Private sale — What You Need to Know
A transaction between two private individuals without dealer involvement. Both parties negotiate directly and the seller transfers the title after payment.
Seller guidance
You are responsible for disclosing known defects, providing an accurate odometer statement, and delivering a clean title. Once the bill of sale is signed and funds received, remove the vehicle from your insurance and notify your DMV of the transfer.
Buyer guidance
Run a title search or VIN history report (NMVTIS, CARFAX) before handing over funds. Confirm the seller is the titled owner and the title is free of liens. Take possession of the signed title on the day of sale.
Legal note (Tennessee-specific)
TN charges 7% state sales tax plus local taxes on private vehicle sales. Title must be transferred at the county clerk within 30 days.
Private sale checklist
- Verify the seller name matches the title exactly
- Confirm no open liens via your state DMV or NMVTIS
- Complete federal odometer disclosure (vehicles <10 years old)
- Sign and date the bill of sale with both parties present
- Transfer title and notify DMV within your state deadline
- Buyer pays 7% state sales tax plus local taxes at county clerk
- Transfer title within 30 days
Electric Vehicle Safety & Recall Information
Data sourced from NHTSA safety ratings and recall databases
Average Safety Rating
4.6 / 5
Avg. Price Range
$12,000–$60,000
Odometer Disclosure
Required
Safety checkpoints for electric vehicle buyers
- Check battery State of Health (SOH) — capacity degradation below 70% significantly reduces value
- Verify full charge range matches manufacturer specifications for the model year
- Test DC fast charging capability — some older EVs have degraded charge acceptance
- Check for any battery recall or warranty coverage status
- Confirm orange high-voltage cabling is intact and shielding is undamaged
- Verify regenerative braking smoothness and one-pedal-driving function
- Test pedestrian-warning sound (federally required at low speed)
- Inspect for prior collision-repair history that touched the battery pack tray
Common recall categories
Battery/High VoltageSoftware/OTA UpdatesCharging SystemBrakesElectrical
On average, each electric vehicle model has approximately 2.8 recalls. Always check your specific vehicle at NHTSA.gov/recalls before completing a sale.
Garden City Private sale electric vehicle pdf — when to file
Tennessee requires title transfer within 30 days of the sale date on the bill of sale. For private sale transactions specifically, file at Tennessee DMV – Garden City (Visit https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-services to find the nearest Garden City office) during normal hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (verify hours with local office). Miss the 30-day window and Tennessee typically charges a late-transfer penalty plus accrued use tax, and the seller can remain on the title for civil liability until the buyer completes retitling. Bring the signed title, the completed Garden City bill of sale, your government-issued ID, and payment for the $11.00 title transfer fee plus 7% sales tax on the purchase price.
PDF reminder. Whether you keep your pdf as a signed digital PDF, both buyer and seller should leave the signing with an identical executed copy. The buyer needs the original to present at Tennessee DMV – Garden City; the seller keeps a duplicate to prove the date of transfer if a future liability question arises before the title fully retitles.