Before You Head to the Tag Office
Enter any 17-character VIN for a free preview. The full report lists title brands, NMVTIS junk and salvage records, insurance total-loss records, odometer readings, and auction records with the damage the auction recorded and its photos.
CarCheckerVIN is an independent vehicle-history service and is not affiliated with the Georgia Department of Revenue. This guide summarizes DOR's published Form MV-1 and its title, tax, fee and registration pages and is not legal or tax advice. Records in our reports reflect what was reported to our data providers. Our reports do not include police or repair-shop accident entries.
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