Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney Form

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PDF Word ODT

Updated September 12, 2022

A motor vehicle power of attorney is a form that can be used to designate another person (agent) to handle vehicle-related responsibilities on their behalf (e.g. registering, title, selling the vehicle, etc.).

By State

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• Washington D.C.
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

How it Works (5 steps)

1. Gather Vehicle Information
2. Select the Agent
3. Choose Powers
4. Signing
5. Using at the DMV

1. Gather Vehicle Information

The owner will have to gather their ownership records including:

• Certificate of Title;
• Registration;
• Proof of Insurance;
• License Plates; and
• Any Other Documents that may be required by the local motor vehicle office.

This information will be used to certify the owner and verify vehicle information.

2. Select the Agent

Select an individual or company to handle the owner’s requests. This should be someone that is trustworthy and can handle the responsibility that is given to them.

3. Choose Powers

If the powers are restricted, make sure to define the agent’s limitations. For example, if the agent is only allowed to register the vehicle make sure to write it in a clear manner.

Vehicle power of attorney forms can be written to allow someone else to sell a vehicle, therefore, make sure to write the form specific to the owner’s needs.

Vehicle Bill of Sale – Use as a purchase contract for a vehicle between a buyer and seller.

4. Signing

After downloading and writing the form, the principal, in most states, will be required to sign in the presence of a notary public. This can be completed in any of the following ways:

• Physical Location
  • Financial Institution (Bank of America, Chase, TD Bank)
  • UPS Store
  • Notary Directory (provided by the American Association of Notaries)
• Online
  • Notarize.com
  • NotaryCam.com

After the form is notarized, the agent will be able to begin acting on their newly acquired powers.

5. Using at the DMV

The agent must present a signed physical copy of the vehicle power of attorney form at the DMV. In addition, they must bring state or federally-issued identification to confirm they are the person named as the agent.

Once verified, the agent can perform any acts for the principal at the DMV.

Signing Requirements

Sample

How to Write

Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word, OpenDocument

I. The Parties

(1) Date Of Effect. The calendar date when this document becomes an active instrument that delivers principal power over a Vehicle Owner’s automobile should be dispensed to the first paragraph of the First Article.

(2) Name Of Vehicle Owner. This instrument for authorization will need to clearly identify the Vehicle Owner who will act as the Principal. Supply his or her name to the first line in “Principal.” This will be the person who approves of the actions taken by the Agent in this document. In some cases, the Vehicle Owner is a Business Entity. If so, the entire legal name of the Entity should be reported on this line. Bear in mind there will be slightly different execution requirements depending upon whether the Principal is a Person (Private Party) or a Business Entity.

(3) Mailing Address Of Vehicle Owner. The formal mailing address of the Principal must be dispensed to the second line in “Principal.”

(4) Name Of Vehicle Agent. The Agent, sometimes known as the Attorney-in-Fact, will also have to be identified in the First Article. This requires a record of the name of the Person who should possess the principal authority to perform actions with the Principal’s vehicle as defined through this document’s content. Report the full name of this Agent (or Attorney-in-Fact) on the first line of “Agent.”

(5) Mailing Address Of Vehicle Agent. In addition to his or her legal name, the official mailing address of the Agent is required on the second line in the “Agent” section.

II. The Vehicle

(6) Make. Naturally, it will be necessary for the vehicle that the Agent will take action with on behalf of the Principal to be properly defined. The identification process for the concerned vehicle will begin with its Manufacturer. The Manufacturer’s name can be found on the back of the car, in its owner’s manual, or in its title. Obtain this information, then produce the full name of the vehicle’s Manufacturer on the line attached to the label “Make.” Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai, and Toyota are all examples of Vehicle Manufacturers.

(7) Model. Manufacturers will often identify the different types of vehicles they produce by classifying them as specific models. Locate the “Model” of the vehicle on the back of the car or as reported by its owner’s manual then record it on the second line of the Second Article. For example, a Blazer is a model made by Chevrolet, a Bronco is a Ford model, an Elantra is manufactured by Hyundai, while a Corolla is a model made by Toyota.

(8) Year. The year when the Manufacturer produced the vehicle must also be included, thus, continue to record the year of this vehicle’s production on the third available line in Article II. This information can often be found on the body of the car, the owner’s manual, or the title of the vehicle. Keep in mind, that the year when the vehicle was manufactured may not necessarily be the same year it was purchased.

(9) Style. Each model also has a style. Identify the “Style” of this vehicle on the line labeled “Style” by reviewing its owner’s manual or inspecting the vehicle. Sedans, station wagons, hatchbacks, and sports cars are all different styles of vehicles.

(10) VIN. The vehicle identification number will enable anyone reviewing this document to identify one specific vehicle as the automobile that the Agent will be given principal authority over. Locate the vehicle identification number on the title of the car. If needed, the VIN (vehicle identification number) may also be found on the vehicle itself. Generally, this number will be on the driver’s side dashboard (on the front near the windshield), on the front of the engine block, or, in some cases, on the door pillar on the Driver’s side. Since every vehicle will have a unique vehicle identification number, it will be imperative to reproduce this number exactly as it is presented by its source.

IV. Execution

(11) Principal’s Signature. The Vehicle Owner (the Principal behind this paperwork) must produce his or her signature directly to the “Principal’s Signature” line. As mentioned in the First Article, there will be slightly different signature requirements depending on the Principal. If the Principal is a human being (Private Party) then, he or she should sign the “Principal’s Signature” line. However, if the Principal is a Business (i.e. a Car Rental Agency, Dealership, etc.) then the Business that owns the vehicle must appoint someone to sign his or her name on the “Principal’s Signature” line on behalf of the Business as its Signature Representative.

(12) Date. After signing this document the Signature Principal must produce the current calendar date on the “Date” line.

(13) Date Of Birth. If the Principal is a Private Party, then his or her birth date should be documented when signing this paperwork.

(14) Social Security Number. When a Private Party acts as the Principal in this paperwork and delivers authority over his or her motor vehicle, there must be no question as to his or her identity. Therefore, his or her “Social Security Number” must be submitted to the formatted area presented in the statement “If An Individual…”

(15) Entity Identification Number. If the Principal is a formal Business Entity, then it should have been assigned a “Federal EIN” from the I.R.S. This nine-digit number should be produced to the spaces provided by the “If An Entity…” statement.

Notary Public

(16) Acknowledgment Of Notary. The signature provided by the Principal must be notarized by an actively certified Notary Public. This Party will subject the Principal and the signature process to notarization and complete the “Notary Public” section with the location of the signing, the date when it occurred, his or her own name and title (Notary Public), and the legal name of the Principal before confirming the completion of the notarization process through the presentation of his or her name, credentials, and seal.