Updated October 8, 2026. Quick answer: Yes, for securities and vehicles. The District’s Uniform TOD Security Registration subchapter, D.C. Code sections 19-603.01 to 19-603.11, lets an owner register a security in beneficiary form, and the owner may cancel or change it “without the consent of the beneficiary”. The DC DMV separately lets an owner designate a beneficiary on a vehicle title.
How D.C. handles transfer-on-death registration
| Item | What the state documents say |
|---|---|
| Brokerage and securities accounts | The District’s Uniform TOD Security Registration subchapter is Subchapter III of Chapter 6 of Title 19 of the D.C. Code, and the subchapter runs from 19-603.01 to 19-603.11. Section 19-603.01 defines beneficiary form as a registration of a security that shows the present owner and who becomes owner when the owner dies. The subchapter is part of Chapter 6 of Title 19, titled Nonprobate Transfers on Death. |
| Effect on the will and probate | Section 19-603.09 provides that a transfer on death from a registration in beneficiary form is effective by reason of the contract between the owner and the registering entity and the subchapter, not through a will. The same section says the subchapter does not limit creditors’ rights against beneficiaries under other District laws. |
| Changing the beneficiary | Under section 19-603.06, the designation has no effect on ownership until the owner’s death, and the sole owner or all surviving owners may cancel or change the registration at any time. The beneficiary has no say while the owner is alive. |
| Vehicle titles | The DC Department of Motor Vehicles lets an owner designate a beneficiary on a vehicle title by bringing a completed Beneficiary Designation to Certificate of Title Application to a service center. Only one beneficiary can be added to a District title. The source says: “without having to go through probate”. The DMV page says the owner must obtain the beneficiary’s driver license or identification card, and that the DMV will not notify the beneficiary when the owner dies. |
| Vehicle liens and the estate | The DMV page says a vehicle with a designated beneficiary is not considered part of the estate, so Letters of Administration are not required to transfer it to the beneficiary. It also says the DMV will not transfer ownership to the beneficiary unless any lien is satisfied. The source says: “The vehicle will not be considered part of the estate”. The page adds that the beneficiary can obtain the title but is responsible for registering the vehicle. |
A $250,000 brokerage account split
An owner holds a brokerage account worth $250,000 and registers it in beneficiary form to two named beneficiaries, with each to receive half. Each share is computed as $250,000 x 50% = $125,000. The 50/50 split is the owner’s illustration, not a rule of the state: the owner names the beneficiaries and, where the form allows it, the shares.
Real estate, probate and estate tax
A transfer on death deed is a different instrument for real property: see transfer on death deeds by state. For what probate costs in D.C., see D.C. probate cost, and for D.C.’s own estate or inheritance tax, see D.C. estate and inheritance tax. Which of these your account or vehicle falls under depends on how it is titled.
Related: D.C. probate cost, D.C. estate and inheritance tax, transfer on death deeds by state, and car titles after a death, by state.
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Answer againSources
- D.C. Code section 19-603.01, Definitions (Uniform TOD Security Registration): https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/19-603.01
- D.C. Code section 19-603.06, Effect of registration in beneficiary form: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/19-603.06
- D.C. Code section 19-603.09, Nontestamentary transfer on death: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/19-603.09
- Designating A Beneficiary: https://dmv.dc.gov/service/designating-beneficiary
Sources: the primary documents linked above, read on October 8, 2026. General information, not tax advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and a preparer, the plan administrator or the agency itself is the right place to confirm anything consequential.