To register a vehicle in Idaho:
• The vehicle must belong to an Idaho resident or business.
• The vehicle must be titled in Idaho before it can be registered. (You can apply for vehicle
registration immediately after submitting the required documents to a county assessor’s
motor vehicle office.)
• If you are a new resident, you must register and title your vehicle(s) within 90 days.
An Idaho resident is anyone whose principal home has been in Idaho for 90 continuous days,
although residency may be declared at any time earlier, and vehicles may be titled and
registered at that time. Idaho residents who are temporarily in another state (i.e., students or
military personnel) may request titles and registrations for their vehicle(s) through the mail.
What should I bring when applying for my vehicle registration and title? You should bring the
following:
• The vehicle being titled and registered. You will need to have the vehicle identification
number (VIN) inspected. This inspection can generally be performed by a deputy of
either the county assessor motor vehicle office or the county sheriff’s office.
• Current title and registration. If the vehicle has not been titled in your name, be sure the
title has been signed over to you by the seller, and that you have a bill of sale from the
seller. If the title is being held by a lienholder, bring the lienholder’s name and address.
If your title has been lost, you will need to apply for a duplicate title from the state of
issuance.
• Your personal identification.
• Cash or a check for payment of any applicable taxes and fees
For additional information regarding vehicle licensing and titling, contact your local county
assessor’s motor vehicle office.
Titling Procedure:
If an Idaho resident purchases a vehicle from an Idaho dealer, that dealer will prepare an
application for title for the owner and file it with the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) or
a county assessor motor vehicle office within 30 days of delivery. If the vehicle was purchased
from an out-of-state dealer or from a private party, and a financial institution is recording a lien,
they may file the application for title. Otherwise the buyer must file the following documents
with a county assessor’s motor vehicle office within 30 days of transfer to avoid a $20.00 latefiling
penalty:
• Title (for used vehicles) – must be properly released by the previous owner and
lienholder (if any), or Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (for new vehicles) – must be
properly released by the dealer and assigned to the owner.
• Bill of Sale – must include vehicle description, sales price, buyer’s full legal name,
original signature of seller, and date. A bill of sale is not required if the seller has
entered the sales price on the title in a space dedicated for this information.
• Odometer Disclosure – required for any transfer of a motor vehicle less than 10 years
old and under 16,000 lbs. G.V.W. Disclosure must be entered on the title.
• Vehicle Identification Number Inspection – completed by an officer of the law, DMV
employee, military police officer, or Idaho licensed vehicle dealer. (Out-of-state
lienholders: If the vehicle and owner are in Idaho, the Vehicle Identification Number
inspection can often be performed by the County Assessor’s office, Sheriff’s office, or
City Police Department where the owner resides.)
• Fees – A. Sales tax equal to 6% of the purchase price (minus trade-in if purchased from a
licensed dealer), or documentation that at least 6% sales tax was paid to the state of
purchase or that the vehicle was purchased at least three months prior to the date the
purchaser moved to Idaho. (The latter exemption does not apply to businesses bringing
vehicles to Idaho from a non-taxing state.) In most cases, a taxing state’s title issued in
the applicant’s name is sufficient documentation that tax was paid at that state’s tax
rate.
• Title fee – $14.00
• Registration fee (visit the “Registration Fees” tab).
• Power of Attorney – include if applying for a title with a county assessor’s motor vehicle
office through the mail. This authorizes the County Assessor to sign the application for
the owner. The Power of Attorney must fully describe the vehicle and be signed by the
owner/applicant.
• Title Application (optional) – Out-of-state dealers, lienholders, and leasing companies
may prepare.