Paperwork Needed to Sell a Car
- Vehicle title
- Signed bill of sale
- Odometer disclosure
- Release-of-liability submission
Documents Required to Sell a Car Privately
The title is proof of ownership. Sign the back, fill in the buyer's name and sale price. If you have a lien, you must get a lien release from your lender first.
Documents the agreed price, VIN, parties, and date. Needed by the buyer to register the vehicle and calculate sales tax at the DMV. Protects the seller from post-sale liability.
Required under federal law (49 CFR Part 580) for all vehicles under 10 model years old. Must state the current mileage and whether it reflects actual mileage. Omitting it is a federal offense.
If you financed the vehicle, your lender holds a lien on the title. You must obtain a lien release letter from the lender before or at the time of sale.
Filed with the state DMV to transfer liability from seller to buyer. Protects seller from tickets, accidents, and registration violations after the sale date. Some states require this within 5 days of sale.
Not legally required but often requested by buyers. A VIN report shows accident history, odometer rollback, salvage title, and open recalls. Sellers who provide it sell faster and for more money.
State-Specific Requirements
Some states require additional paperwork: California requires a DMV Notice of Transfer (online) within 5 days; Texas requires a 130-U form; Florida requires HSMV 82050; New York requires a DMV MV-912. BillOfSaleNow's Complete plan ($29) includes state-specific transfer instructions for all 50 states.
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BillOfSaleNow's Premium plan ($19) bundles a full VIN history report with your signed bill of sale. Buyers who receive a VIN report close 3x more often than those who don't.
What happens if I sell a car without a bill of sale?▾
Selling without a bill of sale is legal in most states but creates significant risk. If the buyer doesn't transfer the title, you remain responsible for parking tickets, toll violations, and accidents involving the vehicle. A signed bill of sale with the sale date and buyer's name is your legal proof that the transfer occurred.
Do both buyer and seller need to sign the bill of sale?▾
Yes. A valid bill of sale requires signatures from both the buyer and the seller. Some states also require a witness or notary signature — Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, West Virginia, and Wyoming require notarization. BillOfSaleNow generates a pre-formatted document ready for both signatures.
What documents does the buyer need to register the car in their name?▾
The buyer typically needs: the signed title (with seller's assignment completed), the signed bill of sale, proof of insurance, government-issued ID, and payment for registration fees and use tax. Some states also require the odometer disclosure statement as a separate document.