For good reason, our NH Titles & Regulations training is one of our most attended and requested seminars or webinars. Our last session, held December 6, 2023, was another full house and productive training led by the NH DMV Title Division. If you are interested in attending a session our next will be in-person on February 7 and April 10, 2024. For future sessions keep an eye on our training page and weekly email newsletter. Filing a title application is a comprehensive process that all motor vehicle retailers in New Hampshire should be familiar with.
By paying attention and reducing the paperwork errors below, title processing times can be sped up at the DMV, at the town clerk’s office, and with the registration agent.
All of this will lead to faster turnaround time for you and your customer.
MISALIGNED FORMS
Registration agents and the Title Bureau staff are seeing increased misaligned forms. These forms can be hard to read and, at times, obscure necessary information.
Despite being required for a successful title application, the following fields are often forgotten:
- Gross vehicle weight
- Prior title numbers and state
- Model name of vehicle
- Number of axles on the vehicle
- Number of cylinders
- Driver’s license number
DEALER NUMBER AND SIGNATURE
As a dealer, remember to sign the application and provide your dealer number. If you do not provide this, the application will be suspended.
Please do not keep the owner’s original registration, as it is needed for the transfer of plates. Give the customer the original town clerk’s copy and the owner’s copy of the title application.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: If the lienholder changes, does the customer need to sign the amended application?
A: No, the customer’s signature from the original application will suffice. When sending in the new application, indicate the amended version is supporting a new lienholder.
Q: If we receive a vehicle title from a state that does not have and/or conjunctions and we are titling to NH customers, just A. and B., do we need to obtain both signatures?
A: No, that would be considered an “or” conjunction in New Hampshire.
Q: If a customer comes in with a vehicle that is willed to him or her, can I accept the vehicle in trade? A: No, NH does not allow the transfer of vehicle ownership via a will. Vehicles can be titled in the name of a customer's trust, and the trustees of the trust can transfer the ownership of the vehicle.
By paying attention to these issues, we can work with all of our partners in the titling and registration process to make things speedy and uninterrupted.
We all want a quick turnaround time for title work. Accurate information is key in that process.
In addition to the quick tips above, the comprehensive title application process will be reviewed in its entirety during our in-person seminar on February 7 at 9:00 AM at the NHADA headquarters. The cost for NHADA members is $49, and non-members $69.
For advanced questions, do not hesitate to contact me at dbennett@nhada.com or (603) 244-2369 or the DMV title bureau dealer helpline at (603) 227-4160.