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Delaware title transfer fees
How much is the title fee in Delaware?
$35 or $55
Amounts in the quoted line; read it for which applies.
In plain English
The Delaware DMV's guidelines for new residents give the title fee as $35.00 if there is no lien, or $55.00 if there is a lien (a lender's claim) against the vehicle. Trailer and commercial vehicle registration fees are based on weight.
“The title fee is $35.00 if there is no lien or $55.00 if there is a lien against the vehicle.”
The official words for the rest
“Trailer and commercial vehicle registration fees are based on weight”
Worked example
Example: a $12,000 used car bought from a private seller in Delaware. Title fee: $35 or $55, whichever case in the quoted line applies. Tax is left out of this example. Not included: registration and plates, a lien fee, an out-of-state inspection, county or office add-ons, and late fees.
A made-up price; every other figure is from the quotes on this page. It is an illustration, not a bill.
What other fees come with it?
- Out-of-state inspection
“All vehicles with an out-of-state title are required to go through inspection. The model year and the registered weight of the vehicle will determine whether a full inspection or simply a VIN verification is required.”
What are the steps in Delaware, and by when?
In plain English
Delaware titles do not require a notary.
The official words
“Delaware titles do not require notary”
The DMV says failing to transfer a title within 30 days of purchase results in a late fee.
The official words
“Failure to transfer a title within 30 days of purchase will result in a late fee”
What if the car comes from another state?
New residents have
60 days
“New residents must title and register their vehicles within 60 days after becoming a Delaware resident.”
In plain English
New residents must title and register their vehicles within 60 days after becoming a Delaware resident.
The official words
“New residents must title and register their vehicles within 60 days after becoming a Delaware resident.”
All vehicles with an out-of-state title go through inspection, and the model year and registered weight decide whether that is a full inspection or simply a check of the vehicle identification number (VIN).
The official words
“All vehicles with an out-of-state title are required to go through inspection. The model year and the registered weight of the vehicle will determine whether a full inspection or simply a VIN verification is required.”
The 5.25% document fee has an exception when the owner presents proof of having paid another state a sales tax, transfer tax or similar levy on the purchase, and proof the vehicle was titled and registered within ninety (90) days before registering in Delaware.
The official words
“Whenever a motor vehicle is transferred into Delaware from another state and a title and a registration is sought, the owner must pay a vehicle document fee of 5.25% of the value of the vehicle (but not less than $8.00).”
“Exception: if the owner presents proof that he/she has paid to such other state, a sales tax, transfer tax or some similar levy on the purchase of the vehicle and provides proof the vehicle was titled and registered within ninety (90) days prior to registering in Delaware.”
What about tax on the purchase in Delaware?
In plain English
When a vehicle is transferred into Delaware from another state and a title and registration are sought, the owner pays a vehicle document fee of 5.25% of the vehicle's value, but not less than $8.00. Past a starting point the quote does not print, the statute raises the fee in increments of $5.25 for each additional $100 of purchase price or any fraction of it, rounded to the nearest dollar.
The official words
“Whenever a motor vehicle is transferred into Delaware from another state and a title and a registration is sought, the owner must pay a vehicle document fee of 5.25% of the value of the vehicle (but not less than $8.00).”
“The document fee payable thereafter shall increase in increments of $5.25 per each additional $100 of purchase price or any fraction thereof, rounded to the nearest dollar”
We don’t work out tax for Delaware.
What does a gift or family transfer change in Delaware?
Nothing on this in the official pages we read for Delaware. That is about our reading, not about Delaware’s rules.
What happens if the transfer is late in Delaware?
In plain English
On late titling, the statute charges a $35 penalty fee for issuing a new certificate of title on a Delaware titled vehicle when the application is received more than 30 days after the transfer date.
The official words
“A $35 penalty fee shall be charged for the issuance of a new certificate of title on a Delaware titled vehicle when the application is received more than 30 days after the transfer date of said vehicle.”
“Failure to transfer a title within 30 days of purchase will result in a late fee”
What the pages we read do not cover
The quotes we hold do not cover gifts or transfers within a family.
They do not say which office takes the application or what papers to bring.
They do not print where the document fee schedule starts.
How Delaware compares
The lowest title fee amount quoted for Delaware is $35. Of the other 37 states with a figure, 28 states quote less, 8 states quote more and 1 state quotes the same. A title fee is one line, not the whole cost.
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Reference only, not legal or tax advice. Confirm with the agency. Full statement
Sources
10 quoted lines from 5 official sources, each matched word for word on November 12, 2026. The state’s own titling page is dmv.de.gov.
- Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles, Guidelines for New Residents (PDF) · dmv.de.gov
- Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles, The Transfer of a Delaware Title Between Delaware Residents · dmv.de.gov
- Delaware Code, Title 21, Chapter 25, Transfer of Title · delcode.delaware.gov
- Delaware Code, Title 21, Chapter 23, Subchapter II, Liens · delcode.delaware.gov
- Delaware Code, Title 30, Chapter 30, Motor Vehicle Document Fee · delcode.delaware.gov