Alabama Power of Attorney for Car Title Transfer: MVT 5-13 and Vehicle Registration

Your parent cannot get to the DMV to sign a vehicle title. They are in the hospital, traveling out of state, or physically unable to make the trip. You have a financial power of attorney — but the county tag office says they need a different form. This is one of the most common POA frustrations in Alabama, and understanding the distinction between the MVT 5-13 and a general financial POA saves hours of runaround.

The MVT 5-13: Alabama's Vehicle-Specific POA

The Alabama Department of Revenue issues a specific power of attorney form for motor vehicle transactions: Form MVT 5-13. This form is designed exclusively for vehicle registration, title transfers, and related DMV transactions. It authorizes a named individual to act on the vehicle owner's behalf for a specific transaction — signing a title, registering a vehicle, or transferring ownership.

The MVT 5-13 is a limited, transaction-specific POA. It identifies the vehicle by year, make, model, and VIN, names the agent authorized to act, and describes the specific transaction being authorized. The vehicle owner signs it, and in most cases the signature must be notarized.

County licensing offices and the Alabama Department of Revenue accept the MVT 5-13 as the standard authorization document for vehicle transactions. It is free to download from the state's motor vehicle division website.

When a Financial POA Works Instead

A general financial power of attorney under the Alabama UPOAA can also authorize vehicle transactions — but it must be drafted correctly. The UPOAA's statutory form includes "motor vehicles" as one of the enumerated categories of authority under general grants. If the principal checked or initialed that category, the agent has authority to handle vehicle title transfers, registrations, and sales.

The practical difference is acceptance. County tag offices and DMV staff are trained to process the MVT 5-13. They may not be familiar with a multi-page financial POA document, and some offices will push back on anything other than the MVT 5-13, even when the financial POA legally grants the same authority.

Use the MVT 5-13 when:

• The transaction is a one-time event (buying, selling, or titling a single vehicle)
• The vehicle owner is competent and can sign the MVT 5-13 form
• You want the fastest processing with the least pushback

Use the financial POA when:

• The principal is incapacitated and cannot sign a new MVT 5-13
• Multiple vehicles need to be handled over time
• The agent needs ongoing authority for all financial matters, not just one vehicle transaction

The Incapacity Problem

This is where the MVT 5-13 breaks down. The form requires the vehicle owner's signature. If the owner is incapacitated — hospitalized with dementia, in a coma, or otherwise unable to sign — they cannot execute a new MVT 5-13.

A durable financial POA that was signed while the principal was competent survives their incapacity under Section 26-1A-104. The agent can use this document to handle vehicle transactions months or years after the principal loses the ability to sign anything. The MVT 5-13 has no such durability feature — it is a one-time authorization that requires the owner's current signature.

This is why elder law attorneys recommend executing a comprehensive durable financial POA while the parent is still competent, rather than relying on transaction-specific forms that require fresh signatures for each use.

How to Present a Financial POA at the Tag Office

If you need to use a financial POA instead of the MVT 5-13, bring the following to the county licensing office:

1. The original power of attorney — or a high-quality photocopy (Section 26-1A-106(d) gives copies the same legal effect, but original documents face less resistance)
2. The vehicle title — signed by the agent in the proper format: "Principal's Name, by Agent's Name, Agent under Power of Attorney"
3. Your government-issued photo ID — as the named agent
4. An Agent's Certification — the sworn statement under Section 26-1A-302 confirming the POA is valid and has not been revoked

If the tag office staff insists on the MVT 5-13 and the principal cannot sign one, ask to speak with a supervisor. Point to the UPOAA's motor vehicle authority provision and the notarized POA. If the office still refuses, the county's probate judge office can provide guidance on POA acceptance for motor vehicle transactions.

Signing the Title Correctly

When the agent signs a vehicle title on behalf of the principal, the signature format matters. The standard format in Alabama is:

[Principal's Full Legal Name], by [Agent's Full Legal Name], Attorney-in-Fact

Some title offices accept "Agent under Power of Attorney" instead of "Attorney-in-Fact." Either is legally correct, but matching the language used in the POA document itself avoids confusion.

The Alabama Power of Attorney Kit includes the agent duty reference sheet with proper signature formats for vehicle titles, real estate deeds, bank documents, and other common transactions.

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