How to sign over a car title

The short version

A title transfer has three parts: the seller assigns the title, the buyer signs and applies for a new title, and the seller tells the state the car is sold. Federal law sets the odometer rules. Each state sets everything else, including where to sign, whether you need a notary and how fast the buyer must apply.

Fill in the title only when the sale is actually happening, with the buyer in front of you. New York’s DMV tells owners not to fill in any information until they make the transfer.¹

Seller: what to fill in

Most title assignment sections ask for the same things, though the layout differs by state:

1. Buyer’s full name and address. Print clearly. Never hand over a title with the buyer section blank (an “open title”). If the buyer never re-titles the car, it can come back to you.
2. Date of sale.
3. Sale price, if the title or your state’s forms ask for it. Texas, for example, wants the price shown on the signed Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U) you give the buyer.²
4. Odometer reading, if the vehicle isn’t exempt (see below).
5. Signature of each owner who must sign. If the owners are listed with “or”, one signature is generally enough. If they’re listed with “and”, every owner must sign. Florida’s title statute sets out exactly this rule.³
6. Lienholder release, if a lender is listed. In California the seller or lienholder signs the title, and the buyer then submits it to the DMV.⁴

Some states add their own items. New York requires a damage disclosure on the back of every title, whatever the vehicle’s age. For vehicles 8 model years old or newer, the DMV won’t register the car or issue a new title unless that disclosure is complete and signed.¹

The federal odometer disclosure (49 CFR 580)

Federal rules require the seller to disclose mileage when ownership transfers. For a titled vehicle, the disclosure goes on the title itself, physical or electronic, not on a separate sheet.⁵

The disclosure must include:⁵

• the odometer reading at transfer, without tenths of a mile
• the date of transfer
• the seller’s printed name and current address
• the buyer’s printed name and current address
• the vehicle’s make, model, year, body type and VIN

The seller must also certify one of three things: the reading is the actual mileage, it exceeds the odometer’s mechanical limits, or it is not the actual mileage and shouldn’t be relied on. The buyer then signs and prints their name to acknowledge it. When more than one person is selling, only one seller needs to sign the disclosure.⁵

Who is exempt. Under 49 CFR 580.17, these vehicles don’t need a disclosure:⁵

Vehicle	Disclosure needed?
Model year 2010 or older	No
Model year 2011 or newer	Yes, until 20 years after January 1 of its model year
Gross vehicle weight rating over 16,000 lb	No
Not self-propelled (e.g., a trailer)	No

For example, a 2011 model-year car becomes exempt in 2031. Many junk cars are older than 2011, but many aren’t, so check the model year before skipping the odometer box.

Buyer: what to do

1. Check the title before paying. The seller’s name should match their ID, the VIN on the title should match the car, and any lien should be released. Texas suggests going to the county tax office together, where staff can tell you whether the title is correct and has any salvage or legal issues.²
2. Sign where the title asks and acknowledge the odometer statement.
3. Apply for a new title on time. Texas requires the vehicle to be titled in the buyer’s name within 30 days of sale.² Bring the signed title, any lien release, and the bill of sale if your state uses one.

If you’re a junkyard or scrap buyer, your state may have its own paperwork for vehicles going to be dismantled. California, for example, has licensed dismantlers file a Report of Vehicle to be Dismantled (REG 42).⁶

Mistakes that get a title rejected

• Cross-outs, white-out or erasures. New York’s DMV won’t accept titles with cross-outs, alterations or erasures of any kind. Changing or correcting information, including signatures or addresses, invalidates the title.¹
• Signing in the wrong place. A seller who signs on the buyer’s line, or a lienholder line, can void the assignment. Read every label first.
• Missing co-owner signatures when owners are joined by “and”.³
• Skipping the odometer statement on a non-exempt vehicle.⁵
• Leaving the buyer’s name blank or filling it in later.
• Using an old title after a duplicate was issued. In New York, once a duplicate is processed, the original and any earlier duplicates can’t be used to transfer the vehicle.¹

If you void a title, stop. Get a duplicate before trying again (see how to get a duplicate title).

How states differ: three examples

California. The seller (and lienholder, if any) signs the title and the buyer submits it to the DMV. Sellers must also file a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability within 5 days. If the title is missing, the seller completes an Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title (REG 227) first.⁴ See California junk car laws.

Texas. The seller gives the buyer the signed title with the sale date and odometer reading, plus a signed Form 130-U with the sales price. Filing a Vehicle Transfer Notification within 30 days protects the seller from the buyer’s parking tickets and tolls.² See Texas junk car laws.

New York. The seller fills in the “Transfer by Owner” section only at the time of sale, completes the damage disclosure, and signs a bill of sale (Form MV-912), even for a gift.¹⁷ See New York junk car laws.

Every other state’s rules are on our junk car laws pages.

After you sign

Signing the title doesn’t take the car out of your name on the state’s records. That happens when the buyer re-titles it. Protect yourself by:

• filing your state’s release of liability or notice of sale
• keeping a bill of sale and photos of the signed title
• handling the plates the way your state requires, then cancelling insurance and registration

References

1. New York State DMV, “Information and instructions about your certificate of title”, https://dmv.ny.gov/brochure/information-and-instructions-about-your-certificate-of-title ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, “Buying or Selling a Vehicle”, https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/buying-or-selling-a-vehicle ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

3. Florida Statutes, s. 319.22, “Transfer of title”, http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0319/Sections/0319.22.html ↩ ↩²

4. California DMV, “Title Transfers and Changes”, https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/titles/title-transfers-and-changes/ ↩ ↩²

5. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, “49 CFR Part 580: Odometer Disclosure Requirements” (§§ 580.5 and 580.17), https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-V/part-580 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

6. California DMV, Vehicle Industry Registration Procedures Manual, “19.025 Junking a Vehicle—Dismantler”, https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/vehicle-industry-registration-procedures-manual-2/salvage-nonrepairable-junk-vehicles/junking-a-vehicle-dismantler/ ↩

7. New York State DMV, “Buy, sell, or transfer vehicle ownership”, https://dmv.ny.gov/titles/buy-sell-or-transfer-vehicle-ownership ↩