Oregon title and registration, step by step

Which forms, which fees and which deadlines. For a car bought in the state and for one you bring from another.

In Oregon the title is issued by Oregon Department of Transportation — Driver and Motor Vehicle Services (DMV) (Oregon DMV). Oregon issues paper titles. At sale, the seller signs the title (or a Bill of Sale) and the buyer submits it to DMV. If there is a loan, the lender usually gathers the documents and sends them to DMV for you. Starting January 1, 2027, if it is requested on the application, DMV gives the primary lienholder an electronic title and that lienholder must submit the lien release electronically within 30 days of releasing it (ORS 803.092(4), text operative from 2027).

Where it happens. At an Oregon DMV office (by appointment, or drop-in where offered) or by mail to Oregon DMV, 1905 Lana Ave NE, Salem, OR 97314. For a car, pickup or SUV you can prepare the application and calculate the fees online with the guided DMV2U application, but you still have to bring it in or mail it: DMV does not take the title application over the internet. Confirm the deadline and the event that starts it for your transaction: a purchase, receipt of the signed title or a move into the state can have different rules. Late-fee information in the state sources: $25 (31–60 days) / $50 (more than 60 days).

Case 1: you bought a car in Oregon (private seller)

What the seller hands you

• The title with the transfer section completed: your name and address, sale price, date, odometer reading and the seller's signature (both owners if two names are joined by "and").
• If there was a loan: a lien release from the bank, or the lien already removed from the title.
• A bill of sale with VIN, price and signatures. You need it for the sales tax.

What you bring to the office

• The state forms (below), completed.
• The signed title and the bill of sale.
• Applicable insurance or financial-responsibility documents: Liability 25/50/20 ($25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, $20,000 property damage). The policy must include PIP (medical expenses up to $15,000) and uninsured motorist coverage at the same limits as liability unless you choose the minimum in writing.
• Valid photo ID.
• Payment: title, registration, plate and sales tax if not paid yet.

Case 2: you bring a car from another state

• Everything above, plus: Yes. A car with an out-of-state or foreign title needs a physical VIN inspection. In Oregon, DMV does it at the office ($9), even during your title appointment. If the car is out of state, that state's DMV or a law enforcement officer can do it.
• The original out-of-state title (or the bank's letter if it holds it for the loan).
• Tax: Oregon charges no sales tax when you buy a car: the Department of Justice puts it this way, “There is no sales tax on any vehicle purchased in Oregon.” What does exist is a 0.5% tax on the sale price of vehicles of 26,000 pounds GVWR or less with 7,500 miles or less (or sold with a certificate of origin), bought from a dealer and never registered in Oregon. With an Oregon dealer the tax is the dealer's and may be passed on to you; from an out-of-state dealer the Vehicle Use Tax is yours and is due within 30 days (5% penalty for paying late, 20% for not filing within 30 days, plus interest). A trade-in and a down payment do NOT reduce the taxable price. The document fee, registration fees, warranties and gap insurance are not taxed. You can subtract sales, use or privilege tax you already paid to another jurisdiction, with proof (ORS 320.410(4)). Buying from a private party triggers no tax at all.

Forms

• 735-226 — Application for Title and Registration
• 6603 — Title and registration instructions
• 501 — Vehicle Bill of Sale
• 515 — Application for Replacement Title
• 6436 — Certification of Liens

Fees — confirm current amounts (Oregon DMV)

Amounts come from the linked state sources and can change. This guide distinguishes source checkpoints from narrow claim reviews; confirm the total for your transaction before you go. A dash means an amount has not been confirmed here.

Sales tax

Oregon charges no sales tax when you buy a car: the Department of Justice puts it this way, “There is no sales tax on any vehicle purchased in Oregon.” What does exist is a 0.5% tax on the sale price of vehicles of 26,000 pounds GVWR or less with 7,500 miles or less (or sold with a certificate of origin), bought from a dealer and never registered in Oregon. With an Oregon dealer the tax is the dealer's and may be passed on to you; from an out-of-state dealer the Vehicle Use Tax is yours and is due within 30 days (5% penalty for paying late, 20% for not filing within 30 days, plus interest). A trade-in and a down payment do NOT reduce the taxable price. The document fee, registration fees, warranties and gap insurance are not taxed. You can subtract sales, use or privilege tax you already paid to another jurisdiction, with proof (ORS 320.410(4)). Buying from a private party triggers no tax at all.

If you sell: protect yourself

Listed seller-notice or transfer document: Notice of Sale or Transfer of a Vehicle (DMV Form 735-6890), or online in DMV2U. Check its conditions and the state process below. In Oregon, plates stay with the vehicle (ORS 803.530). The seller may remove them before the sale to move them to another car they own ($30). The seller notifies DMV within 10 days through DMV2U; they stay listed as owner until the buyer transfers the title. The buyer has 30 days to apply for title in their name; after that they owe the late fee and commit a Class D traffic violation (ORS 803.105). The late fee is not charged if you prove to DMV that you made a good-faith effort or that the delay was beyond your control. Keep copies of the title, filed notices and handover date to answer later registration, toll or ownership questions.

Mistakes that cost

• Missing the deadline. Check the deadline and consequence for your transaction; filing periods and penalties do not all start from the same event.
• Title with cross-outs or correction fluid. Ask the issuing agency which correction or replacement document it accepts before using it.
• Buying with an "open" title (signed by a previous owner, not the person selling to you). Confirm the ownership chain and the documents the agency requires before paying.
• Showing up without in-state insurance. Confirm the insurance or financial-responsibility documents required for your situation.