Blog
Guides, tips, and state-specific information about bills of sale and private transactions.
What is curbstoning, and how to spot an unlicensed car dealer
Curbstoners sell cars for profit while posing as private individuals, which strips away the disclosures a licensed dealer owes you. Here are the tells and the checks that catch them.
Jill Stradley · September 10, 2026 at 1:51 PM ET 
Selling a car across state lines: Title, tax, and registration
When buyer and seller live in different states, two sets of DMV rules meet. Here is whose title form to use, where the tax is paid, and how to protect both sides.
Paul Oak · September 9, 2026 at 1:42 PM ET 
The most you can recover in small-claims court after a private car sale
A private car sale that goes bad often lands in small-claims court. The dollar cap you can recover swings from $2,500 to $25,000 depending on your state.
Jill Stradley · September 8, 2026 at 12:58 PM ET 
Selling a car for parts: how to write a parts-only bill of sale
A non-running car sold for parts still has a VIN, a title, and a paper trail. Here is the language to use, why the title still matters, and how to make sure the state retires the vehicle so it never comes back to you.
Paul Oak · September 7, 2026 at 12:17 PM ET 
How to replace a lost car title before you sell
A seller who cannot find the title has one job before listing the car: order a duplicate. Here is what states ask for, what it costs, how liens complicate it, and why handing over a bill of sale alone leaves your buyer stranded.
Jill Stradley · September 4, 2026 at 12:03 PM ET 
How to title a kit car, replica, or custom-built vehicle
A vehicle built from a kit or from parts has no factory title. States issue a specially constructed or assembled title after an inspection, a receipt review, and a state-assigned VIN. Here is the process and how to sell one later.
Jill Stradley · September 3, 2026 at 12:06 PM ET 
Selling a car with two names on the title: 'and' versus 'or'
One small word printed between two names decides whether both owners must sign or either one can sign alone. Here is what the conjunction controls, how survivorship fits in, and what to do when a co-owner is unreachable.
Jill Stradley · September 2, 2026 at 1:19 PM ET 
Car sales tax on a private sale: Where you pay the most (and least)
Private car buyers pay tax at their own DMV, not the seller's. The rate you owe swings from zero in five states to 7.25% in California. Here is the state map.
Paul Oak · September 1, 2026 at 1:24 PM ET 
Antique and classic vehicle registration requirements by state
Antique registration is its own class, with its own age threshold, its own plate, and real limits on how far and how often you may drive. Here is how the major states define it, and what changes for inspection, insurance, fees, and resale.
Paul Oak · August 31, 2026 at 1:19 PM ET 
Snowmobile bill of sale: what to include and what states require
Some states title snowmobiles, others only register them, and the trail pass is a separate purchase from both. Here is how the paperwork works in the major snowmobile states and exactly what your sale document should list.
Paul Oak · August 29, 2026 at 12:43 PM ET 
How to handle the test drive when you sell your car privately
The test drive is the riskiest moment in a private car sale. License checks, insurance questions, route planning, safe exchange zones, and what to do if the car comes back damaged.
Jill Stradley · August 28, 2026 at 1:53 PM ET 
Can you get car insurance with just a bill of sale?
Most insurers will issue a policy on a newly purchased car using the bill of sale and the VIN as proof of insurable interest, and in most states you need that policy before you can register. Here is how the process works.
Jill Stradley · August 27, 2026 at 11:54 AM ET 
How to sell a boat in Delaware
Delaware registers boats without titling them and sends the trailer to a different office. Here is how to sell a boat in Delaware, from the bill of sale to the fees.
Paul Oak · August 26, 2026 at 1:52 PM ET 
Selling to a dealer vs selling privately: Which nets you more
A dealer trade-in is fast and can cut your tax bill. A private sale usually pays more but costs you time and effort. Here is how to tell which one wins for you.
Jill Stradley · August 25, 2026 at 12:29 PM ET 
Trip permits and temporary tags: How to legally drive home a car you just bought
You bought the car but it is not registered yet. A temporary trip permit bridges that gap so you can legally drive it home without borrowing the seller's plates.
Paul Oak · August 24, 2026 at 2:25 PM ET 
Selling a car on a payment plan: Using a bill of sale with a promissory note
Letting a private buyer pay over time is workable if you paper it right. Pair a bill of sale with a promissory note and hold the title as security until the last payment.
Jill Stradley · August 21, 2026 at 12:24 PM ET 
What a lien or encumbrance is, and how to tell if a car has one
A lien is a legal claim that lets someone else take a car if a debt goes unpaid. Here is how liens land on a title, why they block a clean sale, and how to check.
Paul Oak · August 20, 2026 at 12:04 PM ET 
Titled, Registered, or Neither: How States Classify Vehicles and Property
A title proves you own something. Registration lets you drive it on public roads. Those are two different things, and knowing which one applies saves headaches at the sale.
Jill Stradley · August 19, 2026 at 1:25 PM ET 
The Chain of Title: Why a Car's Full Ownership History Matters
A car's title is only as good as the unbroken record of owners behind it. Here is how the chain of title works, what breaks it, and why a clean history protects you.
Jill Stradley · August 18, 2026 at 11:32 AM ET 
Can You Sell a Trailer Without a Title?
Many trailers were never titled because they fall under a state weight limit. Here is how to sell one, what the buyer needs to register it, and why the bill of sale becomes the ownership record.
Paul Oak · August 17, 2026 at 12:15 PM ET 
Selling a Boat, Motor, and Trailer When Each Has Its Own Title
A boat, its outboard motor, and the trailer can each carry a separate title. Here is how to write one bill of sale that itemizes all three and splits the value fairly.
Paul Oak · August 14, 2026 at 12:26 PM ET 
How to Sell a Boat That Still Has a Loan on It
Selling a financed boat means clearing a marine lien, not a car loan. Here is how to handle the payoff, escrow, and a Coast Guard ship mortgage release.
Jill Stradley · August 13, 2026 at 1:02 PM ET 
Mobile Home Bill of Sale: What to Include
A manufactured home carries more identifiers than a car, and the document has to say whether it is personal property or real property. Here is the field-by-field list.
Paul Oak · August 12, 2026 at 11:56 AM ET 
Bill of Sale for Livestock, Equipment, and Other High-Value Personal Property
When there is no title, the bill of sale is the ownership record. Here is how to document tractors, livestock, tools, generators, and collectibles.
Paul Oak · August 11, 2026 at 11:58 AM ET 
Buying a Car With a Salvage or Rebuilt Title: What You Are Really Getting
Salvage and rebuilt titles are not the same thing. Here is what each brand means for safety, insurance, financing, resale, and your bill of sale.
Jill Stradley · August 10, 2026 at 12:51 PM ET 
How to Sign Over a Car Title to a Buyer
The car title is the legal proof of ownership, and signing it over the wrong way can stall a sale or leave you liable. This guide explains each field on the seller assignment, where notarization matters, and the mistakes that cause the most trouble.
Jill Stradley · August 7, 2026 at 11:50 AM ET 
What an Odometer Disclosure Statement Is and When It Is Required
The odometer disclosure statement is a small form with a big job. Here is what it records, why federal law requires it, and how the 2021 rule change expanded which cars it covers.
Jill Stradley · August 6, 2026 at 12:30 PM ET 
Bill of Sale for an ATV, UTV, or Dirt Bike: What Off-Road Vehicles Need
Off-highway vehicles are titled in some states and only registered in others. Here is what an ATV, UTV, or dirt bike bill of sale needs to hold up.
Paul Oak · August 5, 2026 at 11:53 AM ET 
The Car-Title Deadline That Ranges From 7 Days to 180: What Your State Really Gives You
We reviewed all 50 states and DC. The deadline to transfer a car title after a purchase runs from 7 days in Georgia to 180 in New York. The 30-day rule of thumb is wrong in more than 20 states.
Paul Oak · August 4, 2026 at 12:13 PM ET 
When You Need a Vehicle Appraisal, and How to Get One
States, insurers, and lenders sometimes refuse to accept the price on a bill of sale. Here are the five situations that trigger an appraisal request and what the report has to show.
Jill Stradley · August 3, 2026 at 12:30 PM ET