How To Transfer a Car Without a Title

Selling a vehicle can be a real hassle. Once you’ve found the right buyer and set a price, you can’t just hand them the keys and call it a day. There’s a lot of paperwork involved in selling a car, including handing over proof of ownership.

Typically, you’ll hand the buyer the vehicle’s title, but what should you do if you no longer have the title on hand?

Why Is Having a Vehicle Title Important?

The vehicle title is needed when transferring ownership from you to your buyer or transferee. It includes the crucial information about the vehicle, including the following:

• Vehicle identification number (VIN)
• Make, model, and manufacturing year
• Body style
• Vehicle color
• Mileage at the time of purchase
• License plate number
• Odometer reading

The vehicle title goes a long way in assuring buyers that they’re not being scammed. For example, the documentation ensures that the vehicle’s odometer hasn’t been rolled back or tampered with.

The purchaser or transferee’s name, address, and date of issue will be noted on the title as well. The seller’s name should be on the title as proof that they do own the vehicle and have the right to sell it as they so choose.

Buying or selling a vehicle without proof of ownership is illegal in most jurisdictions, and a title is the easiest proof of ownership you can provide. There are other ways to transfer ownership or sell a vehicle without a title, but it’s often easiest to just get a replacement title.

Transferring or Selling a Vehicle Without a Title

If you’re looking to sell a vehicle without a title, here are some steps you can take to make sure the process is legal:

Replacement Title

As we’ve mentioned, getting a replacement title is the easiest way to make the sale or transfer legal.

The process involves a visit to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Fill in a duplicate title application from your state DMV’s website along with proof of identification or a notarized application and the application fee payment.

The exact steps and requirements might vary from state to state, so do your research before rolling up to the DMV office. You can also file for a lost car title while you’re there. Keep in mind that these steps are for a title that’s already in your name.

If the vehicle’s lost title was not in your name, you’ll need to jump through more hoops. You’ll likely need to contact the previous owner’s lienholder and process more paperwork at the DMV, like the bill of sale, odometer disclosure agreement, and lien information.

Alternate Titling Options

Some states can offer methods to title abandoned vehicles or vehicles with outstanding repair bills. A mechanic’s lien for unpaid bills is entirely viable in Virginia, and abandoned vehicle titles are also viable titles for sales or transfers.

The state can also use the unit’s VIN to contact the vehicle’s last known owner as a way to give them the right of first refusal before providing you with a new title.

Bills of Sale

Some states were slow to pick up vehicle title releases as standard practice, with a few not offering titles until 1975. As a result, if you own a classic or vintage vehicle that’s older than that, it might not have a title to begin with. In that case, you can write up a bill of sale as proof of ownership instead.

Remember that this method depends on your state’s regulations, so double-check those first. Most would require you to print out or pick up the bill of sale form from the DMV branch. These bills usually include all the information that a typical title has.

The Notary Method

Some states require that a bill of sale be notarized as further proof of ownership. You can also go this route to legitimize transactions for vehicles without a title. As always, regulations vary per state, so check your local laws before trying this.

Vermont Registration

Finally, you can register untitled vehicles that are 15 years old or older in Vermont using only a bill of sale and the fees and taxes required for the registration.

Vermont only requires registration as proof of ownership for these vehicles, so the registration document will work as proof of ownership in all other 49 states. From there, you can type or handwrite the bill of sale and you can sell your titleless vehicle without any problem.

The bill won’t even need to be notarized. Just be sure to include the VIN, purchase price and date, and buyer and seller details.

Frequently Asked Car Title Questions

Here are some questions many people have about car titles:

Can You Buy a Vehicle Without a Title?

Buying a vehicle without the title is possible, but you’ll likely need the title as proof of ownership eventually. Purchasing a vehicle without the title might mean you’re buying a stolen car. Exceptions for this include older vehicles such as vintage or classic cars that are too old to have a title in the first place. Other proof of ownership will be needed for those vehicles.

How Long Does Getting a Duplicate Title Take?

State DMVs operate at different speeds, so the exact amount of time you need to wait for a duplicate title to be processed will vary. For example, in New York, you’ll likely have the duplicate mailed to you within two to three business days.

How Much Does a Duplicate Title Cost?

The cost of replacing a lost car title will also vary per state. Texas charges $5.45 for in-person transactions, while New York charges a $20 fee.

Can You Register a Vehicle Without a Title?

Unless the DMV exempts your vehicle from needing a title, you cannot register a vehicle without its title. This means that you can’t drive the vehicle legally without its title.

What Are the Vehicle Title Types?

There are three vehicle title types: clean, salvage, and rebuilt or reconstructed.

• Clean titles, also known as clear titles, indicate the vehicle has never been totaled in an accident.
• Salvage titles are for vehicles that were at some point totaled and inoperable.
• A rebuilt or reconstructed title is acquired when a salvage-title vehicle is restored to a point where it’s roadworthy once more. It gets the title once it’s been inspected by the proper authorities.

In the end, losing your vehicle’s title brings a lot of hassles, especially when you’re planning to sell it. Going through the proper procedures to obtain a replacement title or other proof of ownership is unavoidable to comply with the law. At least you now know the steps you can take when trying to sell a car without a title.