My wife and I own a vehicle jointly and she will be out of town this weekend when I sell it. Can she go ahead and sign the title or can I sign for her when we complete the sale?

If she signs the title, she must sign in front of two witnesses (other than the buyer) and one of the witnesses has to go with you to the Notary Public to swear that he saw her sign as the seller. Should any error be made during that transaction, her signature will be needed anyway to correct the mistake. We also suggest she sign a handwritten or typed Bill of Sale also.

The best way to handle this situation is to have your wife sign and have notarized a Vehicle Power of Attorney, so that you can sign for both yourself and for your wife when the sale is completed. This POA will be limited to transactions concerning only this specific vehicle, but will include several other powers, such as applying for a duplicate title, signing an affidavit of correction, or insurance documents.