28-2060. Transfer of ownership by operation of law

A. Except as provided in subsection F of this section, when the title or interest of an owner of a registered vehicle passes to another other than by voluntary transfer, the transferee shall obtain a transfer of registration within thirty days after the passing of the title or interest.

B. Within thirty days after passing of the title or interest of an owner of a registered or unregistered vehicle, the transferee of the vehicle shall obtain a new certificate of title on proper application and presentation of the last certificate of title, if available, and such instruments or documents of authority or certified copies of the instruments or documents that are sufficient or required by law to evidence or effect a transfer of title or interest in or to chattels that pass to another other than by voluntary transfer.

C. If a motor vehicle has been forfeited to the federal government and is sold at public auction pursuant to federal law, the purchaser at the sale takes title free of any liens or encumbrances if federal law so provides. If a motor vehicle has been forfeited to any local or state government entity, agency or political subdivision or to any federal law enforcement agency after the disposition of all claims under the laws of this state, the order of the court forfeiting the vehicle shall transfer good and sufficient title to the transferee and to any subsequent purchaser or transferee. The purchaser or transferee shall register the motor vehicle within thirty days after the sale or transfer, and the department shall issue a certificate of title to the purchaser or transferee on presentation of the evidence of title without any reference to liens or encumbrances.

D. The transferee of a vehicle required to have a certificate of title and be registered under section 28-2153 or a mobile home required to have a certificate of title under section 28-2063 may obtain a transfer of registration to the transferee and a new certificate of title if both of the following occur:

1. The title or interest of the owner of the vehicle passes to another either:

(a) Through notice and sale under the conditions contained in any security agreement, chattel mortgage, conditional sale or other evidence of lien or under the authority given by statute in cases arising under sections 33-1021 and 33-1022 or under section 33-1704.

(b) For a mobile home the lien on which is also a lien on real property, through a contract for conveyance of real property, deed of trust or mortgage.

2. Satisfactory evidence is presented to the director that the sale of the vehicle was fairly and lawfully conducted in conformity with all requirements of law after due notice to the former owner. In cases arising under section 33-1704, a declaration that is signed by both the seller and the buyer and that sets forth compliance with section 33-1704 constitutes satisfactory evidence, and the director may rely on that declaration.

E. Any administrator, executor, trustee or other representative of the owner, a peace officer or a person repossessing a vehicle under the terms of any conditional sales contract, lease, chattel mortgage or other security agreement or a purchaser at a sale foreclosing a lien, or the assignee or legal representative of any such person, may operate a vehicle from the place of repossession or place where it was formerly kept to a garage or place of storage in the county or state where the contract was recorded or where the person repossessing the vehicle resides or to any other garage or place of storage that is not more than seventy-five miles from the place of repossession or place where the vehicle was formerly kept by the owner if either of the following conditions exists:

1. The license plates assigned to the vehicle are displayed on the vehicle.

2. If license plates are not displayed, a written permit has been obtained from the department or the local authorities having jurisdiction over the highways and a placard that bears the name and address of the person authorizing the movement and that is legible from a distance of one hundred feet during daylight is displayed in plain sight on the vehicle.

F. If ownership of a motor vehicle for which a certificate of title has been issued in this state or another state reverts through operation of state law to a lienholder of record through repossession pursuant to the terms of a security agreement or through another similar instrument that is valid in such state, an affidavit by the lienholder of record stating that the vehicle was repossessed on default of the terms stated in the security agreement or similar instrument is proof of ownership, right of possession and right of transfer.  If the lienholder of record is a financial institution as defined in section 28-4301, the lienholder of record shall electronically submit the repossession affidavit to the department.  The director shall prescribe the form and content of the affidavit. This state and its agencies, employees and agents are not liable for relying in good faith on the content of the affidavit.