Gift transfer — What You Need to Know
The vehicle is transferred to the recipient with no monetary consideration. Gift transfers often have special tax implications and may require notarization depending on the state.
Seller guidance
If the vehicle's fair market value exceeds the annual gift tax exclusion ($18,000 for 2024 per IRS), the donor must file IRS Form 709 (United States Gift and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Return). The lifetime exemption ($13.61 million in 2024) typically means no tax is owed, but the form is still required. Some states require the word "gift" on the title or a separate gift affidavit to waive use tax.
Buyer guidance
You will likely owe use tax on the fair market value of the vehicle at registration unless your state exempts immediate family gifts. California, for example, exempts transfers between parents, children, spouses, and domestic partners. Check your state DMV for exemption eligibility.
Legal note (Wisconsin-specific)
Wisconsin charges 5% state sales tax plus 0.5% county tax on vehicle sales, but exempts immediate family transfers. Qualifying family includes spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, and grandchild. Complete Title/License Plate Application (Form MV1) and mark as a family transfer to claim the exemption.
Gift transfer checklist
- Establish fair market value (Kelley Blue Book or comparable)
- Determine if IRS Form 709 filing is required (value >$18,000 in 2024)
- Obtain state-specific gift affidavit or complete the gift section on the title
- Confirm state sales/use tax exemption eligibility for family gifts
- Notarize the bill of sale or gift affidavit if your state requires it
- Complete Form MV1 (Title/License Plate Application)
- Mark the transaction as a family transfer to claim the tax exemption
- Verify the recipient qualifies as immediate family under WI law
Electric Vehicle Safety & Recall Information
Data sourced from NHTSA safety ratings and recall databases
Average Safety Rating
4.6 / 5
Avg. Price Range
$12,000–$60,000
Odometer Disclosure
Required
Safety checkpoints for electric vehicle buyers
- Check battery State of Health (SOH) — capacity degradation below 70% significantly reduces value
- Verify full charge range matches manufacturer specifications for the model year
- Test DC fast charging capability — some older EVs have degraded charge acceptance
- Check for any battery recall or warranty coverage status
- Confirm orange high-voltage cabling is intact and shielding is undamaged
- Verify regenerative braking smoothness and one-pedal-driving function
- Test pedestrian-warning sound (federally required at low speed)
- Inspect for prior collision-repair history that touched the battery pack tray
Common recall categories
Battery/High VoltageSoftware/OTA UpdatesCharging SystemBrakesElectrical
On average, each electric vehicle model has approximately 2.8 recalls. Always check your specific vehicle at NHTSA.gov/recalls before completing a sale.
Birchwood Gift transfer electric vehicle pdf — when to file
Wisconsin requires title transfer within 10 days of the sale date on the bill of sale. For gift transfer transactions specifically, file at Wisconsin DMV – Birchwood (Visit https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv to find the nearest Birchwood office) during normal hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (verify hours with local office). Miss the 10-day window and Wisconsin 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 Birchwood bill of sale, your government-issued ID, and payment for the $165.00 title transfer fee plus 5% 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 Wisconsin DMV – Birchwood; the seller keeps a duplicate to prove the date of transfer if a future liability question arises before the title fully retitles.