Curbstoning Laws by State

Curbstoning — selling multiple vehicles as a private seller while operating as an unlicensed dealer — is illegal in all 50 states. The annual sale threshold, criminal penalty per violation, and consumer remedies for buyers who are defrauded all vary by state. Select your state for the specific laws and warning signs to watch for.

Featured States

California Texas Florida New York Ohio

Find Your State

What Every Curbstoning Laws State Page Covers

Annual vehicle sale threshold that triggers the dealer definition
Criminal and civil penalties per unlicensed sale
Local warning signs specific to that state's curbstoning patterns
Risks buyers face when unknowingly purchasing from an illegal dealer
Consumer remedies and how to report suspected curbstoning to the state DMV

Trusted by private vehicle sellers nationwide

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