You’ve got an old car you’ve probably had in your possession for many, many years. You’ve had good times with that car, but the time has finally come to let her free. You’ve made your peace and you’re ready to trade it in or pass it over for cash.
There’s only one problem: you’re not sure if you have all the proper paperwork that you need. For example, you might not be in possession of the car title.
Can you sell your car without the title? It’s a question that many automobile owners face. Read on and we’ll walk what you through what you need to know when you find yourself in this situation.
Can You Sell Your Car Without the Title?
The short answer is no, not legally. There are rules in just about every state that block car owners from selling their vehicles without having some kind of proof of ownership. These laws are in place to help ensure that stolen vehicles aren’t easily passed from hand to hand.
What if your vehicle isn’t stolen, but you just don’t have the title in your possession? There are still some things you can do if you want to sell your car.
Replace the Title
If you’ve misplaced or lost your car title it is possible to get a new one. All you need to do is to reach out to your local department of motor vehicles. The process for replacing a lost damaged title will vary from place to place, but the representatives should be able to walk you through how things will go in your district.
There will be some fees you have to pay but they shouldn’t overwhelm the advantage you’ll get from having a car title back in your possession.
Get a Bill of Sale
There are some states that didn’t issue titles to car owners until as recently as the year 1975. In these cases, a bill of sale could be used as adequate proof of ownership. This will also depend on the laws in your states.
Some states will require that you have a state version of a bill of sale but will have a version easily accessible for printing on their website. Most states, in this modern era, will not look favorably upon a hand-written bill of sale.
Some states will also require that a bill of sale be notarized.
Be Up Front With Buyers
Even when it comes to cash cars, this documentation can be important. If you’re looking to make a sale it’s important you remain open and honest with the potential buyer.
Before even going through the motions of making a sale, you should let the buyer know that you do not have the title in your possession. This is especially true if you still owe money on the car.
In some cases, if you’re upfront about the money you owe the person buying the vehicle may still want to purchase it, with the additional cost of the money you still owe included. Being upfront about matters will do you wonders.
Selling a Car With No Title
Can you sell your car without the title? The short answer might be no, but there are many possible solutions one might take if they aren’t in possession of their vehicle title.