Transferring a title is not difficult, but the order matters and a missed signature will cost you a second trip.
What you need
- The signed title
- A bill of sale showing the price and the date
- A valid photo ID
- An odometer disclosure, for vehicles under ten years old
- Proof of insurance in the buyer's name
If there was a loan on the car you also need the lienholder's release. The title alone is not enough, and this is the single most common reason a transfer is turned away at the counter.
Sign in the right places
The seller signs where the title says seller, the buyer where it says buyer, and neither should sign anywhere else.
A title with a crossed-out or corrected signature is usually void, and replacing it means applying for a duplicate first — which needs the seller again.
Timing
Most states expect the transfer within ten to thirty days of the sale, and the penalty for filing late typically grows month by month. The seller should also file a release of liability the same day: until that is on record, tickets and tolls follow the old owner.
Costs
Budget for the title fee, the registration fee, and sales tax calculated on the purchase price. Some counties add their own charge. Between them, expect a figure in the low hundreds for an ordinary car.
Out-of-state cars
Add a VIN verification and, in states with emissions programmes, a smog certificate before the transfer will be accepted. Ask for these before you travel — it is a long drive home for a form.
If you buy from VietAuto we handle all of this for you, and you leave with plates on the car.
