Register a vehicle in Michigan

By · checked

Title and register a vehicle in Michigan: documents, Michigan No-Fault insurance, the 15-day title deadline and the fees the Secretary of State lists.

Your situation

How did you get the vehicle?
Online or in person
Only some transfers · Office visit unless online or dealerOnline title transfer is one person to one person only, with a Michigan paper title and no buyer financing. Otherwise visit a Secretary of State office. Anyone whose name will be listed as an owner goes to the office. You can appoint an agent or power of attorney instead.
Cost
$15 title transfer feePlate transfer $10 to $15. 6 percent sales tax. $15 late fee if the title isn't transferred within 15 days of the sale. For a new plate, use the state's registration fee calculator.
You leave with
60-day permit online, or paperwork at the officeFor an online transfer with a new plate, a 60-day permit can be printed after approval.

Your plan

  1. Gather your documents

    • Show accepted documents
      • Odometer disclosure on the title, or an Odometer Mileage Statement
      • Lien termination, if there was a loan

  2. Transfer the title within 15 days

    You have 15 days to transfer the title after the date of the sale. A $15 late fee is assessed after that.

    Title transfer and vehicle registration ↗

  3. Pick the one that fits you:

    1. Option 1: Transfer online if you qualify

      Both buyer and seller need a valid Michigan license or ID and an online service account. Allowed: one individual seller to one individual buyer, a Michigan paper title, a car, minivan, SUV, motorcycle, pickup or van, and no buyer financing. Approval can take up to 3 days.

      Check online requirements ↗

    2. Option 2: Schedule an office visit

      Pay the title and registration fees and the 6% sales tax if applicable.

      Schedule an office visit ↗

Common reasons people get turned away

  • Out-of-state insurance is not accepted; all vehicles need Michigan No-Fault insurance to be registered.
  • The seller must give you the original title, not a photocopy.
  • Making changes to a title, such as crossing out a name, invalidates it.
  • The VIN and odometer reading on the title must match the vehicle.

Offices that register vehicles

Title and registration are done at a Secretary of State office. Eligible one-person-to-one-person title transfers can be done online, and most dealerships handle the paperwork for you. Agency source.

131 offices where you can register a vehicleSee them on a map, search by county or show the ones open now

Largest cities with them: Detroit (6) · Grand Rapids (2) · Warren (1) · Sterling Heights (1) · Ann Arbor (2) · Lansing (2)

Results show offices where you can register a vehicle or may be able to, nearest first, each labelled.

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Sources · checked October 30, 2026

We wrote this plan ourselves from the official pages above on the date shown. Agencies change rules without notice: the official page always wins. DMV Decoded is independent and not a government agency; we don't book appointments or take payments.