Title Document Overview

Make sure you adhere the Important Dealer Updates memo dated 7/30/2025, regarding Dealer License Number on forms and 'homemade' title and registration forms.

Title documents and most supporting documentation is required to be scanned into MAX. View the Document Management topic for more information on required T&R documents to scan.

Arizona Titles

An Arizona Certificate of Title (title) is the ownership document of a vehicle that is titled in Arizona. The title is valid for the life of the vehicle, provided the vehicle ownership remains the same.

When the owner of a vehicle, titled in Arizona, decides to sell their vehicle to an individual, company, or dealership, the current Arizona paper title or Title Transfer (Bill of Sale), form #38-1306 must be properly signed. View the Forms Required for T & R topic > Title Transfer (Bill of Sale) section for more information on the bill of sale.

Once a title is properly signed, the title will represent acceptable proof of ownership and will be surrendered to the buyer. The properly signed Arizona title will then be used to transfer ownership to the new buyer.

When a vehicle is sold on an 'open title' (the first purchaser of a vehicle, as shown on the sold notice filed with Division (if applicable), sells the vehicle to another person without first obtaining title) the Division will allow the owner in possession of the signed title to be entered on the title as the purchaser.

Current Arizona Title (December 2023 - Present)

Previous Arizona TItles

Manufactured Certificate of Origin

The Manufactured Certificate of Origin (MCO) is the birth certificate document for any vehicle or trailer issued by all vehicle manufacturers (Ford, GMC, Honda, etc.) and is sent the licensed dealership for every vehicle the dealership purchases.

Out-of-State Title Documents

There are two different scenarios for out-of-state titles:

  1. A customer has moved to the state of Arizona and is becoming a resident
  2. An out-of-state person sells their vehicle to an Arizona resident

An Arizona resident, who is to be the new owner of the vehicle, must obtain a title in their name before selling or transferring ownership to another person, company, or dealer.

Bill of Sales with Out-of-State Titles/Vehicles

The Division does not accept just an in-state or out-of-state bill of sale as proof of ownership to obtain title to a vehicle.

The exception to this is a bill of sale, along with the title, from the owner shown on the face of the title to the buyer is acceptable only when the seller’s signature is incomplete or incorrect on the title and the title cannot be returned to the seller for completion.

When the title is assigned to an individual with an out-of-state address (nonresident) and the vehicle has subsequently been sold to an Arizona resident, company or dealer, the Division will not require the nonresident to obtain title. A bill of sale from the nonresident to the new owner (Arizona resident) is required.

The Division will require proof of the out-of-state address. Proof may be one of the following:

  • The out-of-state address is written on the title or bill of sale form
  • A copy of the out-of-state credential

Other Acceptable Ownership Documentation

Policies

8.2.1 General Title Information

Forms

#38-1306 Title Transfer (Bill of Sale)

#48-0107 Title Only Certification

#48-2004 Bill of Sale

#96-0236 T&R Application (Single)

Charts

Converting Out of State Legal Status to Arizona