A Power of Attorney for vehicle transfers allows one person to sign title and registration documents on behalf of another. This comes up frequently in the dealer context. For example, if a buyer purchases a vehicle but cannot return to the dealership to sign additional documents that DMV requires for processing, a Power of Attorney can authorize the dealer to sign certain documents on the buyer’s behalf.
The most common use of Power of Attorney in the dealer context is for odometer disclosures. Under certain circumstances, a secure Power of Attorney can be used to allow one party to make the odometer disclosure on behalf of another. However, the use of Powers of Attorney is governed by specific rules, and misuse can constitute fraud.
The key rules are: the Power of Attorney must be in writing, it must clearly identify the vehicle, it must clearly identify the principal (the person granting the authority) and the agent (the person receiving the authority), and it must specify what the agent is authorized to do. A general Power of Attorney — one that says “I authorize so-and-so to do anything on my behalf” — is not appropriate for vehicle transfers. Use the specific DMV forms designed for this purpose.
|
❌ Common Mistake A dealer uses a generic Power of Attorney form downloaded from the internet to sign title documents on behalf of a buyer. DMV rejects the transfer because the form doesn’t meet DMV’s requirements. The buyer is now waiting for their registration while the dealer sorts out the paperwork. Always use the proper DMV-issued Power of Attorney forms (such as REG 260) to avoid rejection. |