State Motor
Vehicle Department

The Forms You'll Need to
Sell Your Car Private Party


Your state Motor Vehicle Department...
The 1st of 14 steps of how to sell your car private party


The first step in how to sell your car would be to check with your local State Motor Vehicle Department to get the proper forms to transfer ownership.

You'll want to ask them if they have any kind of private party car sales packet that comes with all of the necessary state MVD forms you may need to finalize the sale.

They may also have additional state or even city specific guidelines that may be important to know ahead of time, like:

  • How many cars you can sell privately in a year
  • Where you cannot advertise your car for sale
  • How to legally sell your car as is
  • What to do with your old license plate
  • Any SMOG and/or safety inspection requirements
  • Special instructions to sign over title.


MVD
Sales Forms

Here are some MVD sales forms (varies from state to state) that will be important to you:

  • A Bill of Sale.

  • An Odometer Statement.

  • Some type of As Is form.

  • A Sold Notice / Release of Liability.

You want it to be well known that you are no longer the owner of the vehicle once you have handed over the keys. Very important for parking tickets and or crimes that may be committed by the new owner.

That may sound funny, but it will all sink in pretty fast when the cops are knocking on your door at 2:00 in the morning asking why your vehicle was just involved in an armed robbery of the Quickie Mart.


"What are some of the most common
mistakes people make when selling a car private party?"

That's a great, very general question you may want to ask. This type of open ended question will probably bring up answers to questions that I may have not covered here.

Trust me, state title and transfer of ownership paperwork are things that you'll want to get right the first time. Otherwise, it can be a nightmare that never seems to end.


MVD, DOT &
DMV Websites By State

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCalifornia
ColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict Of ColumbiaFlorida
GeorgiaHawaii DOTHawaii DMVIdahoIllinois
IndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisiana
MaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesota
MississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevada
New HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth Carolina
North DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvania
Rhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexas
UtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest Virginia
WisconsinWyoming   


Now that you've checked with your state motor vehicle department...
What would you like to do next?

Move On To Step 2 >
Establish Your Cars Sale Price

Or you can...

Review the entire How To Sell Your Car guide by returning from -
State Motor Vehicle Department to How To Sell A Car main page

Go to Insider Car Buying Tips home

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