I had a SOL (sister-out-law) that bought a car from me...I made her pay cash, but in the process, she wanted me to let her keep the plates on the car, since they still had a few good months left on them and she was willing to pay me for the unused months left.
I told her, point blank,
"NO."
She pleaded, but I didn't relent. And I made sure she signed the "receipt" that I made out, attesting to the fact that I don't own the vehicle and she is now in possession, title and all. We actually stated the correct amount ($500.00) so there would be any discrepancies should "something" become amiss.
Sure enough, about 4 months later, I go down to the DMV and there's two parking tickets preventing me from renewing my van's registration. I check the date and the "violation information" and it's her car. There weren't plates on it, just a cardboard "LAF" - so the officer made out the tickets based on the VIN. I had to go home and dig up the paperwork on the sale and bring it back.
Fortunately, the DMV office for the La Crosse area was able to clear the title off my name and I didn't have to go down to, or screw around with, the Madison DMV fortress and try to dig my way free from that bureaucracy manure pile.
Any transfer of ANYTHING that has the stink of governmental entities on it REQUIRES paperwork, and more you have stating you're right and they have you mistaken for someone/something/whatever else, the better.
But it's up to you to do it on your own, and do it so that the latest/newest newbie "government hire" can understand what you did...and still, there will be some supervisor that still won't understand anything you're talking about.
And the only joy you can get out that is the fact that that particular moron is standing right in front of you and you know, deep down in your guts and heart, you're keeping a carload of kids safe from this idiot, because you know someone is going to be killed by this nimrod in front of you if you let them loose too soon.
( I, obviously, managed to avoid prison time that day 'cause I kept telling myself, "Self, be happy you're doing your part, RIGHT NOW, in keeping this moron off the streets and completely clueless behind this counter." GOD will provide you with a good home..." )
I feeling much better now...
