Family transfer — What You Need to Know
The vehicle is transferred between immediate family members. Many states offer reduced or waived sales and use tax for qualifying family transfers.
Seller guidance
Identify whether your state's DMV has a specific family transfer exemption form or requires a relationship affidavit. Qualifying relationships vary by state but typically include spouses, parents, children, siblings, and grandparents. Keep the bill of sale simple and clearly state the relationship.
Buyer guidance
Even if no money changes hands, you will owe use tax on fair market value in some states unless you qualify for the family exemption. Bring your relationship documentation (marriage certificate, birth certificate) to the DMV when re-registering. The title transfer process is otherwise the same as a standard sale.
Legal note (Massachusetts-specific)
Massachusetts exempts intra-family vehicle transfers from the 6.25% sales/use tax, provided the transferee is a spouse, parent, child, brother, or sister and the transferor previously paid Massachusetts sales or use tax on the vehicle. Use Form MVU-26 (Affidavit in Support of a Claim for Exemption from Sales or Use Tax for a Motor Vehicle Transferred Within a Family). The MVU-26 exemption eliminates both the sales tax and the $25 gift fee. Grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, and cousins do not qualify for MVU-26; those transfers must use MVU-24 and pay the $25 gift fee if no consideration is exchanged.
Family transfer checklist
- Confirm qualifying family relationship under your state's DMV rules
- Obtain the required family transfer exemption form or affidavit
- Document fair market value on the bill of sale (for tax records)
- Bring relationship proof (marriage certificate, birth certificate) to the DMV
- Determine if IRS Form 709 is required if value exceeds the annual gift exclusion
- Complete Form MVU-26 (Affidavit — Family Transfer) — eligible relationships: spouse, parent, child, brother, sister only
- Bring proof of relationship (birth certificate or marriage certificate) to the RMV
- Transfers to grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, or cousins do not qualify — use MVU-24 with $25 fee instead
ATV Safety & Recall Information
Data sourced from NHTSA safety ratings and recall databases
Average Safety Rating
0 / 5
Avg. Price Range
$2,000–$12,000
Odometer Disclosure
Not required
Safety checkpoints for atv buyers
- Check CV boots and axle condition — the most common failure point on ATVs
- Inspect skid plate and frame for cracks from off-road impacts
- Verify winch operation if equipped
- Test 4WD engagement and differential lock
- Confirm parking brake holds on a slope
- Verify throttle limiter is intact and free of binding
- Test kill switch and engine-off function
- Inspect handlebars for crash bend or weld repair
Common recall categories
Fuel SystemSteeringSuspensionElectricalThrottle
On average, each atv model has approximately 2.1 recalls. Always check your specific vehicle at NHTSA.gov/recalls before completing a sale.
Malden Family transfer atv pdf — when to file
Massachusetts requires title transfer within 10 days of the sale date on the bill of sale. For family transfer transactions specifically, file at RMV – Malden (Visit https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-registry-of-motor-vehicles for the nearest Malden, MA office) during normal hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–5:00 PM. Miss the 10-day window and Massachusetts typically charges a late-transfer penalty plus accrued use tax, and the seller can remain on the title for civil liability until the buyer completes retitling. Bring the signed title, the completed Malden bill of sale, your government-issued ID, and payment for the $75.00 title transfer fee plus 7.75% sales tax on the purchase price.
PDF reminder. Whether you keep your pdf as a signed digital PDF, both buyer and seller should leave the signing with an identical executed copy. The buyer needs the original to present at RMV – Malden; the seller keeps a duplicate to prove the date of transfer if a future liability question arises before the title fully retitles.