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Selling or junking a car in Mississippi

What Mississippi requires when you sell or junk a car: signing the title, selling without one, duplicate titles, release of liability and plates. Each answer links to the official source.

Checked against official sources in October 2026 · Mississippi Department of Revenue (DOR), Motor Vehicle Services. Day-to-day titles and tags are handled by county Tax Collectors.

How do I sign over a car title in Mississippi?

The seller fills in every part of the assignment section on the title except the buyer's printed name and signature, which the buyer adds. Leaving the buyer's name blank is illegal, and DOR warns never to accept or deliver an incomplete title. If someone else signs for the owner, they need a Power of Attorney (Form 78-003). Odometer: the seller states the odometer reading at transfer, as on DOR's Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form 78-015). The seller should keep a copy of the front and back of the signed title. The buyer applies for title at the county Tax Collector's office.

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

In general, no. DOR says a missing title must be replaced before sale. The exception is a sale for scrap or parts under Miss. Code Ann. 63-21-39(1)(b), as amended by 2024 HB 1589 (effective Jan 1, 2025). An owner who never got a title, lost it, or already surrendered it may give a sworn statement instead, but only to a licensed used parts dealer or scrap metal processor. The vehicle must be at least 10 model years old and lien-free, and it can never be titled again. The statement is DOR Form 78-031 (Certification to Cancel Title for Scrapped, Dismantled or Destroyed Vehicle). It must be typed or computer printed, and it includes the seller's name, address, driver's license number and signature. Falsifying it is a misdemeanor for a first offense and a felony after that. The dealer must check for liens before buying and send the statement to DOR within 3 business days (the form says 72 hours).

How do I get a duplicate title in Mississippi?

Use Form 78-006, Application for Replacement Certificate of Title. The fee is $9.00. Mail it to MS DOR Motor Vehicle Services, P.O. Box 1383, Jackson, MS 39215-1383. Fast Track (Form 78-026) costs $39.00, and those titles are issued within 72 hours of receipt. If a lienholder was shown on the original title, include a lien release.

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

Mississippi's step for sellers is the plate: remove it when the title is assigned and the vehicle handed over, and surrender it to the county Tax Collector. Tag credit is figured from the date the plate is turned in, not the sale date, so turn it in promptly. Keep a copy of the front and back of the signed title.

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

The plate stays with the seller, who removes it at the sale. A Mississippi plate is tied to both the vehicle and the owner, so it cannot be moved to another vehicle. It must be surrendered to the county Tax Collector.

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

An owner who scraps, dismantles or destroys a vehicle, and anyone who buys one for that purpose, must note it on the back of the title and mail or deliver the title to DOR for cancellation (63-21-39(1)(a)). Without a title, use Form 78-031 as described above. Mississippi will not issue a title or registration for junk, non-rebuildable, certificate-of-destruction or parts-only vehicles. A 'salvage vehicle' is one an insurer takes after paying a total-loss claim. Vehicles 10 or more years old and worth $1,500 or less are excluded from that definition. A salvage vehicle needs a Department of Public Safety inspection (Form 78-021) and a Rebuilt title before it can be driven again.

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

DOR guidance covers vehicles towed by police and left with towers, repair shops or dealers. Under SB 2848 (effective July 1, 2026), towers send certified-mail notices through an approved vendor. The first letter goes out 7 days after the tow and gives the owner and lienholders 30 days from the tow to reclaim the vehicle. For a regular vehicle, a second letter goes out 30 days after the tow with the auction details and 10 more days to reclaim, plus a newspaper notice for 2 consecutive weeks. For a worthless vehicle going to scrap, only the first letter is needed; it may be disposed of after two licensed dealers state in writing that it is worthless. If it is unclaimed after 30 days, the tower sends DOR proof of the notices (Affidavit of Abandonment, Form 78-009), and DOR approves the sale or destruction.

Official sources

  1. MS DOR - Motor Vehicle Titles
  2. MS DOR - Motor Vehicle FAQ
  3. MS DOR - Title Forms
  4. MS DOR Form 78-031
  5. MS DOR Form 78-006
  6. MS DOR Form 78-015 Odometer Disclosure Statement
  7. MS DOR - Fast Track Title Procedure
  8. MS DOR - Salvage Vehicles
  9. MS DOR - Abandoned Vehicles
  10. MS DOR - Abandoned Vehicle FAQ (SB 2848)
  11. 2024 HB 1589 enrolled text (amends 63-21-39)
  12. 2026 SB 2848 enrolled text

This guide summarizes public rules and is not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with Mississippi Department of Revenue (DOR), Motor Vehicle Services. Day-to-day titles and tags are handled by county Tax Collectors. before you sell.

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