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Vehicle FAQ
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  • What is TAVT?
    Title ad valorem tax (TAVT)is a one time fee collected at time of title application.
  • How much will TAVT be?
    Please see the TAVT Estimator on the Georgia DRIVES website to calculate your TAVT.
  • When and where do I pay TAVT?
    TAVT is collected at time of title transfer in the county of residence.
  • Does TAVT apply to new and used cars?
    TAVT applies to all titled vehicles, whether new or used.
  • What if I purchase the vehicle from a Georgia-registered dealer?
    TAVT is collected by the dealer at the time of sale.
  • What if I purchase a vehicle from someone other than a dealer?
    TAVT applies to all motor vehicle sales that require a title.
  • Will I need to renew the registration each year after I’ve paid TAVT?
    Registrations must be renewed each year.
  • Is the “birthday tax” completely going away?
    The annual ad valorem/birthday tax system remains in effect if a vehicle was purchased prior to 3/1/2013 and/or for all trailers and vehicles 1985 and older that are not titled.
  • Can a vehicle be transferred to an immediate family member or inherited by an immediate family member without having to pay TAVT?
    A motor vehicle transfer or inheritance may be subject to TAVT by an immediate family member depending on if the former owner has paid TAVT:If the former owner of the vehicle did not paid TAVT and was paying annual ad valorem tax on the vehicle, the new owner may choose to either:-Remain in annual ad valorem tax system and therefore not be subject to TAVTOR -The new owner may elect at the time of transfer to pay TAVT based on the fair market value.If the former owner of the vehicle paid TAVT at the time they purchased the vehicle then the new owner’s TAVT rate will be 0.5% of the fair market value.Immediate family member is defined as a spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild as well as step-parent, step-child, or step-sibling.
  • What documentation is required to prove that it is a family transfer or inheritance?
    The transferor and transferee will have to complete an Affidavit to Certify Immediate Family Relationship affirming that such persons are immediate family members. In the case of death, an Affidavit of Inheritance is required.
  • I am a new resident of Georgia. How does TAVT affect me?
    New residents are required to register and transfer their title to Georgia within 30 days of residency. TAVT is due at time of titling at 3% of fair market value.
  • What is not subject to TAVT?
    TAVT applies to any motor vehicle purchased on or after March 1, 2013 for which a Georgia title is issued. For motor vehicles that have no title, TAVT does not apply. Likewise, for vehicles that have a title but are not motor vehicles, TAVT does not apply. For vehicles not subject to TAVT, normal sales and use tax rules and annual ad valorem tax may still apply.For example, the following are not subject to TAVT:Pull-behind trailers and pull-behind campers (non-motorized)Mopeds (non-titled)Any vehicle for which a Georgia title has not been issued, such as:-vehicles manufactured prior to 1963 (these vehicles are not eligible to receive a Georgia title)-1963 -1985 model year vehicles that do not have a Georgia title (these vehicles may have a Georgia title but are not required to in all cases)
  • I have a motor vehicle with a model year between 1963 – 1985 and want to have it titled. Does TAVT apply?
    Yes. 1963 – 1985 model year motor vehicles for which a title is obtained are subject to a TAVT of 1% of fair market value as determined by the state and will receive the associated sales and use tax exemption and the exemption from the annual ad valorem tax.
  • What other TAVT exemptions are available?
    Titles being corrected, replaced, or reissued to the same ownerAddition or substitution of lienholders on the title so long as the owner of the motor vehicle remains the sameMotor vehicles on which TAVT was paid and the owner subsequently moves out of state but later returns and retitles the same motor vehicle in Georgia are not subject to TAVTVehicles registered in the International Registration Plan are not subject to TAVT though they are still subject to sales tax.

Are motor vehicles acquired by veterans exempt from TAVT?
The following veterans may be eligible to receive an exemption from TAVT:Disabled Veteran receiving a grant from U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs to purchase and adapt a vehicle for their disability

  • Disabled Veteran who is being paid out at 100% disabled and entitled to receive service-connected benefits, or who is entitled to a statutory award from the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs for loss of certain faculties
  • Former Prisoner of War or their un-remarried surviving spouse
  • Purple Heart Recipient
  • Medal of Honor Recipient

I plan to donate my car to a non-profit organization. Does the non-profit organization have to pay TAVT when the title is transferred to its name?
If a vehicle is donated to a 501(c)(3) non-profit, then that organization shall only pay a TAVT rate of 1% of the fair market value of the motor vehicle when the vehicle is titled in the name of the non-profit organization.

Titles

When is a Georgia title required for my vehicle?

Titles are required for any 1986 & newer year model motor vehicle, travel trailers, car/tow dollies (weighing 2,001 lbs or more), motorcycles and campers. Titles are also required for any 1963 & newer mobile or manufactured homes.

Titles not required for 1962 or older year model vehicles. Also not requiring a title are:

  • Agricultural, horticultural or livestock raising equipment or vehicles not required to be registered.
  • Airplanes, aircraft
  • All terrain & off-road vehicles
  • Boats, watercraft, and boat trailers
  • Buses owned & operated by an urban transit system
  • Cranes
  • Driver education vehicles used in public or private schools
  • Fifth wheel trailers/campers/tow dollies
  • Homemade car/trailers/tow dollies
  • Mopeds
  • Nonresidents’ vehicles (vehicles owned by non-Georgia residents)
  • Pole trailers
  • Tow dollies (car) weighing 2,000 lbs or less
  • Trailers weighing 2,000 lbs or less
  • Vehicles not manufactured for highway use

Titles Optional

Vehicles purchased on or after March 1, 2013 and titled in this state are exempt from sales and use tax and the annual ad valorem tax. Instead, these vehicles are subject to TAVT.

You can title a 1963-1985 year model vehicles if all three (below) apply:

  • You have a title issued in your name;
  • The owner on the front of the title has assigned the title to you;
  • The owner on the front of the title has assigned the title to a dealer and the dealer has assigned the title to you.

You cannot title a 1963-1985 year model vehicle if:

  • The vehicle has been registered in someone else’s name(s) other than the owner(s) shown on the face of the last Georgia title.

What if title isn’t available for a 1986 or newer model vehicle?

If the vehicle owner does not have the correct reassigned title to obtain a Georgia title in their name, a Georgia title may be obtained on the basis of a title/surety bond.

Important: To obtain a Georgia title based on a title/surety bond, the vehicle owner must be a legal resident of Georgia and the vehicle must require a Georgia title. For more information, please visit the Department of Revenue.

What do I need to get a Georgia title for my mobile or manufactured home?

  • A completed and signed Form MV-1 Title/Tag Application.
  • If the mobile or manufactured home is a double-wide or a triple-wide, a separate title application is required for each side if a separate title or manufacturer’s certificate of origin is issued for each side.
  • An original valid manufacturer’s certificate(s) of origin or title.
  • $18.00 title fee is due for each title application.-Apply for your title at the tag office in the county in Georgia where your home is located. If ad valorem tax is due, it must be paid at the time of application. Contact your county tag office to determine if ad valorem tax is due.
  • A title is required for ownership transfer for any mobile/manufactured home model year 1963 and newer.

Registration

What do I need to register and obtain a Georgia title and license plate in my name for a vehicle that is currently titled in Georgia?

  • New purchase information can be found HERE.

What do I need to get a Georgia title and license plate for my vehicle that is currently titled and/or registered in another state?

  • New Resident information can be found HERE.

How do I register a non-titled vehicle?

In order to properly register a non-titled vehicle, the owner of the vehicle is required to provide proof of ownership. Proof of ownership is established with the bill of sale from the last registered owner. If chain of ownership is broken, a T-22B, Serial Plate Verification Form is required.

What do I need to register and obtain a Georgia license plate and certificate of title for a leased vehicle?

  • A completed and signed Form MV-1 Title/Tag Application.
  • Original power of attorney from the leasing company when the leasing company is appointing someone (i.e. lessee) to sign on their behalf.
  • An original valid title or manufacturer’s certificate of origin issued in the leasing company’s name or properly assigned to the leasing company.
  • Acceptable proof that your vehicle is insured with Georgia mandatory liability insurance. For more information, click HERE.
  • Georgia Driver’s license with current Hall County address

How do I change the address on my Georgia registration?

Update your Georgia driver’s license or identification card with the Department of Driver Services with new Hall County address and submit to our office. For more information, click HERE.