Can You Sell A Car Without A Title
Yes, you can sell a car without a title if you have proof of ownership. Selling a car without proof of ownership is illegal in most states. That said, its not uncommon to discover that you dont have your cars title in your possession.
The simplest solution is to request a duplicate title through your local Department of Motor Vehicles . Sometimes, you may not even need a title to sell your car. Well dive deeper into all your options later on.
Whats A Car Title For Then
A car title is essentially the proof of ownership. Whoevers name is on the title, is the rightful owner of the car in question. This is the most important document relating to your car. If you dont have the title, then you dont have proof that the car belongs to you.
So, even without the registration, you can still quite easily sell your car as long as youre in possession of the title. That brings us to the steps on how to sell your car without registration:
Can You Trade In A Car Without A Title
If you live in one of the 24 states that has an Electronic Lien and Titling Program, you can trade in your car without a title. Dealerships can access the entire ELT system to confirm and transfer ownership. Compared to a private party sale, trade-ins through dealerships in ELT-eligible states are far more convenient. Even without a title, you could start your trade in today with a Rocket AutoSM dealership partner.
Private party sales do require a title in hand to transfer ownership, though. Youll need to plan ahead and request a duplicate title, which can take weeks or longer, depending on your local DMV.
While it may take extra waiting time, its fairly easy to replace your title. We broke down how to order a duplicate title and sell your car in five steps.
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Can You Junk A Car Without A Title
The short answer is yes, but not everywhere. For the states that donât allow a car to be junked without registration, itâs mainly an effort to protect against fraud and theft. If youâre hard up for cash, junkyards could potentially pay between $250 and $500 per vehicle, which is where theft and fraud come into play. A stolen car could fetch some serious cash when junked.
California has a very strict policy, and you are required to purchase a new title for the car unless you simply want to sell it for parts . In Florida, itâs possible to junk a car without a title if the seller meets a few guidelines. And in Texas, especially major cities like Houston or Dallas, if the original owner of the vehicle is no longer alive or in possession of the title, a power of attorney is necessary before you can junk the car without a title.
To locate a place that will junk your car without a title, search for salvage garages in your immediate area. There are lists of garages on the web that even offer online appraisals of your car once all the information and photos have been uploaded.
Cash For Clunkers Car No Title Questions We Ask

- Whos name is the vehicle is in?
- This is to ensure the car title is in your name, not someone else. If the vehicle is in someone elses, we are not able to purchase it. We run the registration to verify.
- What happened to the title?
- We have to ensure the title was not given up for a title loan or borrowed against.
- Do you have keys to the vehicle?
- Keys show the lawful position of the vehicle. You must have either the keys or the title.
- Whats wrong with the vehicle?
- This helps us determine what we are willing to pay for the vehicle and the type of equipment needed to move the car.
- Do you have a state-issued drivers license or identification?
- A valid form of state-issued or government-issued identification has to be present at the time of the purchase. There is no way around this rule.
We might also ask you for the vehicles license plate number or vehicle identification number . This is so we can run the car to ensure there is not a lienholder. If you have a lienholder but have paid the vehicle off, we ask the lien holder to give us the letter of release of lien this enables us to obtain a title from the state after purchasing your vehicle. Sell junk car no title is a particular process that has to be conducted right.
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What To Do If Your Title Is Lost Stolen Or Misplaced
If you want to know how to sell a car without a title because yours has been lost or misplaced, or if your title has been stolen, weve got the solution for you.
In this situation, you will still need a car title to transfer ownership.
When you buy and register a car, the clerks will enter your information into a common database. This allows your car title and registration information to be stored, which means that it can be retrieved should you need to request a replacement title.
You can visit your local Department of Motor Vehicles to request a replacement title. Some areas have satellite tag and title offices, and some towns have their title department located in the local courthouse or city hall.
If you are aware of the lost or stolen title when you decide to sell your car, you may want to take care of this first. It can take time to process your request and get your replacement title to you. Although, some places offer an on-site title printing service for an additional fee.
Its always preferable to have the title when you are showing your car to potential buyers. But, it may not be possible in your case and if so, you will need to explain your situation and work out an agreement with the buyer. Sometimes, a seller will allow the buyer to pay a small deposit, around $100 dollars, to hold the car until the title is received.
The Bank Or Lienholder Has The Title To The Car
If you have taken out a car loan and have not yet paid the payment due in full, then chances are the bank or lienholder will still have your cars title.
This isnt unusual in todays automobile market. Due to the high costs of new vehicles, many people must take out car loans to pay for their car at the time of purchase.
According to a recent report by Kelley Blue Book, in January 2018, the average price of a light vehicle in the United States was over $36,000. Car sale prices had risen almost 4% from the prior year. With the rising prices reflected in recent data, its no wonder that many people choose to finance their new car purchases.
If you choose to purchase a new car with financing from a bank, or another source, they will usually hold the title until the final payment is made. So, if you decide to sell your car prior to the time when you make that final payment, you may not have the car title.
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Request A Transfer Of Ownership
Some states will allow sellers to transfer ownership of a vehicle without a title, but the responsibility will fall onto the buyer to obtain one. So, while this does allow you to complete a and gives the new owner a temporary permit to drive the vehicle, this would only work if a new or duplicate car title is being processed. Additional documentation, like a certificate of inspection from a state-approved facility, might be required as well.
First Who Is A Salvage Dealer
A salvage dealer is a company that acquires, sells, dismantles, repairs, rebuilds, reconstructs, or otherwise deals with non-repairable motor vehicles, salvage motor vehicles, or used parts. Selling your junk vehicle to a reputable dealer eliminates the middleman and gets you the best price for your car!
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Can You Sell A Car With Expired Registration
Technically, you can sell a car with expired registration. However, the laws vary from one state to another. Therefore, its a good idea to seek advice from the local DMV officials on what laws and procedures youll have to follow before proceeding. Its also worth noting that upon selling a car with an expired registration, youll likely need to supplement additional information to the buyer. Essentially, telling them that the registration tags have expired. Moreover, youll likely have to surrender the title and prove that you are the vehicles legal owner. Expired registrations may also have penalties that youll have to pay.
Can I Sell A Car Without The Title In My Name
So, youve decided to sell or trade-in your vehicle, eh? Theres a lot of moving parts to this process that many get hung up-on. Most of it is pretty easy to figure out after some time spent searching online though. One of the most common concerns is if you can sell a car without a title since these often become lost over time. The short answer is yes, it is possible to sell a car without a title in some cases, but there are a few things to be aware of. The last situation you want to be in is being ready to complete a sale but not being able to do so.
Auto Repairs Are EXPENSIVE
The state you live in comes into play since the laws differ from one place to the next. Theres also the cars history to look at. Meaning if its a damaged-vehicle and an insurance company has declared it a total loss.
Lets go over both of these, and how they might impact completing the sale.
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Sell My Junk Car Near Me Today No Title Needed
One of the biggest reasons people live with a junk car day after day, is they cannot find the car title to that junk car.
Not many places will buy a junk car without the title. Many private dealerships, scrap yards and junkyards all want a car to have a car title.
We here at Cash Cars Buyer know that life happens to us all. Given such, sometimes, you just cannot get the car title to your car. Well, we have good news for you: we buy cars without title!
Although we do purchase cars without the title, we ask that you prove ownership of the car.
So, we ask that you have a valid as well as current picture ID, and a valid as well as current car registration.
And if you feel we need any other paperwork, have us look at that too!
We want to make selling your junk car easy. So, enter your cars information and once you have everything typed in, you will get an instant offer!
While entering your cars specs, be sure to indicate that you dont have the car title.
Then, connect with us so we can firm up that offer. 844-663-7286. Be sure to let us know that you dont have the car title and allow us to take it from there!
How To Sell A Car Without A Title

So you are trying to sell a car but dont have a title. Normally, this would be cause for alarm. But sometimes, theres a perfectly logical explanation: The car title is lost, stolen, or damaged the vehicle was abandoned on your property, or bills are owed on it a lender holds a lien on the vehicle you never titled the vehicle when you first purchased it.
Or the car could be stolen, in which case you should report it to the police as soon as possible.
Even though buying or selling a vehicle without proof of ownership is illegal in most jurisdictions, there are ways to sell a vehicle without a title. How you go about it depends on your particular set of circumstances, as well as the state in which youre doing business when selling a car without a title.
Check out these tips to help you sell a vehicle without a title.
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What Do I Do If The Title Is Not In My Name
If the person whose name the title was issued in has passed away, and you are the executor of the estate, we can still help you sell or get rid of your car using a tool called the, Survivorship Affidavit.
Otherwise, if the car you are trying to get rid of has a title issued in the name of someone else that you are not able to get a hold of to sign away the ownership of the car, or if you had a car abandoned on your property You have two options:
There are pros and cons to both options. If you file for an abandoned vehicle title there is typically a fee, and it is a much more involved process. You will have to fill out forms, send in pictures, and 60-90 days for the DMV to do their research and due diligence. It is not a guarantee at the end of this process they will be able to issue you an abandoned title for the vehicle, so there is some risk that it could all be for not as well. The benefit to this option, however, is if you are able to obtain an abandoned title, you can sell the car for cash rather than just having it removed from your property.
If you have questions give us a call!!!
Apply For A Local Exemption
Most states require a cars title for its sale, but in the few states that dont, you can apply for local exemption. If you arent the original owner of the vehicle, this process will also involve the DMV and will consist of them contacting the original owner of the vehicle through its VIN and giving them a chance to claim the vehicle.
If they dont claim the vehicle after a specified duration, then you can apply for the title. There are states that will not issue a title for vehicles that are 15 years or older. Instead, a bill of sale will be given to its supposed new owner, giving them a chance to register it under their name.
Look on your state DMV sites for details for your particular situation.
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Notarized Bill Of Sale
The second step is to notarize your bill of sale. Granted, you can register a car with a bill of sale. Still, few states are taking this a step further and they ask for the bill of sale to be notarized. This is going to add a layer of extra protection and legitimacy. Plus, it makes the registration process smoother. In order to get the bill of sale notarized, you and the buyer need to visit a public notary to get the things done. Once you visit a notary and sign a bill of the state, you can go to the next step.
The third step involves you filling out your state title exempt form. And also, paying the fees that go along with it. These procedures may vary from state to state. In some states, the buyer or both parties the buyer and seller need to fill out a form for transfer of ownership.
In some states, the buyer may be able to register the car with a bill of sale without any action required from you. You should check the local DMV for specific procedures. On top of that, may also need to provide some certificates of inspection from a state-approved inspector.
If the buyer lives out of state you need to confirm that in order for him to be able to register the vehicle.
Can I Sell A Junk Car With No Title
Many local dealers will refuse to buy cars with no title. We dont blame them. Theyre small businesses, and they dont want to deal with the hassle. But that can leave you with limited options. Online forums can be dangerous, and local want-ads just dont get the readership they used to. Fortunately, SellMax is here to help! Were a national company, so we dont sweat the small stuff. Even if your car is untitled, well still buy it.
Theres one exception to this. If you still owe money on the vehicle, the title will be in the lienholders name, so the balance on your car loan will need to be paid off before you can legally sell it. Sorry its the law.
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What Other Paperwork Can I Use In Place Of A Title
There are some places that wont allow you to sell or scrap your car without a title. This is because the title is the ultimate proof that you own the vehicle in question. However, there are legal ways around this. For one, if youre planning on selling your car to a junkyard, most of the time, they will accept a valid registration and drivers license as proof of ownership. If you do not have your title, though, and youve lost your registration, it may be a bit more difficult to handle this. This is especially true if there is a lien against your car.
Sometimes you may find that none of these options are available for you. While this means that you wont be able to sell your car in a traditional way, such as to a friend, local, or car dealership, it doesnt mean that youre out of options. Here are some other ways to sell you car without a title.