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Release of liability

A notice the seller files with the DMV to show a vehicle was sold, ending the seller's responsibility for it.

Full guide: Release of liability: how to tell the DMV you sold your car

A release of liability is a notice you file with your state DMV after you sell or junk a vehicle. It records the sale date and buyer, so later tickets, tolls or towing charges are not blamed on you. States use different names, such as notice of transfer or vehicle transfer notification.

Filing it promptly is one of the most important steps after junking a car, because the buyer may not retitle it right away, or ever.

California’s Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL) means the seller is no longer legally responsible for violations after the date of sale. It asks for the new owner’s name and address, the plate number, the last five digits of the VIN and the odometer reading. California also notes that an NRL alone does not transfer ownership.1

References

  1. California DMV, “Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL)”, https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/titles/title-transfers-and-changes/notice-of-transfer-and-release-of-liability-nrl/ ↩

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