When a Power of Attorney Can and Cannot Be Used
General and "Limited" Powers of Attorney

A general or "limited" power of attorney can be used to authorize another person to act on the grantor's behalf to complete, sign and/or pick-up motor vehicle title and/or tag documents. These powers of attorney cannot be used by the owner(s) to appoint the purchaser(s)/transferee(s) of their vehicle as their attorney-in-fact when the vehicle requires an odometer declaration on an acceptable secure document. These power of attorney can be used if the vehicle is exempt from the odometer declaration requirements and when some one other than the purchaser/transferee is being appointed as the seller(s) or transferor(s)' attorney-in-fact.

Click here to see a list of vehicles that are exempt from the odometer declaration requirements of the Federal Truth in Mileage Act.

T-8S Secure Powers of Attorney

A T-8S secure power of attorney form is a power of attorney containing language and security features recommended by the Federal Truth in Mileage Act to deter illegal reproduction and help make alterations visible to the naked eye.

The difference in this power of attorney and others is this form is printed on security paper and provides language and spaces for an odometer declaration and an acknowledgment when the other powers of attorney do not. Secure powers of attorney provide:

• Spaces for the seller(s) or transferor(s) to enter the odometer reading at the time of sale;
• Boxes for the seller(s) or transferor(s) to check when the entered odometer reading does not reflect the total actual miles the vehicle has traveled;
• Spaces for the seller(s) or transferor(s) to print and sign their name(s) declaring the entered odometer information is correct.
• Spaces for the purchaser(s) or transferee(s) to print and sign their name(s) acknowledging the odometer disclosure made by the seller(s) or transferor(s);
• This form allows the appointed attorney-in-fact to apply for a replacement when the original title is missing.
• This form authorized the attorney-in-fact to transfer the odometer information exactly as shown on this form to the title when the title becomes available.

Secure powers of attorney can only be used when the title is not available at the time of sale or transfer because the title is missing or is being held by the owner(s)' lien or security interest holder.

If the owner's title is available (i.e. At home in the owner's safe), a secure of attorney cannot be used. In this case, the title should be retrieved and properly assigned to the purchaser(s) or transferee(s).

Secure power of attorney forms are not available at State Motor Vehicle Division or the county Tax Commissioners' offices. These forms may be purchased from one of the following two authorized dealer associations: