How-To
31 articles in this category
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How to Sell a Classic or Antique Car
Collector car buyers pay for documented history. Here is how antique registration classes work, what to do when no title was ever issued, and which papers to have ready before you list.
How to Sell a Car Privately: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Selling your car yourself instead of trading it in usually puts more money in your pocket, but it also puts every step on you. This guide walks the full private sale from pricing to releasing liability so nothing falls through the cracks.
How to Sell an RV or Camper Privately
Selling an RV yourself means handling the title, any lienholder, and a long list of systems a car does not have. Here is the full private-sale process.
How to Sell a Car for a Family Member Using a Power of Attorney
A vehicle power of attorney lets you sign the title and sell a car on behalf of a family member who cannot handle it themselves. This guide explains what the document must contain, when it needs notarization, and how to complete the sale.
How to Transfer Your License Plates to a Car You Just Bought
Whether your old plates can move to a new car depends on whether your state ties plates to the owner or to the vehicle. This guide explains how to transfer plates, claim registration credit, and surrender the ones you no longer need.
What Paperwork Do You Need to Sell a Boat? A Complete Checklist
Selling a boat involves more moving parts than selling a car, because the hull, the motor, and the trailer can each carry their own paperwork. This checklist walks through every document a clean boat sale usually needs so you transfer ownership and end your liability.