Ex has car, but won't transfer vehicle registration to his name after divorce

[Anonymous]

My ex got two vehicles in the divorce settlement that are both registered in my name. The divorce was finalized in January, and he refuses to register the cars in his name (says it is too much hassle, he has an important job, blah, blah, blah). I have offered to go to the MVA for him with all the forms, a limited power of attorney from him, and do all the work for him. He won't even get the stuff together to allow me to do that.

If one of the vehicles is involved in an accident, I am still the registered owner. I am assuming that I can be sued even though the divorce decree says he is the owner. I signed over the car title to him at the court house (witnessed by both lawyers). Am I off the hook? If not, what can I do?

I can't afford to use my divorce lawyer for this, could I file some sort of civil case myself to get the show on the road? How would I find a much cheaper lawyer to work on this?

[Anonymous]

Can't you just drop the registration? Then if it gets in an accident and he is the owner of the car he can deal with the repercussions of having an unregistered vehicle. Just go to the DMV website and say you sold the car and drop it from your insurance and property tax profiles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't you just drop the registration? Then if it gets in an accident and he is the owner of the car he can deal with the repercussions of having an unregistered vehicle. Just go to the DMV website and say you sold the car and drop it from your insurance and property tax profiles.

Threaten to do that and if he really doesn't get his act together, actually do it.

[Anonymous]

I didn't think that I could just drop the registration. Interesting.

[Anonymous]

Yep. Car is sold. Report it to the DMV. Cancel the registration.

That means ex is driving on a car with invalid registration and "stolen" plates, a potentially arrestable offense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't you just drop the registration? Then if it gets in an accident and he is the owner of the car he can deal with the repercussions of having an unregistered vehicle. Just go to the DMV website and say you sold the car and drop it from your insurance and property tax profiles.

It's been several years, but I was in the same situation. I signed over the title -- he was very anxious to get that done! The registration and tickets kept coming to my house though. I'm almost positive I went in and changed his address on the registration. I needed his social security number and the VIN, if I recall correctly. Yes, you need to get your name off the registration. I am not 100% if my name was ever on there though -- I think it was registered in his name since it was "his" car, and my name was on the title and the loan. Slightly different, but you can cancel a registration. I would simply notify him when you have done this. You don't have to of course, but it will then be up to him to keep his car registration current and at least you know you did what you could to prevent him from getting arrested. He does not want to get in an accident in an unregistered vehicle.

[Anonymous]

I'm the first PP and I am positive you can just cancel it, OP. We recently gave my stepson an old car of ours for his first car. He lives in another state. We sent the title to his mom, then I went to the DMV website, signed in, declared that vehicle as sold and it dropped the registration. Then went to insurance website and property tax website and did the same thing. It takes 20 seconds. Just do it and tell him "your car isn't registered any longer." He will get it done if he knows it's no longer registered. Don't warn him, just do it.

[Anonymous]

Could you report the cars as stolen? They are still registered in your name.

Also, stop trying to do everything for your ex, he is a big (divorced) boy and can handle it on his own.

[Anonymous]

In a similar situation, MY CAR ended up being impounded. My kids (in Halloween costumes) and I had to walk home.

[Anonymous]

I knew that DCUM would have some answers, lol. I called the MVA this morning and the lady told me there wasn't anything they could do -- that I would have to proceed with a civil suit. Ridonkulous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I knew that DCUM would have some answers, lol. I called the MVA this morning and the lady told me there wasn't anything they could do -- that I would have to proceed with a civil suit. Ridonkulous

Send a certified letter to your DH with the relevant portion of your divorce decree highlighted. Tell him he is in violation of the divorce decree and if he doesn't register the cars by X date, you will file suit to enforce the decree and request reimbursement for the costs of enforcing it. Then do it. Because it's really not about registering the cars, it's about enforcing the divorce decree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I knew that DCUM would have some answers, lol. I called the MVA this morning and the lady told me there wasn't anything they could do -- that I would have to proceed with a civil suit. Ridonkulous

Send a certified letter to your DH with the relevant portion of your divorce decree highlighted. Tell him he is in violation of the divorce decree and if he doesn't register the cars by X date, you will file suit to enforce the decree and request reimbursement for the costs of enforcing it. Then do it. Because it's really not about registering the cars, it's about enforcing the divorce decree.

x2. I used to be a paralegal and the lawyers would joke that you pay them all that money basally to write letters. Because when someone gets a threatening letter in legalese they almost always take that shit seriously.

[Anonymous]

Have an attorney send a certified letter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I knew that DCUM would have some answers, lol. I called the MVA this morning and the lady told me there wasn't anything they could do -- that I would have to proceed with a civil suit. Ridonkulous

Some facts must be missing because what the lady at MVA told you is contrary to what happened in my case. You are not required to keep a registration (and plates) on a car that you no longer own and I actually was told that it is illegal - the divorce settlement is deemed a "sale or transfer" of title.

In my case, I signed over the title to a vehicle as part of a divorce settlement also and he recorded it right away. I then went to MVA with my divorce paperwork - they pulled up the title to verify the transfer and I was able to cancel my registration and turn in my plates. The variable in your case may be that you have allowed him to dirve on yor plates and registration - but like I said, I think that is illegal. If I were you, I would go to MVA in person and ask to speak to the supervisor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I knew that DCUM would have some answers, lol. I called the MVA this morning and the lady told me there wasn't anything they could do -- that I would have to proceed with a civil suit. Ridonkulous

Some facts must be missing because what the lady at MVA told you is contrary to what happened in my case. You are not required to keep a registration (and plates) on a car that you no longer own and I actually was told that it is illegal - the divorce settlement is deemed a "sale or transfer" of title.

In my case, I signed over the title to a vehicle as part of a divorce settlement also and he recorded it right away. I then went to MVA with my divorce paperwork - they pulled up the title to verify the transfer and I was able to cancel my registration and turn in my plates. The variable in your case may be that you have allowed him to dirve on yor plates and registration - but like I said, I think that is illegal. If I were you, I would go to MVA in person and ask to speak to the supervisor.

x2. Workers at the MVA are lazy and hate their job. Of course they wont go out of their way to explain things over the phone.