Losing a loved one comes with many challenges, many of them emotional, some legal, some logistical. One task that may need to be completed after the death of a family member is revoking their driver’s license. This may seem like a minor errand for the DMV (doesn’t the license just expire naturally?), but revoking the deceased person’s license can help prevent fraud and identity theft. To help you get this done as quickly as possible, Bankrate experts have researched the most efficient way to revoke a deceased person’s driver’s license.
How to revoke a driver’s license after death
When considering what to do with a driver’s license when someone dies, location matters. In some states, the birth records office notifies the Department of Motor Vehicles of the death of a driver’s license holder. If that’s true in your state, you don’t need to do anything to revoke the license. If you’re not sure how your state responds to the death of a driver, check with your local Department of Motor Vehicles.
If the deceased person lived in a state that requires the license to be revoked, follow these steps:
1. Receive a death certificate
If you are revoking a loved one’s driver’s license, the first thing you should do is obtain a death certificate. The certificate serves as legal proof of the person’s death. We recommend obtaining multiple copies of the death certificate, as you will need it for a variety of purposes besides revoking the driver’s license, including notifying creditors of the death.
An official death certificate can be obtained from the birth records department of the state where the death occurred, or in some cases, from the funeral home that handled the burial. In some states, you may need to show identification proving your relationship to the deceased individual in order to obtain the certificate. This may include a marriage license or birth certificate.
2. Visit the DMV
Some states allow you to revoke your loved one’s license online. However, not all states allow this and you may need to go to the DMV where the deceased lived. You may be able to make an appointment online or over the phone, which can save you time. In other cases, your local DMV may process on a first-come, first-served basis. If you need to revoke the license in person, be sure to bring the death certificate and the license with you.
3. Cancel by email
If you can’t get to the DMV, most states allow you to revoke your driver’s license by mail. Typically, you’ll need to send in the following:
- A letter stating that you wish to revoke the deceased person’s driver’s license
- A notarized or certified copy of the death certificate
- Deceased person’s driver’s license
Why account closure should be a priority
To prevent the extremely stressful and costly process of having to prove fraud, John Yanchunis, head of the class action and cybersecurity practice at law firm Morgan & Morgan, suggests loved ones prioritize closing accounts and taking the necessary steps to protect their personal information as soon as possible.
Yanchunis also recommends reviewing the information provided by the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), a national nonprofit that provides free assistance to individuals who have been victims of identity theft. “They recommend immediately notifying any relevant credit card companies, banks, financial advisors, etc., identifying any outstanding debts and how they should be handled, ordering and reviewing copies of the deceased person’s credit report, and obtaining at least 12 copies of the official death certificate in order to notify all relevant agencies (Social Security Administration, Veterans Administration, insurance companies, etc.).”
Identity theft and fatalities
You might be surprised to learn that even deceased people can become victims of identity theft. In a scam commonly referred to as “ghosting,” scammers will seek out information about recently deceased relatives in a variety of ways, including:
- Obituary: Published death notices can provide information such as home addresses, birth dates, and names of spouses and children, all of which can be useful when verifying an individual’s identity or applying for credit.
- By mail: In the mail, you may find bank or mortgage information, tax documents, and even partial or complete Social Security numbers.
- Social Media: Like obituaries, social media accounts can potentially be made public. Identity thieves can use social media accounts to find information like birthdates, phone numbers, past relationships, and more. That’s why it’s important to close all social media accounts as soon as possible.
The identities of the dead are used to apply for loans, open credit card accounts, and even to apply for utility bills and buy smartphones.
If an account isn’t properly closed and terminated for fraudulent activity, it could ultimately affect next of kin. Yanchunis explains, “In states where a spouse is responsible for the spouse’s care and basic necessities, the deceased spouse may be sued for recovery. Of course, the deceased spouse has a defense to any claims because they were the victim of fraud, but the surviving spouse may experience the personal hardship of having to prove that the deceased spouse never took out the questionable loan and, as a result, the surviving spouse is not responsible.”
That’s why it’s so important to prevent identity theft in the first place by canceling accounts and identities, even if they seem harmless. Skilled cyber thieves and scammers can do damage if they get hold of someone’s sensitive information. Canceling the deceased person’s driver’s license should be an important part of the process. According to the Virginia DMV, “This simple step (canceling your driver’s license) removes the deceased person’s name from DMV mailing lists, which will stop you from receiving future mailings and also prevent others from using the name for fraudulent purposes.”
Deceased people can be easy targets because their personal information — their names, ages, family members, and sometimes even their parents’ names — is publicly available in obituaries published in newspapers and online. Not only that, but they no longer monitor their credit reports to see if their identities have been stolen.
— Lesa Sgritta McDowell, CELA, CAP, Managing Member and Attorney at McDowell Law Firm
What else should be cancelled?
Now that you have a better understanding of the possible risks to your deceased relatives, it is important to realize that there are other items you should also cancel to ensure your personal information does not fall into the wrong hands. Below are some other vehicle-related items that you should cancel or transfer: Fortunately, some of the items listed can be done together, saving you time.
Car Title
A car title certificate lists who owns the car and their address. If you sell the car in the future or want to keep driving it, you will need to transfer the title. To transfer the title, you will need to go to the DMV with the death certificate and the original title certificate. You will likely need to fill out and sign a state version of an affidavit to attest to the absence of probate before the car title can be legally transferred.
Car Registration
Once the car ownership transfer is complete and the car is in your name, you can register the car. You will need to get auto insurance before you can register your car, and depending on the age of your car and local laws, you may also need a smog test and/or emissions test.
License plate
The deceased person’s license plates must be returned with the driver’s license, along with a certified or notarized copy of the death certificate and a cover letter. License plates can be returned to the DMV or mailed. Contact your state’s DMV office for mailing addresses and more information on how to return plates.
Disabled sign
The DMV also issues handicapped plates that can be hung on the rearview mirror in order to park in a handicapped parking space. If you return the deceased person’s driver’s license and vehicle license plates, you must also return the handicapped plates, if applicable.
Auto Insurance
To cancel your auto insurance, call and notify the insurance company or the deceased person’s insurance agent. You may be asked to fax or email a copy of the death certificate before the insurance can be canceled.
If the deceased person had a family auto insurance policy with others, you should still contact the insurance company so that, if necessary, the policy can be transferred to a new primary insured and coverage for the remaining policyholders will not be affected.
Auto loan or lease
Auto loans are not dischargeable upon death; any remaining balance must be liquidated from the estate. If you contact the lender with documentation showing you are a beneficiary, you may be able to take over the lease or loan, but whether that’s allowed depends on the lender and state laws.
How to cancel in each state
As mentioned above, not all states require you to revoke a driver’s license on behalf of a deceased person. Some states automatically process the cancellation upon receiving notification of a deceased driver from their death records department. The following states provide additional information about how to revoke a driver’s license after a death:
