Selling or junking a car in Maine

How do I sign over a car title in Maine?

When the car is handed over, the seller signs the assignment and warranty of title over to the buyer (29-A M.R.S. §662). If there was a lien, the seller must also give the buyer a properly released lien certificate. The seller records the odometer reading in whole miles, without tenths. The seller then certifies one of three statements: the reading is actual mileage, it is beyond the odometer's mechanical limits, or it is not the actual mileage (§752). If the reading is not actual, the seller explains why on a state form. If the back of the title is full, the disclosure goes on a separate state transfer form. The buyer signs only after the seller. No one may sign as both seller and buyer. Maine's title transfer laws (§§662, 752) do not call for a notary. Maine publishes a Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale form that includes an odometer section.

Can I sell or junk a car without a title in Maine?

Maine phases in titles by model year. As of Jan 1, 2026, model year 2001 and newer must have a title. As of Jan 1, 2027, model year 2002 and newer must. Vehicles more than 25 years old are exempt (29-A §652(13)), so a 2000-or-older car can be sold with a bill of sale. Licensed recyclers, salvage vehicle dealers and scrap processors can also buy a vehicle at least 20 years old by model year without a title, but only if it will be scrapped (§652(18)). To do that, the buyer records the seller's name and home address from a government photo ID. The buyer keeps that record and the VIN for at least 5 years. The buyer reports the destruction to the Secretary of State within 30 days on form MVT-54. Vehicles bought on an MVT-54 may only be crushed for basic materials, not sold for parts. A recycler may also buy a vehicle with no title if its title was already surrendered to the state as junk, and the recycler must verify that.

How do I get a duplicate title in Maine?

Mail-in: Form MVT-8, 'Request to re-issue a Certificate of Title'. The fee is $33, or $43 with the $10 rush fee. Checks are payable to 'Secretary of State'. If the old title is damaged, send it or what is left of it with the form. Online: the BMV's Online Duplicate Title service costs $46 in total. To use it you must be a Maine resident and the titled owner, with a Maine driver's license or state ID. There must be no lienholder or company on the title, and vehicles from 1994 or older are not eligible.

Do I need to file a release of liability in Maine?

Maine has no separate notice-of-sale filing. Under 29-A §662, a seller who has delivered the vehicle and properly assigned the title is not liable as owner for damages from its later operation.

What do I do with the plates after selling a car in Maine?

Plates stay with the seller, not the car. Plates remain state property (29-A §463(1)). The registration ends when ownership transfers (§463(2)). The seller can move the plate number to another vehicle in their name (§463(4)). If the new registration is in the same registration year and costs the same, there is an $8 transfer fee (§502), plus the difference if the new fee is higher. If a registration has ended and the owner does not plan to renew or transfer it within 6 months, the owner must remove the plates and mail them with the registration certificate to the Secretary of State (§463(3)).

What happens to the title when a car is junked or salvaged in Maine?

An owner who scraps or dismantles a vehicle must surrender the title or salvage certificate to the Secretary of State within 30 days (29-A §667(3)). Anyone who acquires a vehicle to scrap or dismantle has the same 30-day duty. Recyclers and salvage dealers may hold the title until the vehicle is scrapped, then must turn it in within 30 days. A scrapped vehicle's title and registration cannot be reissued. Before transferring a salvage vehicle, the owner must surrender the title and get a salvage certificate. The exception is a sale to a licensed recycler. If an owner gives a vehicle to a licensed recycler without a salvage certificate, the vehicle is treated as declared salvage. The recycler must then apply for a salvage certificate within 30 days unless the title is surrendered. Insurers must apply for a salvage certificate within 30 days of settling a claim. BMV guidance says a recycler may resell a vehicle already reported to the state as junked only with a bill of sale marked 'for parts only and not for road use'. Recyclers must also report to NMVTIS. Breaking §667 is a Class D crime.

What can I do about an abandoned vehicle on my property in Maine?

Under 29-A §§1851 and 1854, this covers a vehicle left on property without permission, left on residential property for more than 6 months, or left unclaimed at a repair shop or storage facility. The property owner, or their agent, notifies the Secretary of State on a state form. The Secretary then mails the vehicle owner and any lienholder, stating the charges and the date ownership will pass. If the state has no record of the vehicle, the property owner publishes a notice once in a county newspaper; if no one retrieves the vehicle and pays the charges within 14 days, ownership passes to the property owner. The Secretary of State can then issue a title, or a $5 letter of ownership for an untitled vehicle (§1856). Vehicles moved by police under §2069 follow the same notice rules.

Official sources

1. Maine BMV - Titles
2. Maine BMV - Titles FAQ
3. MVT-8 Duplicate Title Application
4. Maine BMV Online Duplicate Title service
5. 29-A M.R.S. §652 Exempted vehicles
6. 29-A M.R.S. §662 Transfer of interest in vehicle
7. 29-A M.R.S. §752 Odometers; transfers
8. 29-A M.R.S. §667 Salvage
9. 29-A M.R.S. §463 Disposition of registration plates
10. 29-A M.R.S. §502 Transfer and return of registration
11. 29-A M.R.S. §1851 Abandoned vehicles: application
12. 29-A M.R.S. §1854 Notification of vehicle owner
13. 29-A M.R.S. §1856 Issuance of certificate; letter of ownership
14. 29-A M.R.S. §2069 Removal of vehicles
15. MVT-54 Notification of Scrapped Vehicle by Recycler
16. Maine BMV Salvage guidance for recyclers (rev. 02-26)
17. Maine Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale

This guide summarizes public rules and is not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with Maine Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), Division of Title Services before you sell.