Georgia Form MV-1 — Motor Vehicle Title/Tag Application

About Form MV-1

Official name: Georgia Form MV-1 — Motor Vehicle Title/Tag Application

Issued by: Georgia Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division

Purpose: Buyer uses MV-1 to apply for a new Georgia title and registration. For a used vehicle, Georgia's 7% Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) is based on the state assessment manual value, not the price on a bill of sale.

When required: A private-sale buyer must register at the county tag office within 7 business days of purchase, presenting the title application (MV-1) at that visit. Title and TAVT late penalties start after 30 days. A bill of sale (Form T-7) is required only for 1985-or-older vehicles that do not need a title.

What Form MV-1 is

Form MV-1 (Revised 02/2024) is the Motor Vehicle Title Application of the Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division. You use it when you apply for a tag and title.

Fill in the whole form, printed clearly or typed, and hand it in with all required documents at the county tag office in the county where you live (or to the Department of Revenue when that applies). It is not a bill of sale: Georgia's bill of sale form is T-7.

The form, section by section

• A, vehicle: VIN, make, model, body style, current title number and the state that issued it, your Georgia county and tax district, year, color, cylinders and fuel type. Add the odometer reading, any odometer exception (exempt, over the mechanical limits, or not the actual mileage) and the date purchased. Commercial vehicles answer extra questions about weight and use.
• B, owners: the number of owners, whether the vehicle is leased, and whether you picked it up out of state when buying from an out-of-state business. Each owner gives their full legal name, driver license number and state, date of birth, email, phone and address.
• Joint owners can choose "joint tenant with the right of survivorship", so a deceased owner's share passes to the other owner.
• C, seller: the seller's full legal or business name and address, their Georgia county, and for a dealer or bank their 12-digit customer ID and sales tax number.
• D, lessee, and E, lienholders: only if the vehicle is leased or financed. Lienholders are listed with their 12-digit ELT ID.
• F, attorney-in-fact: if someone signs for you, attach the original power of attorney when the title is to be mailed to them.

What your signature means

Every owner listed in Section B must sign. By signing, each owner swears that the statements are true. The form warns that a false name or address, or a material false statement, is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, up to five years in prison, or both.

Deadlines and the TAVT

• Register within 7 business days of the purchase, and present the title application at that visit.
• After 30 days, a $10 title penalty applies. TAVT paid late adds a 10% penalty plus 1% more each month.
• Georgia charges a one-time 7% Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) instead of sales tax and the yearly ad valorem tax. For a used vehicle it is based on the value in the state assessment manual, not on the price you paid.
• A bill of sale (Form T-7) is required only for a 1985-or-older vehicle that does not need a title. For a titled vehicle, the signed title and the MV-1 carry the transfer, and no notary is needed.

What to Include in a Georgia Bill of Sale

A complete bill of sale usually includes:

• Seller name and address
• Buyer name and address
• Year, make, model
• VIN
• Odometer reading
• Sale price
• Date of sale
• Both signatures