A lender or lienholder sells a vehicle after repossessing it from the original owner due to loan default. The repossessing party must follow strict state notice and sale procedures before a clean title can be issued to the buyer. Tailored for St. Joseph County, Indiana. Fill in details, sign digitally, download a printable PDF in minutes.
Repossession sales are governed by UCC Article 9, Part 6 (§§ 9-601 to 9-628) and state motor vehicle laws. The creditor must give the debtor and any secondary obligor reasonable authenticated notice under UCC § 9-611. A non-compliant repossession sale may expose the creditor to liability under § 9-625. Some states impose additional notice periods (e.g., California Civil Code § 2983.2 — 15 days written notice). The buyer takes title free of subordinate liens if the sale is commercially reasonable.
Bill-of-sale filings and title transfers for a repossession sale heavy equipment sale in St. Joseph County are filed at the Indiana county clerk in St. Joseph County (sometimes called the recorder, tax collector, or treasurer depending on the state). The office accepts the signed bill of sale, the assigned title, and a completed title application. Recording fees vary by document type; expect a base fee plus per-page charges for additional pages.
For office hours, recording fees, and accepted payment methods in St. Joseph County, call the county clerk before visiting or check the Indiana DMV directory at https://www.google.com/search?q=Indiana%20DMV%20title%20transfer.
Filing deadline: Indiana requires title transfer within 45 days of the sale date. Plan the St. Joseph County clerk visit promptly to avoid penalty fees on late filings.
If the heavy equipment carries an active lien, the seller cannot transfer clean title to the buyer until the lien is released. Indiana handles this through a documented sequence that the lienholder, seller, and buyer must complete in order. Skipping a step often means the new title is issued with the lien still noted, blocking resale.
Form reference: State Form 1014 is the Indiana document used to clear a lien on a heavy equipment title before a St. Joseph County repossession sale transfer can be recorded.
Open safety recalls follow the vehicle, not the owner — if the heavy equipment has an unrepaired recall when the repossession sale sale closes, the St. Joseph County buyer inherits the obligation to bring it to a dealer for the free fix. The NHTSA recall database flags the following categories most frequently for heavy equipment models:
On average a heavy equipment model has 0.7 recalls — buyers in St. Joseph County should run a NHTSA recall check before signing. Enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to pull the live status. Document any open recalls in the bill of sale so the buyer cannot later claim the seller concealed a known defect — a clean disclosure protects both parties under Indiana consumer-protection law.
In Indiana, the title transfer fee is $15 and registration costs $21.35 - $30.35 for passenger vehicles. Heavy Equipment sales are subject to 7% sales tax on purchase price. Indiana does not require notarization for private-party heavy equipment transfers. Emission testing is required in Indiana — verify the heavy equipment passes before completing the sale.
Indiana has a 7% state sales tax rate. Flat 7% statewide; no additional local vehicle taxes. Private-party heavy equipment sales in Indiana are subject to sales tax. Sales tax applies to private party vehicle purchases. The title transfer fee is $15.
The most common heavy equipment makes in private-party sales are Caterpillar, John Deere, Komatsu, Volvo, Case. Average private-party heavy equipment prices range from $10,000–$300,000. Heavy equipments average 0.7 NHTSA recalls per model across categories including Hydraulic System, Electrical, ROPS/FOPS.
Before completing a heavy equipment bill of sale in Indiana, verify these safety items:
Equipment floater or inland marine policy required. Costs vary widely: $500–$5,000/year depending on value and use. Caterpillar and Komatsu machines hold value well — 50–60% retention after 5,000 hours. Peak season for private heavy equipment sales is spring when construction season begins, with an average of 60 days on market.
Heavy Equipments are classified as "Construction equipment (not registered for road use; transported on flatbed/lowboy)" for registration purposes. Heavy equipment is valued by engine hours, not mileage. Machines over 80,000 lbs require special transport permits. Federal odometer disclosure does not apply to heavy equipments.
St. Joseph County County heavy equipment transfers follow Indiana state requirements. Title transfer fee: $15. Emission testing may be required in your county.
BillOfSaleNow has generated 1,624 bill of sale documents for Indiana transactions, with 44 generated this month alone. The most popular vehicle type is car.
A lender or lienholder sells a vehicle after repossessing it from the original owner due to loan default. The repossessing party must follow strict state notice and sale procedures before a clean title can be issued to the buyer.
As the repossessing lender, you must comply with UCC Article 9 (§ 9-610 through § 9-627) disposition requirements: provide reasonable notice to the debtor, conduct a commercially reasonable sale, and apply proceeds to the outstanding debt. Document the repossession date, notice sent, and sale details. You will need to obtain a repossession title (or bonded title if the original title is unavailable) from your state DMV to convey clear title to the buyer.
Purchasing a repossessed vehicle can offer significant savings, but title issues are the main risk. Confirm the lender has completed the legally required notice-and-sale process and can provide a clean title. Order a VIN history report and confirm the vehicle is not subject to any additional liens, judgments, or law enforcement holds. Verify the vehicle was not reported stolen (check NMVTIS).
No. Indiana does not require notarization, though it is recommended for high-value repossession sale transactions in St. Joseph County.
Title transfers in St. Joseph County are processed at the St. Joseph County Clerk's office or your local DMV branch. Visit https://www.google.com/search?q=Indiana%20DMV%20title%20transfer for office locations and hours.
St. Joseph County is part of Indiana Bill of Sale. See all vehicle types and scenarios for your state.
Last updated June 2026
Informational purposes only. This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. Consult a licensed attorney for jurisdiction-specific guidance on vehicle transfers, title requirements, or related legal matters.
45% faster sale
Vehicles whose listings include a history report spend ~45% less time on site before selling, and report-viewers are 5x more likely to become a lead.
Source: Experian / AutoCheck
$4,000 avg loss
NHTSA estimates 450,000+ vehicles per year are sold with rolled-back odometers — the average victim loses about $4,000 in downstream repair costs.
Source: NHTSA
17.5M private sales/yr
About 17.5 million private-party vehicle transactions happen in the U.S. each year — roughly 47% of the used market.
Source: Cox Automotive 2024
1 in 3 buyers
Roughly 1 in 3 used-car buyers say they suspect private sellers are hiding mechanical problems — documentation closes that trust gap.
Source: JW Surety Bonds (n=3,000)
$60–$85 mobile notary
Mobile notary visit minimums run $60–$85 — higher on weekends, plus per-mile travel fees. State-formatted documents skip the trip.
Source: Thumbtack / NNA