Form T-20, Affidavit of Inheritance of a Motor Vehicle, is the sworn statement an heir signs so that a Georgia certificate of title can be issued in the heir's name for a vehicle that belonged to a deceased owner. The form is a Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division document, and it is posted by the Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner, whose website also covers Gwinnett County property tax bills. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; it must still be signed, notarized and taken to a Gwinnett tag office.
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What is T-20?
Form T-20, Affidavit of Inheritance of a Motor Vehicle, is the Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division form in which an inheritor swears that a deceased vehicle owner's estate has been settled by agreement, so the certificate of title can be issued to the person named on the form.
In the printed affidavit, the person signing certifies that the deceased owned the vehicle at the time of death and left no will; that no application for administration of the estate is to be had; that the estate is not indebted; and that the surviving spouse and heirs, if any, have agreed among themselves that the title be issued to the person named. The form collects the inheritor's name and address, the vehicle's year, model, make and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), the current title number, state of issue and license plate number, and a notarization block.
The Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner's page on titling an inherited vehicle lists the Affidavit of Inheritance among the documents for a name change when there is a non-probated will, and says it is used only for Georgia title transfers. The form says that if the deceased left a will that is not to be probated, a legible copy of the will must accompany it.
The affidavit is not a title application. The title application (MV-1) is a separate document the agency page requires alongside it.
Who needs to file T-20?
The main group is the inheritor of a vehicle who needs a Georgia title in their own name and is applying through a Gwinnett tag office. The Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner lists this affidavit for Gwinnett residents inheriting a vehicle when there is a non-probated will.
- The form must be completed in the inheritor's name(s), and the inheritor(s) must sign it before a notary.
- The Georgia Department of Revenue form text says the surviving spouse, if any, and the heirs, if any, have agreed that the title be issued to the person named.
- The agency page says the affidavit is used only for Georgia title transfers. If the vehicle has a Georgia title and the inheritor is not a Georgia resident, the inheritor must apply for a title in their state of residency.
Executors are not on the affidavit's list. When the will was probated and you are named executor, the agency page asks for the Letter of Testamentary, Permanent Letter of Administration or Year's Support issued by the court, and does not list this affidavit among the documents.
When to file T-20
Submit Form T-20 when you apply at a Gwinnett tag office to change the name on the title of an inherited vehicle. Neither the form nor the agency page sets a deadline for it; it travels with the rest of the title package.
The notarization has to be done before the package is accepted. If all inheritors are present at the tag office with a valid Georgia driver's license (DL) or Georgia identification (ID) card, the form can be signed and notarized there. Otherwise have it notarized beforehand, because the original signed and notarized form must be submitted.
Any lien or security interest shown on the Motor Vehicle Division's records must be released for the name change to be processed, so settle that before you go.
Documents you need
- Legible copy of the will, only if the deceased left a will that is not to be probated; the form says it must accompany the affidavit.
- Certified copy of the deceased's death certificate; the form and the agency page both require it.
- The vehicle's original valid title, issued in the deceased's name or properly assigned to the deceased; if titled in Georgia in the deceased's name, submit the title if it is available.
- Lien or security interest release, for any lien shown on the Motor Vehicle Division's records or on the current title: on the title's Release of Lien area or on a Lien Release form from the holder.
- Title Application (MV-1) with the original submitted, which the agency page lists with the affidavit for a non-probated will; all inheritors sign it.
- Valid Georgia driver's license or Georgia ID card of every inheritor; the agency page accepts a legible photocopy if an inheritor cannot visit the tag office.
How to fill out T-20
Choose how to complete the form
Except for the signature, the form must be typed, electronically completed and printed, or printed legibly by hand in blue or black ink. Do not alter or correct entries, because any correction voids the form.
Enter the county name
At the top, after "State of Georgia," write the name of the county on the line marked (Name of County).
Enter the deceased's full legal name
On the line in the sworn statement, write the Full Legal Name of the Deceased, the owner of the vehicle at the time of death.
Complete the applicant information
Enter the Applicant's/Inheritor's Full Legal Name, Street Address, and City, State & Zip. The form must be completed in the inheritor's name(s).
Describe the vehicle
Under Vehicle Information, enter the Vehicle's Year Model & Make and the Vehicle Identification Number.
Enter title and plate details
Enter the Vehicle's Current Title Number, the State of Issue and the License Plate Number as the title and registration show them.
Print the applicant name and sign
Write the Applicant's Printed Name and then sign in the Applicant's Signature space; the signature is the one part that cannot be typed.
Complete the notarization block
With the notary, fill in the day, month and year in "Sworn to and subscribed before me," and the notary adds the signature, the notary seal or stamp and the commission expiration date.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that no field is altered or left blank and that the names and VIN match the title. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, then assemble the documents described under How to submit.
How to submit T-20
Form T-20 is submitted in person at a Gwinnett tag office, together with the other title documents; the agency page says to visit any of the Gwinnett tag offices to request a name change on a title.
- In person: bring the original, signed and notarized affidavit. Photocopies of the form are not what the agency asks for.
- Signing and notarizing on site: if all inheritors are present at the tag office with a valid Georgia DL or Georgia ID card, the form can be signed and notarized there.
- With the package: the form lists the will copy (if the will is not to be probated), the certified death certificate and the vehicle's original valid title; the agency page adds the title application (MV-1) and a valid Georgia DL or ID.
A fee applies for the name change on the title, and title tax may be due when ownership of the inherited vehicle transfers; ask the tag office or check the Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner's page for the amounts. The agency notes that other documentation may be required when the paperwork is reviewed at the tag office. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Correcting or altering anything on the form; the form states that any correction or alteration will void it.
- Submitting a photocopy instead of the original signed and notarized affidavit, which the agency page requires.
- Leaving applicable fields blank; the form says all applicable fields must be completed without alterations.
- Signing without a notary; the form is sworn and the notarization block must be completed.
- Printing the form with a signature typed in; except for the signature, it may be typed, but the signature itself must be signed.
- Writing by hand in a color other than blue or black ink when the form is not typed.
- Using the affidavit for a title outside Georgia; the agency page says it is used only for Georgia title transfers.
- Submitting it without the death certificate (certified copy) or the original valid title.
- Submitting it while a lien or security interest on the Motor Vehicle Division's records is unreleased.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form T-20, Affidavit of Inheritance of a Motor Vehicle?
Form T-20 is a Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division affidavit in which an inheritor swears that the deceased owned the vehicle and that the heirs agreed the title be issued to the person named. It is notarized and used to put an inherited vehicle's Georgia title in the inheritor's name.
Who needs to file the Affidavit of Inheritance in Gwinnett County?
Gwinnett residents inheriting a vehicle when there is a non-probated will, according to the Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner. The form must be completed in the inheritor's name(s) and signed by the inheritor(s). It is used only for Georgia title transfers.
Does Form T-20 have to be notarized?
Yes. The form has a notarization block ("Sworn to and subscribed before me"), and the agency says the inheritor(s) must sign it and it must be notarized. If all inheritors are at the tag office with a valid Georgia driver's license or ID card, it can be signed and notarized there.
What documents go with the Affidavit of Inheritance?
The form requires a certified copy of the death certificate and the vehicle's original valid title, plus a legible copy of the will if it is not to be probated. The agency page also lists the MV-1 title application, a lien release where needed and each inheritor's valid Georgia DL or ID.
Where do I take the affidavit in Gwinnett County?
Take the original signed and notarized form to any Gwinnett tag office, together with the rest of the title package. The agency page directs Gwinnett residents who want to request a name change on a title to visit a Gwinnett tag office.
Can I fill out Form T-20 online?
You can complete the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it, but you still have to sign it by hand and have it notarized. FillingPDF does not submit the form to the county; you take it to a Gwinnett tag office.
What if I make a mistake on the Affidavit of Inheritance?
Print a clean form and start over. The form states that any correction or alteration will void it, and all applicable fields must be completed without alterations.
Do I use this affidavit if the will was probated and I am the executor?
The agency's list for a probated will and a named executor asks for the Letter of Testamentary, Permanent Letter of Administration or Year's Support issued by the court, and does not list the affidavit. Confirm with the tag office which documents apply to you.
Is there a fee to title an inherited vehicle in Gwinnett County?
Yes. The agency page says a fee applies to the name change on the title and that title tax may be due when ownership transfers. The page gives the amounts and links to a way to determine the tax; confirm the current amounts with the tag office.
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