Personal Liability Insurance: What Happens When Someone Gets Hurt on Your Property

Have you just been handed the keys to a “new-to-you” car and wondered,  “What paperwork will the RMV need so I’m not hit with sales tax?”

Or are you passing your old SUV to your daughter and stressing over which form—MVU-24 or MVU-26—keeps the transaction tax-free?

In the next few minutes you’ll know  exactly  which form applies, what it costs, and the proof you must bring so the clerk can process your transfer without surprises.

We’ll (1) define each form, (2) lay out a side-by-side comparison, (3) walk through real-life scenarios, and (4) wrap up with the documents and next steps you’ll need at the RMV counter.

MVU-24 is the sales-tax-exemption affidavit the giver completes when a vehicle is transferred  as a gift , regardless of relationship.  ( mass.gov )

• Eligibility:  Any private party-to-private-party gift where  no money  changes hands.
• Fee:  A mandatory  $25 “gift transfer” charge  (plus standard title ®gistration fees). ( mass.gov )
• Documents to bring:
  1. Completed, signed MVU-24 form (both parties sign).
  2. Previous title (signed over).
  3. Proof of insurance & completed RMV-1/2 form from your insurer.

MVU-26 is reserved for transfers  within  the immediate family and eliminates  both  sales tax  and  the $25 gift fee. ( mass.gov ,  mass.gov )

• Eligible relationships:  Parent ↔ child, spouses, siblings. (Aunt-to-niece and grandparent-to-grandchild do  not qualify—use MVU-24.)
• Fee:  No sales tax; you pay only standard title ®gistration fees.
• Documents to bring:
  1. Completed, signed MVU-26 form.
  2. Proof of the qualifying relationship (license addresses, birth certificates, or marriage certificate).
  3. Title, insurance, RMV-1/2 as usual.

1. Friend-to-friend truck hand-off  – MVU-24 + $25 fee.
2. Dad transfers commuter car to son  – MVU-26, no fee.
3. Grandma to grandson  –  Not  immediate family per RMV; choose MVU-24 and pay $25.
4. Spouse retitles shared SUV after divorce  – MVU-26 still applies; no sales tax.

• Paying the $25 twice.  The RMV charges it  once  per gift transfer—don’t let an over-eager clerk double-dip.
• Bringing the wrong form.  Givers sometimes download MVU-24 because it shows up first in search; triple-check the relationship box before printing.
• Leaving blanks.  Any blank on the affidavit invalidates the exemption; fill every line, even “N/A.”

• Signed title (seller section completed).
• MVU-24  or  MVU-26—no substitutions.
• RMV-1/2 insurance form with stamp or e-signature from your insurer.
• Proof of relationship (if using MVU-26).
• Your checkbook or card for the $25 fee (MVU-24) and standard title/registration fees for either form.

Still unsure which form works for  your  transfer? Call our local independent insurance pros at  617-298-0655  for a quick, no-pressure answer.