Can You Sell A Vehicle If You Owe Money To Register?

Selling your vehicle tin be simple, just to avoid problems between you and the buyer, you lot should know what the law requires.

Before you sell your vehicle

Accept a vehicle title in your name.
You must have a title to the vehicle in your proper noun, even if you have never driven the vehicle. Yous can sell a vehicle that isn't titled to you lot merely if you are a licensed dealer.
Pay what you lot owe before you sell the vehicle.
If you owe coin for the vehicle, your title will testify a lien holder (a lender). Y'all must pay what you owe and go a lien release from the lender. If your lender holds your title, contact them for instructions on releasing your lien and obtaining the title.

Later you sell your vehicle

One time you've sold the vehicle, you lot must do the following:

Complete seller notification if it was a individual auction from one individual to another individual.
Sign and date the title in the surface area for the signature of the selling possessor or owners. If the title shows more than than one owner and the names are separated by the word "and," all owners shown must sign. If the word "or" separates the names, whatsoever of the owners shown may sign. If you lost the original title you will have to apply for a replacement title. Sign the replacement and give it to the heir-apparent - even if you find the original. The original becomes invalid when a replacement championship is issued.
Fill in the vehicle odometer mileage statement on the championship. This is required under federal law.
Complete the make disclosure area on the title (if applicative).
Make full in the selling price on the title. The Department of Revenue checks titles and investigates suspiciously low sale prices.
Fill in the name and address of the buyer or buyers on the title.
If there is a lien listed on the title, provide the buyer with a lien release certificate from your lien holder; the buyer will need both documents to get a title.
Remove the license plates from the vehicle. You may transfer them to another vehicle you own. If the vehicle is a truck registered at 10,000 pounds or more than, a farm truck registered at sixteen,000 pounds or more, a moped, a trailer or a recreational vehicle trailer, the license plates stay with the vehicle and do not need to be removed.

Bill of sale

If you wish to have a record of the sale, y'all may also consummate the Instructions for Selling a Vehicle course MV2928. The Nib of Auction is provided for your convenience, it is non a required form. Y'all may keep a copy with your records, and make a re-create for the buyer as documentation of the auction.

Return to top

Odometer statement

If your vehicle is a model year 2011 or newer, or is otherwise not exempt from mileage disclosure, write in the odometer reading - even if you sell to a family member. The odometer reading is the number of miles on the vehicle, not on the engine (even if the engine is newer than the rest of the vehicle). Write the miles in the space provided on the championship and show whether the miles are:

Bodily = The odometer has always worked properly and recorded all miles the vehicle has traveled.
Not Actual = The odometer statement was non filled out by the possessor at the fourth dimension of sale; the odometer was replaced and set up at zero because of a repair; the odometer stopped working and the vehicle was driven more than thirty days before repair; or, the odometer numbers were turned back.
In Backlog of Mechanical Limits = The odometer showed 99,999 miles and turned to zero, instead of to 100,000.
Note: Only 6-digit odometers can record more than 100,000 miles. Don't record tenths of miles on the championship.

Learn more about odometers

Brand disclosure

A "make" is a permanent notation on the vehicle record that gives a prospective buyer of import information about the history of a vehicle.

Note: At that place are penalties up to $five,000 for failing to disclose championship make information.

Your championship must be branded if, during the time you owned the vehicle, y'all could answer "yes" to any of the post-obit questions:

Was your vehicle used equally a taxi or for public transportation?
Was it salvaged? A "salve" brand is needed if your vehicle is less than seven model years one-time and was damaged more than seventy% of its fair market place value. If your vehicle was salvaged, repaired and passed inspection, your title should take the brand "rebuilt salvage."
Was it flood damaged? A "flood damaged" brand is needed if water impairment was more than seventy% of its fair market value.
Was information technology used as a law vehicle?

The brand "manufacturer buyback" on your championship means the vehicle was bought back under the Lemon Law. A brand of "STFARM NOT INSPECTED" is placed on a vehicle declared by Country Farm Insurance as a full loss, just non submitted as save, and was part of the State Farm settlement with the Department of Justice. The vehicle has non passed an inspection past a certified country relieve inspector. This is not a salvage make.

Learn more about brands

Transfer plates to your next vehicle

If yous sell your vehicle and your plates aren't expired, yous tin transfer them to a vehicle of the same blazon that is titled to you, your spouse, or same sexual activity domestic partner. You can't transfer your plates to the buyer - even if it'south another family unit member. If y'all don't utilise the plates, you can't get a refund for any remaining registration time.

Acquire more on transferring plates and registration refunds

Return to summit

Sell the correct way to dealers

Tell the truth about your trade-in

Championship branding laws that utilise when you sell your vehicle privately too use when you lot trade information technology in to a dealer. A dealer may ask you to guarantee the condition of your merchandise-in under "Buyer's Representation" on the purchase contract. You lot must requite accurate data, or the dealer may be able to sue you in court.

Junk it right

Junk the title if you junk the vehicle

If you sell your vehicle as junk, and you don't want the vehicle to be driven again, write the word "Junk" across the championship before you requite it to the buyer or salve dealer.

If you lost your title, yous don't need a replacement title to junk the vehicle. You can show the certificate of vehicle registration or Confirmation of Ownership as proof you own the vehicle, and sign a junk beak of sale.

Note: Once a vehicle is junked, it tin can never exist titled or licensed again, even if someone repairs or restores it.

Call for a dealer license

Get a dealer license to sell more than five vehicles a twelvemonth

Wisconsin law says you can sell upward to v vehicles (titled in your name) in 12 months. If you sell more than than five, or if you purchase even one vehicle for the purpose of reselling it, you must take a dealer license. Contact the DMV Dealer & Agent Section at (608) 266-1425 or dealerlicensingunit@dot.wi.gov

Sell it correct

Have a vehicle title in your name.
Pay what you owe before you sell the vehicle.
Keep the title until the buyer pays you lot.
Give the about recent title to the buyer.
Have all owners sign the title.
Complete the odometer statement.
Get a title brand if needed.
Take your plates off the vehicle to avoid tickets.
Photocopy and save the signed title or beak of sale.
Transfer plates to your next vehicle - non the buyer's.
Junk the title if you lot junk the vehicle.
Get a dealer license to sell more 5 vehicles a year.

For more information about selling your vehicle, contact (608) 264-7447 or Wisconsin DMV email service.

Return to top

Related data:

Dealer complaints
Dealer field investigation offices
Wisconsin's lemon law
Odometer tampering
Selling a vehicle - points to call up
Renewal find for a vehicle that's been sold

If you accept questions nigh dealer licensing: