Name Change - Title

In order to change the name of a vehicle owner or to add or remove an owner from your vehicle title, the original title must be submitted to us. We cannot process this change through the mail, as this is treated the same as a vehicle sale even though one or more of the original owners will still be listed on the title. For additional information, please visit Vehicle Sales

If your original title is being held by a lienholder, please contact the lienholder for information on obtaining a new title. ALL titles issued with a lienholder have an additional fee of $15.00 to record or maintain the lienholder information.

To properly complete the reassignment section of the title, please keep the following guidelines in mind.

Changing to Married Name Only

With no other change to name field.

Example:  Vehicle is currently titled in the name of Mary Ann Single.  Mary wants to change her name on her title to Mary Ann Married, after her recent marriage to John N. Married.

• Mary would sign "Mary Ann Single" as the seller.
• Buyer or Transferee would be listed as Mary A. Married.
• Mary must complete an Application for Title and Registration with all of the information that will appear on the new title. 
• The odometer reading is not required as there is no change to the ownership of the vehicle.
• In the Affidavit section of the application, Mary would write:   "Name change only due to marriage."
• Title fee of $15.00 and any additional fees if the vehicle is not currently registered or if there is a lienholder.

Changing to Married Name and Adding a Spouse

Example:  Vehicle titled in the name of Mary Ann Single.   Mary wants to change her name on her title to Mary Ann Married and add her new husband, John N. Married, to the title. 

• Mary would sign "Mary Ann Single" as the seller.
• Buyer or Transferee would be listed as Mary A. or John N. Married.
• Either John or Mary must complete an Application for Title and Registration with all of the information that will appear on the new title.
• Title fee of $15.00 and any additional fees if the vehicle is not currently registered.  Add another $15.00 if there will be a lienholder on the new title.

Removing an Owner

Example:  Vehicle titled in the name of John Q. Public or Mary T. Public.  They would like to remove Mary T. Public from the title.

• Either John or Mary would sign as the seller.  (If there is an "AND" conjunction, both John & Mary would need to sign off the title.  In place of Mary's signature, a certified copy of a court order awarding the vehicle to John is acceptable, provided it has the complete and correct serial number of the vehicle.)
• Buyer would be listed as John Q. Public.
• John must complete an Application for Title and Registration with all of the information that will appear on the new title.
• Title fee of $15.00 and any additional fees if the vehicle is not currently registered.  Add another $15.00 if there will be a lienholder on the new title.

Lienholder Name Change

A "One in the Same" letter, also known as an "Identity Verification" letter, is a document used to verify that different names or variations of a name refer to the same individual. It may be required for financial institutions in the cases such as Alaska USA Federal Credit Union name change to Global Credit Union. This type of letter ensures that they are dealing with the correct person, especially when there are discrepancies or variations in the name on different documents.

What is a "One in the Same" Letter?

A "One in the Same" letter is an official document that confirms different names or variations of a name belong to the same individual. This letter is often required when there are discrepancies following business maneuvers like bank mergers or other official records.

Why Do I Need a "One in the Same" Letter?

The DMV must be able to reliably document the transfer from one person to another or one entity to another. Skipping a person or entity may violate their interest in the property. The One in the Same letter may be used to substantiate something like a name change where there wasn't technically a transfer from one party to another, just merely a name change involved. 

How to Obtain a "One in the Same" Letter

To obtain a "One in the Same" letter, follow these steps:

1. Contact the business that Changed its Name: Reach out to the financial institution or organization to request the letter. Contact the DMV for any clarification on what's needed email: doa.dmv.webmaster@alaska.gov

2. Notarization: The letter may need to be notarized. If it is an unknown entity, then the notary will assist with acceptance by the DMV.

3. Submit the Letter: Provide the letter to the DMV along with any required supporting documents.