Washington Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney

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A Washington motor vehicle power of attorney (Form TD-420-050) allows a lienholder or business to manage one-time transactions for the registered owner of a vehicle or vessel. Since the tasks occur one-time, the lienholder does not handle the duties on a reoccurring basis. The owner may need the individual or business to manage their car finances or vehicle-related responsibilities more than once. Under these circumstances, the owner should complete a general or durable power of attorney instead.

A vehicle or vessel owner can use a limited power of attorney for vehicle registration or titling. However, using a motor vehicle power of attorney is the better option as the Department of Licensing (DOL) recognizes it. Additionally, this form is written explicitly for vehicle-related duties, unlike a limited power of attorney.

If the lienholder is a business that possesses the current Washington title, the form does not need to be notarized. However, if the lienholder is an individual, a Notary Public must witness and sign the document. The interested party can find a Notary Public online or in-person at banks, law and real estate firms, shipping stores (i.e., UPS or Fed-Ex), libraries, and colleges. The public official may charge a small fee or offer their services for free.


Signing requirements: Notarization is mandatory if the lienholder is an individual (opposed to a business).