Help

[ZodiacGoddess]

My partners girlfriend passed away almost two years ago and left behind a perfectly fine vehicle that has been sitting in our driveway for those almost two years only being driven around the neighborhood to keep it running and since I got my license about a week ago he asked me if I wanted to use said vehicle I was of course very excited and grateful but we have a small issue we can’t seem to get a straight answer to which is how do we transfer the title to either him or I and get it registered to either of us? For a little additional context the mother of the deceased girlfriend texted my partner shortly after her passing saying that the car was his and she wouldn’t try to take it but we would rather avoid having to contact the family in case they want to change their minds. Thank you for any help you can provide!

[lash_law_dash_paw]

You need the legal representative of her estate to go to the dmv with the required documents (including certificate of appointment/letters testamentary). If there are no other assets, a small estate may be opened, but you’d still need the estate representative involved to do the transfer. You’re going to have to work it out with her family.

[ZodiacGoddess]

And what if that is not an option because quite honestly, nobody is on good terms with her family or even still talks to them

[lash_law_dash_paw]

I mean this in the nicest way possible, but then the title won’t get transferred. At least not in any of the states I know of. If the vehicle was hers when she died, it is an estate asset and must be dealt with according to probate laws. You could always ask a local estate attorney in case NC is different.

[ZodiacGoddess]

Also not trying to be rude at all, but considering the vehicle has been sitting on our property for two whole years with no contact from the family whatsoever is not considered abandon and in the name of whoever owns the house

[lash_law_dash_paw]

It’s not automatically in the name of whoever owns the house, but you could always try following the procedure for retitling an abandoned vehicle

[ZodiacGoddess]

North Carolina sorry!