No, both parties do not need to be present for a title transfer in Virginia. The Virginia DMV prefers that the buyer and seller sign the title together, but state law gives you three workable alternatives: the absent party can sign in front of a notary ahead of time, either side can appoint an agent through a power of attorney, or the whole transaction can be completed by mail.
Virginia Code § 46.2-621 expressly lets a vehicle owner or their “duly authorized attorney-in-fact” apply for a certificate of title, so the titling statutes were written with absent-party situations in mind.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 46.2 Chapter 6 – Titling and Registration of Motor Vehicles
Power of Attorney Using Form VSA 70
Either the buyer or the seller can appoint someone else to handle the transfer by completing Virginia DMV Form VSA 70. The form gives the agent authority to sign the certificate of title and any other DMV paperwork needed to register or transfer ownership.2Virginia DMV. Power of Attorney to Sign for Owner (Form VSA 70)
The agent can be anyone you trust. The owner’s signature on the VSA 70 should be notarized, and the agent then brings the completed form to the DMV alongside the rest of the transfer documents, or includes it with a mail submission.
One thing to watch: if the seller is signing through a power of attorney rather than signing the title in person, the odometer reading must be recorded on the VSA 70 itself, not just on the title.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-629 – Odometer Reading to Be Reported on Certificate of Title
Pre-Notarized Signature on the Title
If the seller simply can’t get to the DMV but doesn’t want to hand off broad authority to an agent, they can sign the title assignment in front of a notary public in advance. The notarized title then goes to the buyer, who submits it to the DMV with the other required paperwork.
Virginia was the first state to authorize remote online notarization back in 2012, so a seller who has moved away can often complete the notarization by video with a Virginia-commissioned online notary rather than tracking down one in person.
Mail-In Transfer With Neither Party at the DMV
Virginia lets buyers title and register a vehicle entirely by mail, which means neither party has to walk into a DMV office. The buyer mails in the signed and assigned title, a completed Application for Title and Registration (Form VSA 17A), a bill of sale or Vehicle Price Certification (Form SUT-1), and a check or money order for all fees.4Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Submit Titling and Registration Applications by Mail
For USPS, send everything to:
Virginia DMV
Titling Department
P.O. Box 27412
Richmond, VA 23269
For UPS or FedEx, use 2300 West Broad St, Richmond, VA 23269. Send original documents only, never photocopies, and use a tracking number. The DMV does not accept credit card numbers by mail.
What You Still Need to Assemble
Whether you’re handling the transfer in person, through an agent, or by mail, the paperwork is the same. Gather it all before you start; a missing document will stall the transfer.
- The certificate of title with the seller’s assignment section fully endorsed, including disclosure of any security interests. Willfully failing to properly assign the title is a Class 3 misdemeanor.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-628 – How Certificate of Title Transferred
- Application for Certificate of Title and Registration (Form VSA 17A), completed by the buyer.6Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Application for Certificate of Title and Registration (Form VSA 17A)
- A bill of sale showing the purchase price, date of sale, and both parties’ names. If you don’t have one, the DMV requires Form SUT-1 instead.
- Odometer reading recorded on the title (or on the VSA 70 if a power of attorney is being used).
- Form VSA 70, if either party is transferring through an agent.
A good bill of sale includes the vehicle identification number, make, model, year, sale price, date, and both parties’ signatures. Keep a copy; it protects you if a dispute comes up later about what was agreed to.
Fees Still Apply
An absent-party transfer doesn’t change what the buyer owes. Virginia charges a $15 title fee and a Sales and Use Tax of 4.15% of the gross sales price or $75, whichever is greater — so even a $500 car triggers a $75 tax.7Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Title Your Vehicle or Trailer8Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax Registration fees, which vary by vehicle weight, are separate. Most buyers title and register together and pay all of it in one transaction.
If you’re registering at the same time, you’ll also need proof of liability insurance meeting Virginia’s minimums. The old option of paying a $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee instead was eliminated on July 1, 2024, so coverage is now mandatory before the DMV will process registration.9Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Insurance Requirements
The 30-Day Clock and Why Sellers Shouldn’t Wait
Buyers have 30 days from the date of purchase to apply for a new title in Virginia.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 46.2 Chapter 6 – Titling and Registration of Motor Vehicles Sellers, meanwhile, are required to endorse and deliver the title at the time the vehicle changes hands, and a willful failure to do so is a Class 3 misdemeanor.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-628 – How Certificate of Title Transferred
The 30-day window is not a reason to relax. Until the title is transferred, the seller stays the registered owner in DMV records, and parking tickets, toll violations, and accident liability can land on the wrong person. Sellers should complete the transfer section on the registration card to notify the DMV of the sale, which helps cut off that exposure while the buyer works through the paperwork.
If the parties can’t meet, pick one of the three routes above, get the notarization done, and send the packet in. The transfer will go through the same way it would across a desk at the DMV.