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North Dakota title transfer fees
How much is the title fee in North Dakota?
$5
In plain English
The Department of Transportation's registration manual gives the certificate of title fee as $5, and its dealer page lists the same $5.00. The manual also lists a separate fee of $1.50 that applies to all new and out-of-state vehicles except mobile homes, motorcycles and snowmobiles.
“C. Certificate of title fee is $5. D. Motor vehicle excise tax (5%) must be remitted when purchase constitutes a sale.”
The official words for the rest
“Certificate of title fee - $5.00”
“Fee of $1.50 applies to all new and out-of-state vehicles except mobile homes, motorcycles, snowmobiles”
Worked example
Example: a $12,000 used car bought from a private seller in North Dakota. Title fee: $5. Tax at the quoted 5% of $12,000: $600, before any trade-in, credit or exemption in the quoted lines. 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?
- Abandoned vehicle disposal fee$1.50not added
“Fee of $1.50 applies to all new and out-of-state vehicles except mobile homes, motorcycles, snowmobiles”
- Lien fee
“If ownership is not being transferred, any lien or mortgage shown and not released will be shown on the North Dakota certificate of title.”
What are the steps in North Dakota, and by when?
In plain English
The purchaser must submit the certificate of title to the division for transfer within 30 days of receiving it.
The official words
“Purchaser must submit certificate of title to the division for transfer within 30 days of receipt.”
The license fee is an annual fee based on the year the vehicle was first registered and its weight.
The official words
“License fee is an annual fee, based on year first registered and weight of the vehicle.”
What if the car comes from another state?
In plain English
For an out-of-state vehicle entering North Dakota, the motor vehicle excise tax (5%) must be paid, or proof shown that tax was paid.
The official words
“Motor vehicle excise tax (5%) must be remitted or proof of tax paid on an out-of-state vehicle entering North Dakota.”
The $1.50 fee applies to all out-of-state vehicles except mobile homes, motorcycles and snowmobiles.
The official words
“Fee of $1.50 applies to all new and out-of-state vehicles except mobile homes, motorcycles, snowmobiles”
If ownership is not changing, any lien or mortgage shown on the old title and not released is carried onto the North Dakota certificate of title.
The official words
“If ownership is not being transferred, any lien or mortgage shown and not released will be shown on the North Dakota certificate of title.”
What about tax on the purchase in North Dakota?
In plain English
State law puts an excise tax of five percent (5%) on the purchase price of any motor vehicle bought or acquired, in or outside North Dakota, for use on the state's streets and highways. The manual says it is computed on the full purchase price less any trade-in allowance and must be sent in when the purchase is a sale.
The official words
“There is hereby imposed an excise tax at the rate of five percent on the purchase price of any motor vehicle purchased or acquired either in or outside of the state of North Dakota for use on the streets and highways of this state”
“The tax is computed on the full purchase price less any trade-in allowance.”
“C. Certificate of title fee is $5. D. Motor vehicle excise tax (5%) must be remitted when purchase constitutes a sale.”
The tool below multiplies the quoted percentage by a price typed in, as an illustration. Trade-ins, credits and exemptions are not applied.
A calculator on a state or county government site: Motor Vehicle - Fee Calculation (apps.nd.gov).
What does a gift or family transfer change in North Dakota?
In plain English
If the vehicle is a gift and does not qualify for an exemption, its value is based on the National Automobile Dealers Used Car Guide. The sentence we hold does not list the exemptions.
The official words
“If the vehicle is a gift and does not qualify for an exemption, the value is based on the National Automobile Dealers Used Car Guide.”
What happens if the transfer is late in North Dakota?
Nothing on this in the official pages we read for North Dakota. That is about our reading, not about North Dakota’s rules.
What the pages we read do not cover
The pages we read do not give a penalty for transferring the title late.
They do not give a fee for recording a lender's claim on the title.
They do not give a deadline for new residents or say which office to visit.
How North Dakota compares
The title fee quoted for North Dakota is $5. Of the other 37 states with a figure, 1 state quotes less and 36 states quote more. A title fee is one line, not the whole cost.
LowerHigher
The states whose flat title fee sits closest to North Dakota’s. Each figure is copied from the quote at the top of that state’s page, with its source and read date. A title fee is one line, not the whole cost.
Every state in one table · How a title transfer works
Add it up for North Dakota
Reference only, not legal or tax advice. Confirm with the agency. Full statement
Sources
10 quoted lines from 3 official sources, each matched word for word on November 12, 2026. The state’s own titling page is dot.nd.gov.
- North Dakota Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Registration Manual (PDF) · dot.nd.gov
- North Dakota Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Dealer Resources (Including Out-of-State Dealers) · dot.nd.gov
- North Dakota Century Code, chapter 57-40.3 Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (PDF) · ndlegis.gov