Seller Financing a Vehicle: State-by-State Guide

Owner financing lets a private seller act as the bank — no dealership, no credit union. Select your state for usury rate caps, UCC-1 lien filing requirements, title handling rules, and repossession procedures.

What Seller Financing Covers

•Promissory note — the formal IOU stating loan amount, rate, and payment schedule
•Security agreement — creates a lien on the vehicle until paid in full
•UCC-1 financing statement — public notice of your security interest
•State usury laws — the maximum interest rate you're allowed to charge
•Title handling — who holds the title until payoff
•Repossession rights — what happens if the buyer stops paying

Need a Bill of Sale?

Seller financing starts with a proper bill of sale. Generate yours in minutes.

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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

Seller Financing a Vehicle: State-by-State Guide

Select Your State

What Seller Financing Covers

Need a Bill of Sale?

Trusted by private vehicle sellers nationwide