What is a Title Transfer?

Adam Broud

Published 4/2/25

Estimated Read Time: 6 Minutes

TL;DR: Title transfer is the final (and very important) step in making your leased car officially yours after a buyout. It involves a few key documents, DMV deadlines, and fees. Lease End can handle it all for you—digitally, stress-free, and, potentially, without you setting foot in a DMV line.

You’ve decided to buy out your leased car (cue confetti), and you’re feeling pretty good. But before you cruise off into the sunset with your “new” used car, there’s one last piece of the puzzle: the title transfer.

This is the step where the vehicle’s legal ownership passes from the leasing company to you. Without it, you can’t register the car, sell it, or even prove it’s really yours. Think of it like a deed for a house—except with a VIN and fewer square feet.

Here’s everything you need to know (and what Lease End takes off your plate for you).

What Is a Car Title Transfer?

A title transfer is the official process of transferring ownership of a vehicle from one party to another. In the case of a lease buyout, the leasing company is handing the title over to the new lender we set you up with. In most cases, the driver does not hold the title until they pay it off.

Why It Matters:

You can’t register the car without it.
You’ll need it for insurance, resale, or refinancing.
It’s the final legal step to full vehicle ownership.

Lease Buyout Paperwork: What You Need

To complete a title transfer, you’ll need to gather several documents. Don’t worry—this isn’t like filing your taxes. It’s more like... doing a group project where the DMV is the kid who never brings their part.

Here’s what most states require:

Document	What It Is
Bill of Sale	Proof you bought the car.
Odometer Disclosure	Confirms your mileage at time of purchase (a federal requirement).
Title Transfer Form	DMV form to officially update ownership.
Proof of Insurance	Required in most states to register the car.
Valid ID	Usually a driver’s license.
Vehicle Title	Comes from the leasing company once payments are processed.

Oh, and some states require a smog or safety inspection too. (California, we’re looking at you.)

What It Costs

The cost of a title transfer depends on your state, but here’s a ballpark:

Fee Type	Average Cost
Title Transfer Fee	$15–$100
Sales Tax	Varies (typically 5–10% of buyout price)
Registration	$50–$300 depending on state and vehicle
DMV Processing Fees	$8–$50 in some states

When we do a deal, we take care of all the title and registration fees. We'll calculate your exact fees upfront so you’re not blindsided.

How Long It Takes

Most states give you 10 to 30 days to transfer the title after a lease buyout. If you miss the deadline, you could face late fees—or worse, legal issues registering the vehicle.

DMV processing times:

Mail-in: 4–6 weeks
In-person: 1–2 hours (plus line-waiting purgatory)
With Lease End? A few clicks, from your couch. (Though we are bound by your state's processing time. Believe us, if we could make bureaucracy shorter, we would.)

Common Title Transfer Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Mistakes = delays. Here are a few we see often:

Mileage discrepancies
→ Always double-check your miles! Mileage is where our title department sees the most errors.
Wrong or missing paperwork
→ Confirm you have your VIN and signatures.
Unpaid and outstanding taxes, fees, or fines
→ These must be resolved before the transfer can be finalized.

How Lease End Makes It Easy

The good news? Lease End handles your title transfer for you. That means:

✅ We coordinate with the leasing company.
✅ We calculate and pay DMV fees on your behalf.
✅ We file all paperwork digitally.
✅ We deal with the DMV, so you (depending on your state) you may not have to.

All while you binge your favorite series on the couch or finally organize your junk drawer.

With Lease End, your car becomes legally yours—no red tape, no DMV visits, and no “oops, I forgot to sign that form” moments.

Final Lap: Your Next Steps

Check your lease for residual value and fees. (We can help you find this info if you can't.)
Request your payoff amount from the leasing company. (We can help with this too.)
Use Lease End to secure financing and start the title transfer process.
Sit back and relax while we do the legwork.

Because if you’re going to own your car, you should do it the easy way.
Skip the lines. Skip the stress. Check out the form below.

GET STARTED WITH YOUR LICENSE PLATE

Use VIN

About the author
Adam Broud

Adam Broud is a writer and comedian based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. As a professional stand-up comedian with an MBA, his writing uniquely blends the worlds of business and comedy. Adam's writing for ads and comedy has appeared in places such as Buzzfeed, Vanity Fair, your television, and his mom's box of keepsakes. Feel free to review his writing from any of those places, but just know it's kinda weird if you choose his mom's house.

Lease End's mission is to empower auto lease owners with the technology to easily exit their lease. If you'd like to learn more about the lease-end options available to you, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our expert advisors are always prepared to answer your questions and are committed to finding the right plan for your individual needs.

©2025 Lease End

Give Us a Call:

(844) 902-2842