If you’ve ever lost a family member or a loved one, you know that in addition to the emotional weight that the loss brings, there seem to be countless tasks that must be done to ensure that your account is closed and all loose ends are tied down. If your loved one drives, one such task is to cancel your driver’s license. This may not seem like an important job, but it quickly and efficiently closes the door to potential fraud and identity theft. We have reviewed state requirements to understand how to cancel a deceased person’s driver’s license, so we can avoid the possibility that the information will fall into the wrong hands.
How to cancel your driver’s license after death
Location is important when considering what to do with your driver’s license when someone dies. In some states, Vital Records Office notifies the automotive department of the licensee’s death. If that’s your state, you don’t need to do anything to terminate your license. If you are unsure of the state’s approach to driver death, the local auto department can help answer your questions.
If the deceased lives in a state where someone requires that they cancel their license, the following steps are as follows:
1. Collect death certificates
The first step to take when you are about to cancel your loved one’s driver’s license is to obtain a death certificate. The certificate serves as legal evidence of the death of an individual. Getting multiple copies of your death certificate is a good idea. This is because it is necessary for many other purposes besides cancelling your driver’s license, such as by notifying your deceased car insurance company of your death.
Official death certificates can be obtained from the key records department of the state where the death occurred. In some cases, you can get it from the funeral home that handles the burial. To obtain a certificate in some states, you may need to provide an identification that establishes a relationship with the deceased. This includes a marriage license or birth certificate.
2. Please visit the DMV
In some states, you may be able to cancel your loved one’s license online. However, this is not the case in all states. You may need to visit the DMV where the deceased lived. You may be able to make an appointment online or via the phone. This saves time. Otherwise, local DMVs may work on a first come first served basis. If you need to terminate your license directly, be sure to bring your death certificate and license with you.
3. I’ll cancel by email
If you are unable to access the DMV, most states can cancel your driver’s license by mail. Usually you need to send it.
- Letter to cancel your deceased driver’s license
- Notarized or certified copy of the death certificate
- Deceased driver’s license
Identity Theft and Dead
It may be surprising to learn that even the deceased can become a victim of identity theft. Commonly known as “ghosts,” scammers search for information about their recently-dead relatives in a variety of ways, including:
- Object: Public death notices can be mined for your home address, date of birth, or name of your spouse or child. All useful information when identifying all useful information or applying for credit.
- Postal: Someone can find bank or mortgage information, tax-related documents, and even some or all of the mail.
- Social Media: Like obituaries, social media accounts may be openly visible to anyone. Identity thieves can mine social media accounts to find birthdays, phone numbers, previous relationships, and more. Therefore, it is important to close all your social media accounts as soon as possible.
The identity of the deceased is used to sign up for loans, open credit card accounts, and even utilities and to purchase a smartphone.
If your account is not properly closed and cancelled due to fraud, the next impact of your immediate family may ultimately be affected. Yanchunis said, “The deceased spouse may be pursued for collection in a state where the spouse is responsible for spouse care and essentials. Of course, the deceased’s spouse is a victim of fraud, but the living spouse was not liable for the deceased.
That’s why it’s so important to first prevent identity theft by terminating your account or ID. Experienced cybertsmos and con artists can do harm if they get someone’s sensitive information. Cancelling the deceased’s driver’s license must be part of a critical process. According to the Virginia DMV, “This simple procedure (cancels your driver’s license) will remove the deceased’s name from the DMV’s mailing list. By doing so, you can avoid future mailing and prevent others from using the name for fraudulent purposes.”
The deceased is a potentially easy target. Because other personal details such as their names, age, family and their parents’ names are published in papers and in obituaries published online. Not only that, they no longer monitor their credits to determine if their identity has been stolen.
– Resa Sglitta McDowell, Cera, Cap, Managing Members and Attorneys, McDowell Law Group
What else should I cancel?
Now that we have a better idea of how our deceased relatives are breached, it is important to recognize that other items need to be cancelled to ensure that our personal information is not incorrectly obtained. Below are other vehicle-related items that need to be cancelled or forwarded. Luckily, some of the listed items can be done together to save time.
Car Title
The car title lists the vehicle owner and the address of the home. It is necessary if you want to transfer titles to sell your car in the future or continue driving the vehicle. To transfer the title, you must access the DMV using your death certificate and original title certificate. Perhaps you will need to fill out and sign an affidavit that has a certified affidavit that does not have a certified affidavit certification before the title of the vehicle is legally transferred to you.
Car registration
Once the car title has been transferred and the vehicle is your name, you can register the car. Almost every state has minimal car insurance requirements, so you must obtain car insurance before registering your vehicle, and you may need to smog or emissions tests depending on your vehicle’s age and local method.
License plate
The license plate for the vehicle of a deceased person must be submitted using a driver’s license along with a certified or notarized copy of the death certificate and a cover letter. Return the license plate to the DMV or send the plate by mail. For mailing addresses, please consult us for more information regarding your state DMV office or plate return methods.
Placard Handicap
DMV also issues handicap placards that can be hung in the rearview mirror. If you wish to return the deceased driver’s license and vehicle license plate, you will also need to return the handicap placard if applicable.
Auto insurance
To cancel your car insurance, please call the carrier or the deceased insurance agent to notify you. They may request that you fax or email a copy of your death certificate before canceling your policy.
Even if the deceased has insurance plans for another person and their family, you should contact the insurance company. This allows you to transfer the policy to the new insured person with the first name, if necessary, to ensure that the coverage of the remaining policyholders is not affected.
Auto loan or lease
Car loans are not forgiven for death. The balance must be resolved from the real estate funds. You may be able to take over the lease or loan if you contact the lender in writing indicating whether or not it is dependent on the laws of the lender and the state.
If you are undertaking a car loan or lease for the deceased, you must have fully covered car insurance to cover the lender’s investment in the vehicle. The best way to do this is to get multiple car insurance quotes to compare rates.
Roadside support or toll account
If the deceased had a roadside assistance account from AAA or another company, or if you have an electronic fee account such as Ez-Pass or Fastrak, you must contact the company that holds the account and cancel or transfer it. The same can be said when you have a parking permit through work or apartment.
How to cancel your driver’s license in each state
As mentioned above, not all states need to cancel their driver’s licenses on behalf of the deceased. Certain states will receive notifications of drivers passed by the Critical Records Department and automatically handle cancellations. The following states provide additional information on how to terminate your license after death:
