Vende tu auto en Estados Unidos

Paso a paso

1. Make sure the title is in your name and free of liens Requerido por ley

   You need a valid title to sell. If there was a loan, the lienholder must release its interest on the title or in a signed statement before you can sell.

   Oregon DMV - Buying or selling a vehicle
2. Get any inspection or smog certificate your state requires Recomendado

   Some states make the seller provide a certificate: California requires a valid smog certification for most vehicles, and Missouri a safety inspection less than 60 days old. Check your state below.

   Missouri Department of Revenue - Selling a vehicle
3. Sign the title over with the odometer reading Requerido por ley

   Complete the seller's (assignment) section of the title with the buyer's name and address, the sale date, the price and the odometer reading, with every owner on the title signing. Some states, such as Pennsylvania and Kentucky, require the seller's signature to be notarized.

   Virginia DMV - Buying/Selling a vehicle
4. Give the buyer a bill of sale Recomendado Vendedor y comprador

   Record both parties' names, the vehicle and VIN, the date and the price, signed by both. Several states require one or publish an official form (e.g. New York MV-912, Colorado DR 2173, Connecticut H-31).

   New York DMV - Buy, sell, or transfer vehicle ownership
5. Remove your license plates Requerido por ley

   In most states plates belong to the owner, not the car: remove them before the buyer drives away, then transfer them to another vehicle or surrender them as your state requires.

   Washington DOL - Report a vehicle sale
6. File the notice of sale or release of liability Requerido por ley

   Report the sale to the state so later tickets, tolls and liability are not yours: e.g. within 5 days in California (Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability) and Washington (Report of Sale), within 30 days in Texas (Vehicle Transfer Notification).

   Texas DMV - Buying or selling a vehicle
7. Notify your insurer and cancel the registration where required Recomendado

   Tell your insurance company about the sale. Virginia warns that if you don't notify DMV the vehicle may show as registered but uninsured; in DC you should not cancel insurance before surrendering the tags.

   Virginia DMV - Buying/Selling a vehicle
8. Buyer titles the vehicle and pays sales tax Requerido por ley Comprador

   The buyer applies for a new title and registration in their state within its deadline (for example 30 days in Texas, 10 working days in New Jersey) and pays the sales or use tax then.

   Texas DMV - Buying or selling a vehicle

Lista de documentos

Marca lo que ya tienes. Esto se queda en tu dispositivo, y nada de esto es necesario para publicar tu auto.

• Certificate of titleSigned over to the buyer with sale date, price and odometer reading; lien released first.Requerido por ley
• Odometer disclosureUsually recorded on the title itself; required for most vehicles under 20 years old (model year 2011 and newer).Requerido por ley
• Bill of saleRequired or provided as an official form in some states (e.g. New York MV-912, New Jersey, South Dakota Form 1025); recommended everywhere.Recomendado
• Notice of sale / release of liabilityState form or online filing that records the transfer and protects the seller, e.g. Texas Vehicle Transfer Notification, Washington Report of Sale, California NRL.Requerido por ley
• Lien releaseNeeded if the vehicle was financed and the release is not already shown on the title.Recomendado

Reglas que cambian por región

Alabama

The Alabama Department of Revenue says license plates must be removed by the registrant when the vehicle is sold or disposed of; the seller may be able to transfer the plate to a newly acquired vehicle. The buyer has 20 calendar days from the date of purchase to register the vehicle (to avoid penalty and interest), and for a titled vehicle a title application must be submitted before registration can be processed. Fuente

Alaska

The seller completes the Notice of Vehicle Sale for Transfer attached to the bottom of the original title and sends it to the DMV as soon as possible (it can also be recorded online); if that portion is missing or the title was already handed over, a Notice of Transfer Pending can be filed instead. The seller completes the Assignment of Vehicle Title by Owner, certifies the odometer reading for vehicles under ten years old and leaves no blanks, then gives the original title to the buyer. A bill of sale does not transfer ownership but is recommended; personalized or specialty plates are removed by the seller. Fuente

Arizona

Under A.R.S. 28-2058 the seller endorses the title with a warranty of title, delivers it with an odometer mileage disclosure statement, and within 30 days must transfer the plates to another vehicle, surrender them, or file an affidavit of plate destruction (plates stay with the owner, not the vehicle). The buyer must present the title to MVD within 15 days after the transfer. Fuente

Arkansas

To register, the buyer needs the title, a bill of sale and an odometer statement, and has 60 days from the date of purchase to register the vehicle. Sales tax is paid on used vehicles priced from $4,000 to $9,999 at 3.5%, and none is due on vehicles priced at $3,999 or less. Fuente

California

The seller signs the title and must submit a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL) to the DMV within 5 days; the change of ownership must be reported to the DMV within 10 days. The seller must give the buyer a valid smog certification, except for cars less than four years old, where the buyer pays a smog transfer fee instead. Fuente

Colorado

Plates belong to the seller, not the vehicle: remove them before the sale and return them to a county office or recycle them (personalized plates can move to your next vehicle). The seller signs the title, records the odometer for vehicles 2011 and newer during their first 20 years, gives the buyer a bill of sale (DR 2173 or equivalent), provides a passing emissions certificate if the vehicle is more than 7 model years old and the buyer lives in an emissions county, and files a Report Release of Liability within 5 days. The buyer has 60 days to title and register and pays sales tax at the county office. Fuente

Connecticut

The seller signs the back of the title, gives the buyer a bill of sale (form H-31 or one with names, addresses, vehicle description, VIN, price, date and seller signature), removes the plates and cancels the registration with the DMV. Insurance should stay active until the registration is cancelled, and the vehicle remains subject to property tax in its town until cancellation. Fuente

Delaware

Delaware DMV recommends doing the title transfer at a DMV facility; otherwise the seller must notify DMV by mailing the Seller's Report of Sale (detachable from the title) and the registration card. The buyer must apply for a new title no more than 30 days after the purchase or pay a penalty. The plate must be removed and returned to DMV or retained for another vehicle. Fuente

District of Columbia

The seller removes the tags before the sale and, if not transferring them to another vehicle, surrenders them to DC DMV in person or by certified mail; insurance should not be cancelled before the tags are surrendered, or an insurance lapse fee may apply. The seller gives the buyer the properly signed title, and the buyer gets a temporary DC registration to take the vehicle to inspection. Fuente

Florida

Plates are issued to and stay with the owner: on a sale the owner must remove the plate and either return it or transfer it to a replacement vehicle (F.S. 320.0609). Under F.S. 319.22 the seller must notify the department of the sale within 30 days, which protects the seller from later civil liability for the vehicle. Fuente

Georgia

The seller completes the assignment on the back of the original title and must also cancel the vehicle's registration, online through DRIVES e-Services or with form MV-18J at the county tag office. The buyer must title and register within 7 days of purchase at a County Tag Office and signs the odometer declaration; giving or accepting a title without the purchaser's name entered is a misdemeanor. Fuente

Hawaii

Vehicle registration is handled by each county; on Oahu (City and County of Honolulu) the seller detaches the Notice of Transfer from the top of the title (or uses form CS-L(MVR)53) and submits it within 10 days to the county where the vehicle was last registered, which protects the seller from fines and fees incurred after the sale; failure to comply can bring a fine of up to $100. The seller hands the buyer the endorsed title, the last-issued registration and the State of Hawaii Safety Inspection Certificate. Notarizing the seller's signature is optional but prevents rejection for irregular signatures, and the buyer must complete the transfer within 30 days of the seller's transfer date on the title. Fuente

Idaho

After signing the title over to the buyer, the seller may file a Notice of Release of Liability (form ITD 3858, $3.50 fee) within five days of delivering the vehicle, under Idaho Code 49-526; it can be submitted online at DMVonline.ITD.Idaho.gov or mailed to the county assessor's motor vehicle office. The form records the odometer reading, selling price, delivery date and buyer's details, and may protect the seller from liability for injuries, damage, infractions, towing or storage charges arising after delivery. Fuente

Indiana

The seller should remove the license plate from the vehicle at the time of the sale; the BMV does not require plates of sold vehicles to be returned, and the plate can be transferred to another vehicle owned by the same person. Both the seller and purchaser sections of the certificate of title must be completed in full, and the buyer must apply for the title within 45 days after purchase. Fuente

Iowa

Under Iowa Code 321.46, the buyer must apply to any county treasurer for a new registration and certificate of title within 30 calendar days of the purchase, presenting the title endorsed and assigned by the seller. The seller may file an affidavit on a department form with any county treasurer certifying the sale and the delivery of the title; once filed, the seller is presumed to have assigned and delivered the title. Fuente

Kansas

Under K.S.A. 8-135, the seller endorses an assignment with warranty of title and delivers the title to the buyer at the time of sale or at an agreed time no later than 60 days; a sale without the assigned title is fraudulent and void. On transfer the registration expires and the owner must remove the license plate. The seller must enter and certify the mileage and purchase price at each sale, and the buyer has 60 days, including weekends and holidays, to register the vehicle. Fuente

Kentucky

In a citizen-to-citizen sale the seller must sign the back of the title in the presence of a notary. The buyer then takes the signed title, proof of Kentucky insurance and identification to the County Clerk, and the title must be transferred to the new owner within 15 days. If the transfer is not completed within 15 days, the seller completes form TC96-3 (Affidavit of Incomplete Transfer); if the buyer lives out of state, the seller returns the Kentucky plate to the County Clerk. Fuente

Maine

Whether a title exists to sign over depends on the model year: as of January 1, 2026, vehicles of model year 2001 or newer must have a title, and as of January 1, 2027 the cutoff moves to model year 2002 or newer. Questions on transfers go to the BMV Division of Title Services. Fuente

Maryland

Under Transportation Article 13-112, the seller must, at delivery, execute an assignment and warranty of title to the buyer, list any liens on the title and hand over the certificate; the buyer must promptly apply for a new title, and the MVA may charge an extra fee if it does not receive the application within 30 days. Under 23-107, the MVA requires a valid safety inspection certificate before it titles and registers a used vehicle, unless the vehicle is transferred within 30 days of an inspection certificate already filed with the MVA. Fuente

Massachusetts

Under M.G.L. c. 90, s. 2, the registration expires when ownership is transferred, and the previous owner must promptly return the registration certificate to the Registrar with written notice of the transfer date and the new owner's details. The seller's plates can go on a newly acquired vehicle of the same type, which may be driven until 5 p.m. on the seventh calendar day after the transfer while carrying the original bill of sale; a seller who surrenders plates and registration without registering another vehicle may get a partial fee rebate. Fuente

Minnesota

Under Minn. Stat. 168A.10, the seller must immediately deliver the assigned title to the buyer and, within 10 days of the sale, complete, detach and return the Notice of Sale portion of the title to the department (or send the same information electronically); this does not apply to sales by or to a licensed dealer. The buyer has 20 calendar days after assignment to apply for a new title, and missing the deadline can lead to suspension of the vehicle's registration. Fuente

Missouri

Give the buyer a properly assigned title (signed and printed name, odometer reading and sale date; title signatures need no notarization), a safety inspection certificate less than 60 days old and, if you live in St. Louis City or Jefferson, St. Charles or St. Louis County, an emissions inspection no more than 60 days old. Remove your plates before the buyer takes possession, and within 30 days report the sale to the Department of Revenue with a Notice of Sale (Form 5049) or Bill of Sale (Form 1957). Fuente

Nebraska

Every name on the title must sign the seller's section, liens must be released on the face of the title first, and the seller completes the odometer certification. Give the buyer a bill of sale or a completed Department of Revenue Form 6, and enter the buyer's name and address at the time of sale (a signed title with the purchaser section blank is an 'open' title). The buyer must obtain the title within 30 days. Fuente

New Jersey

Sign the seller's section on the back of the title and give the buyer a bill of sale with the buyer's name and address, date, odometer reading and price; the transfer must be done in person at a motor vehicle agency. Remove your plates and surrender them, or keep them for another vehicle you own (they cannot go to the new owner). The buyer must transfer the title within 10 working days to avoid a $25 penalty. Fuente

New York

Complete and sign the transfer section of the title certificate and sign a Vehicle Bill of Sale (MV-912), even for a gift; the buyer keeps a copy and the original goes to the DMV at titling. For a gift or a sale below fair market value, the Statement of Transaction (DTF-802) sales tax form must also be completed. Fuente

Ohio

The new owner must obtain the certificate of title from a county Clerk of Courts Title Office and register the vehicle at the local BMV within 30 days of the sale. Fuente

Oregon

Notify DMV of the sale within 10 days through DMV2U, with the buyer's name and address, and sign and date the back of the title or a bill of sale. Any loan must be paid off and released by the lienholder first, and for model year 2011 or newer vehicles under 20 years old both parties sign the odometer disclosure. You may remove your plates; the buyer must apply for title within 30 days. Fuente

Pennsylvania

The seller's signature on a Pennsylvania title must be notarized or verified, so buyer and seller should meet at a notary, tag service or dealer to complete the title application (Form MV-4ST, which also collects sales tax based on fair market value). Record the odometer reading, and after the transfer remove the plate and return it to PennDOT unless you will move it to another vehicle. Fuente

South Dakota

Give the buyer a Bill of Sale (Form 1025) and the title within 45 days; a seller's permit (valid 45 days) lets the buyer drive while applying for title. Report the sale with the Seller's Report of Sale (Form 1024) or through the online portal. South Dakota is a plate-with-owner state, so the plates stay with you. Fuente

Texas

Give the buyer the signed title showing sale date and odometer reading, plus a signed Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U) showing the sale price, and file a Vehicle Transfer Notification with TxDMV within 30 days to be protected from the buyer's tickets and tolls. The buyer must title the vehicle within 30 days. You may keep the plates for a future vehicle, transfer them, or deface and dispose of them. Fuente

Utah

Report the vehicle as sold to the Division of Motor Vehicles, online through the Motor Vehicle Portal, by mail (form TC-502) or by phone. A bill of sale (form TC-843) is advised for private sales but not legally required. Fuente

Vermont

The buyer pays purchase and use tax at registration or titling, based on the greater of the purchase price or the J.D. Power clean trade-in value. A change of legal ownership of the vehicle must happen before its plates and registration can be transferred to another vehicle. Fuente

Virginia

All owners on the title sign Section A, entering the buyer's name and address, odometer reading, sale date and price, and provide proof of price such as a bill of sale. Remove the plates before the buyer takes possession (transfer, turn in or inactivate them; Form FMS-210 refund if six months or more remain), then notify DMV of the sale and your insurer, or DMV may treat the vehicle as registered but uninsured. Fuente

Washington

Submit a Report of Sale within 5 days of the sale date ($18 fee if mailed or in person). Remove your plates (transfer them to another vehicle of the same type or surrender them). The vehicle needs a valid title, and buyer and seller sign a Bill of Sale unless the price and date are on the title; DOL recommends meeting at a vehicle licensing office. Fuente

Mantente seguro cuando los compradores se pongan en contacto contigo

• Washington DOL recommends meeting the buyer at a vehicle licensing office to collect payment and sign over the title.
• Never hand over a title with the buyer's name left blank: Nebraska calls it an 'open' title and Georgia makes giving or accepting one a misdemeanor.
• File your state's notice of sale right away; until it is on record you can be held responsible for the buyer's tickets, tolls and liability.