Some of Your Major Responsibilities as a
Licensed Motor Vehicle Dealer

As the selling dealer, you are required to:

• Apply for a title in your customer's name for any vehicle they purchase from your dealership within 30 calendar days of the date of sale, when a title is required. Click here to see if the vehicle requires a title. Click here to view the State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers' regulations regarding fines that may be imposed if the selling dealer fails to apply for a title within 30 calendar days of the date of sale.

• You, the selling dealer, are required to issue a temporary tag for your customer's use in operating their vehicle during the 30 day period of time they have to register and obtain a tag for the vehicle. Click here to read more about temporary dealer-issue tags, i.e. when to issue, when not to issue, etc. Your customer has 30 calendar days from the vehicle's purchase date to either purchase a tag or to transfer their existing valid tag to the vehicle from a vehicle they no longer own. Your customer will be unable to register and obtain a tag or transfer their existing valid tag to the vehicle if a title has not been issued for the vehicle, when required. Your customer cannot legally operate the vehicle without a valid tag issued for and affixed to the vehicle. Your customer is subject to fines and vehicle impoundment if stopped by law enforcement if they operate their vehicle without a tag; with an expired tag; or with a tag not registered to the vehicle.

• When financed, you must perfect the security interest holder's interest in the vehicle as of their contract's creation date by either applying for a title or filing a Notice of Security Interest, Form T-53D, (showing the security interest holder information) within 20 calendar days of the contract's creation date with either the Motor Vehicle Division or the County Tag Office . Click here for more information regarding filing a T-53D Notice of Security Interest.

• If you fail to apply for a title or file a Notice of Security Interest, Form T-53D, (showing the security interest information) within 20 calendar days of the contract's creation date, the security interest holder's interest in the vehicle is not perfected until either this office or the County Tax Commissioner's office receives a completed and signed title application or a Notice of Security Interest form, Form T-53D, showing the security interest information, the required fees and any required supporting documents required with title applications.

• Filing a Notice of Security Interest, Form T-53D, does not relieve a dealer of their responsibility to apply for a title for the vehicle in their customer's name(s), when a title is required.

• The selling dealer will be required to pay a $10.00 title title penalty, if they fail to apply for a title in their customer's name within 30 days of the date of sale, when a title is required. Click here to find out where to apply for a title.

You are not required to apply for your customer's tag or tag transfer; however, it is good customer service to do so. The same MVD tag and/or title application, Form MV-1, can be used to apply for both the title and tag or tag transfer at the Tag Office in the county in Georgia where your customer resides. We encourage you to apply for your customer's title and tag or tag transfer at the same time.

Penalties & Adverse Situations - Not Applying for a Title or Not Applying in the Required Timeframe

Avoid the following adverse situations by applying for your customer's title as soon as possible but by no later than 30 calendar days from the date of sale or 20 calendar days from the date of sale when the vehicle is financed.

• An unhappy customer - If your customer cannot obtain a tag or transfer their existing tag to the vehicle because the selling dealer has failed to apply for a title
• The selling dealer is liable for civil penalties and their failure to apply could be classified as a misdemeanor crime
• Subject to fines by the State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers
• Loss of their state-issued license.
• A disgruntled lender - when a selling dealer fails to perfect the lender's security interest in the vehicle as of the contract's creation date. A security interest in a motor vehicle is not perfected as of the contract's creation date when a title application or a Notice of Security Interest, Form T-53D, is not received by Motor Vehicle Division or the County Tag Office within 20 calendar days of the contract's creation date.

Please keep your name and address current with all state licensing agencies.