Can I Sell My Car If I Owe Registered

Selling your vehicle can be uncomplicated, but to avoid bug between y'all and the buyer, you should know what the law requires.

Before you sell your vehicle

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

After you sell your vehicle

Once you've sold the vehicle, y'all must exercise the post-obit:

Complete seller notification if it was a private sale from one individual to another individual.
Sign and date the title in the surface area for the signature of the selling owner 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 give-and-take "or" separates the names, any 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 requite it to the heir-apparent - fifty-fifty if yous notice the original. The original becomes invalid when a replacement title is issued.
Fill in the vehicle odometer mileage statement on the title. This is required nether federal law.
Complete the brand disclosure area on the title (if applicable).
Fill in the selling price on the title. The Department of Revenue checks titles and investigates suspiciously low auction prices.
Make full in the name and address of the heir-apparent or buyers on the title.
If there is a lien listed on the championship, provide the heir-apparent with a lien release document 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 y'all own. If the vehicle is a truck registered at 10,000 pounds or more, 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 non demand to exist removed.

Nib of sale

If you wish to have a tape of the auction, you lot may also complete the Instructions for Selling a Vehicle form MV2928. The Bill of Sale is provided for your convenience, it is not a required form. You may continue a copy with your records, and make a copy for the buyer equally documentation of the sale.

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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 - fifty-fifty if you sell to a family fellow 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 title and show whether the miles are:

Actual = The odometer has always worked properly and recorded all miles the vehicle has traveled.
Not Actual = The odometer statement was not filled out by the owner at the fourth dimension of auction; the odometer was replaced and set at zero considering of a repair; the odometer stopped working and the vehicle was driven more than 30 days before repair; or, the odometer numbers were turned back.
In Excess of Mechanical Limits = The odometer showed 99,999 miles and turned to null, instead of to 100,000.
Note: Only 6-digit odometers can tape more than than 100,000 miles. Don't record tenths of miles on the title.

Learn more about odometers

Brand disclosure

A "brand" is a permanent notation on the vehicle record that gives a prospective heir-apparent important information about the history of a vehicle.

Note: There are penalties upwardly to $v,000 for failing to disclose title brand information.

Your title must be branded if, during the time you endemic the vehicle, you could respond "aye" to whatever of the post-obit questions:

Was your vehicle used every bit a taxi or for public transportation?
Was it salvaged? A "salvage" brand is needed if your vehicle is less than seven model years former and was damaged more than than 70% of its off-white market value. If your vehicle was salvaged, repaired and passed inspection, your title should accept the make "rebuilt salvage."
Was it flood damaged? A "inundation damaged" brand is needed if water impairment was more than than 70% of its fair marketplace value.
Was it used as a police vehicle?

The brand "manufacturer buyback" on your championship means the vehicle was bought dorsum under the Lemon Law. A brand of "STFARM Non INSPECTED" is placed on a vehicle declared past Land Farm Insurance every bit a full loss, but not submitted equally save, and was part of the State Farm settlement with the Department of Justice. The vehicle has not passed an inspection by a certified state save inspector. This is not a relieve brand.

Acquire more virtually brands

Transfer plates to your next vehicle

If you sell your vehicle and your plates aren't expired, you can transfer them to a vehicle of the same type that is titled to you, your spouse, or same sex domestic partner. You can't transfer your plates to the buyer - even if it's another family unit fellow member. If you lot don't employ the plates, you tin can't get a refund for whatsoever remaining registration time.

Learn more on transferring plates and registration refunds

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Sell the correct way to dealers

Tell the truth about your trade-in

Championship branding laws that apply when yous sell your vehicle privately as well apply when you trade it in to a dealer. A dealer may ask you to guarantee the condition of your trade-in nether "Heir-apparent's Representation" on the purchase contract. You must give accurate information, or the dealer may be able to sue y'all in court.

Junk it right

Junk the title if yous junk the vehicle

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

If you lost your championship, you don't need a replacement title to junk the vehicle. Y'all can show the certificate of vehicle registration or Confirmation of Ownership every bit proof you own the vehicle, and sign a junk nib of sale.

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

Call for a dealer license

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

Wisconsin law says you can sell upward to five vehicles (titled in your proper name) in 12 months. If you sell more than five, or if y'all buy fifty-fifty 1 vehicle for the purpose of reselling it, y'all must have a dealer license. Contact the DMV Dealer & Agent Department at (608) 266-1425 or dealerlicensingunit@dot.wi.gov

Sell it right

Have a vehicle title in your proper name.
Pay what you owe before yous sell the vehicle.
Keep the title until the heir-apparent pays you.
Give the most recent championship to the buyer.
Have all owners sign the title.
Complete the odometer statement.
Get a championship brand if needed.
Take your plates off the vehicle to avoid tickets.
Photocopy and salvage the signed title or bill of sale.
Transfer plates to your adjacent vehicle - non the buyer's.
Junk the title if you junk the vehicle.
Get a dealer license to sell more than than five vehicles a year.

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

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Related information:

Dealer complaints
Dealer field investigation offices
Wisconsin's lemon law
Odometer tampering
Selling a vehicle - points to recollect
Renewal notice for a vehicle that'southward been sold

If you take questions near dealer licensing: