Vermont DMV Form VD-119: Transferring a Vehicle After Death

After a death in Vermont, every vehicle in the decedent's name has to be dealt with before the estate can be fully closed. The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles uses Form VD-119 — the Registration/Tax/Title Application — as the central document for executing title transfers in these situations. How that form gets used, and what else needs to accompany it, depends entirely on how the original title was held.

Getting this wrong at the DMV means a rejected transfer and a return trip. Here is the breakdown by ownership type.

The Four Title Transfer Scenarios

Vermont law provides different documentation requirements depending on how the vehicle was titled before the death. Match your situation to the correct column before heading to the DMV.

1. Vehicle Titled as Tenants by the Entirety or Joint Tenants

When a vehicle was jointly owned — either as tenants by the entirety (available to married couples) or as joint tenants — the surviving owner takes full title automatically at death. The probate court has no jurisdiction over this vehicle.

Required documents:

• Certified copy of the death certificate
• Form VD-119 completed by the surviving owner

The surviving joint owner signs and submits VD-119 at any Vermont DMV office, pays the applicable registration fees, and receives the new title in their name alone. No probate involvement required.

2. Vehicle with a Transfer on Death (TOD) Beneficiary

Vermont allows vehicle owners to pre-designate a beneficiary who will inherit the vehicle outside of probate using the VT-007 Transfer on Death brand on the title. When the owner dies, the beneficiary takes the vehicle automatically — no court involvement, no waiting for Letters of Administration.

Required documents:

• Certified copy of the death certificate
• Original title with any applicable lien releases
• Form VD-119 completed by the beneficiary

The TOD beneficiary goes to the DMV, presents these documents, and the vehicle is retitled in their name. This is the cleanest possible outcome and avoids the vehicle being frozen in the estate during probate.

3. Vehicle Held in Sole Ownership — No Probate Required

If the vehicle was in the decedent's name alone but the estate qualifies for Vermont's small estate process (or falls below any formal administration threshold), the court may confirm that no formal probate is needed and identify the heir.

Required documents:

• Certified copy of the death certificate
• Letter from a court officer confirming no formal probate is required and naming the heir entitled to the vehicle
• Original title

This route works for modest estates where the probate court has already made a determination — it is not a self-executing shortcut.

4. Vehicle Held in Sole Ownership — Formal Probate in Progress

If the estate is going through formal probate, the executor manages the vehicle transfer with the court's authority.

Required documents:

• Letter from the probate court confirming executor appointment (Letters of Administration)
• Original title with Section 1 completed and assigned by the executor

The executor signs the title over to the heir or to a buyer, and VD-119 is used to register the vehicle in the new owner's name.

The Surviving Spouse Exception: Transfer Up to Two Vehicles Tax-Free

Vermont law contains a significant benefit for surviving spouses that many families are unaware of. Under 23 V.S.A. § 2023 and § 3816, if the deceased spouse died intestate (without a will), or if their will did not specifically direct the disposition of motor vehicles, the surviving spouse can transfer up to two vehicles into their own name entirely free of title, registration, and purchase and use taxes.

This exemption covers cars, trucks, and SUVs. It also covers an unlimited number of vessels, snowmobiles, and ATVs — there is no two-vehicle cap on those categories.

Required documents for the surviving spouse exception:

• Form VD-119 (Registration/Tax/Title Application)
• Surviving Spouse Statement (confirming the eligibility conditions)
• Certified copy of the death certificate

This transfer does not require any probate court involvement. A surviving spouse can walk into the Vermont DMV office, present these documents, and leave with the vehicle retitled in their name — no filing fees, no title tax, no registration tax. It is one of the most practical administrative shortcuts available under Vermont law.

Applying for a Duplicate Title

If the original title is lost — which happens frequently when the decedent did not keep organized financial records — the estate will need to obtain a duplicate before any transfer can be completed. The Vermont DMV processes duplicate title applications separately from VD-119. The executor or authorized heir submits a duplicate title application with proof of authorization to act on the estate's behalf.

Do not attempt to transfer a vehicle without the original title or a properly obtained duplicate. The DMV will not process VD-119 without one.

When Insurance Becomes Urgent

Vehicle insurance lapses in some policies when the named insured dies. The executor should contact the decedent's auto insurer immediately after death to confirm that coverage remains in place on any vehicles being held in the estate during the probate period. If a vehicle sits in a garage uninsured for months, and something happens to it, the estate bears the loss. Most insurers will continue coverage for a reasonable administration period when notified promptly, but the notification has to happen.

Timing the Vehicle Transfer

The DMV transfer should be completed as early in estate administration as possible — particularly if there are insurance implications, if the vehicle is being sold, or if the surviving spouse intends to use the car immediately. Vehicle transfers do not have to wait for probate to close; the DMV operates independently of the probate court and processes VD-119 as soon as the required documents are presented.

For surviving spouses using the tax-free exception, there is no reason to delay. The documents are straightforward, the DMV office is accessible, and the process is designed to be completed without any probate involvement at all.

Coordinating the Vehicle Transfer with the Rest of the Estate

The DMV is one of several agencies an executor or surviving family member must coordinate with after a Vermont death. While the vehicle transfer is often one of the simpler tasks — especially with the surviving spouse exception or a pre-designated TOD — the broader estate settlement process involves the Vermont Probate Court, the Vermont Department of Taxes, the Department of Vermont Health Access (for Medicaid recovery questions), and the local Town Clerk's office for any real property transfers.

The Vermont Estate Settlement Guide provides a complete sequenced checklist covering the DMV transfer alongside the probate, tax, real estate, and agency notification steps — with the specific forms and documentation requirements for each stage. Vermont's system is more decentralized than most, and knowing the sequence ahead of time prevents the back-and-forth between agencies that slows most estates down.

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