How to sell a car privately in Washington state step by step

Selling a car privately in Washington comes down to four seller tasks: sign the title, complete a vehicle bill of sale, remove your plates, and file a Report of Sale within 5 days. The buyer then has 15 days to transfer the title and pay use tax.

The Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) lists seven seller steps, from finding the title to removing the car from your License Express account. Three of them create paperwork the state can check later. This table pulls the deadlines for both sides into one place.

The Spokane sale, start to finish

Dana lives in Spokane and is selling her 2014 Honda Civic with 118,400 miles to a buyer named Marcus for $9,500. They agree to close on March 7. A week ahead, she confirms she has the title. Had it been lost, a replacement would take 4 to 8 weeks, and a quick title would cost more but arrive sooner.

Washington also allows a sale when the title comes from another state or the registration has expired. If the title is gone and time is short, the DOL accepts an Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest or an Affidavit in Lieu of Title, and a licensing office can say which one fits.

They meet at a vehicle licensing office, which is the setup the DOL suggests: "We recommend both parties meet at a vehicle licensing office to collect payment and sign over the title." Marcus pays first, and then Dana signs the title. If her name shared the title with a spouse, that person would sign as well, because the buyer guide says the title must be signed by all owners.

The Civic is a 2014 model, so the odometer section counts. Dana writes 118,400 in the title's odometer disclosure area. Without a title, the office would give her an Odometer Disclosure form printed on tamper-proof paper, and the DOL notes that this form cannot be downloaded.

Next they complete the bill of sale. Washington wants a signed bill of sale before the buyer can apply for a new title, unless the sale price and date already appear on the title. The DOL form is the Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale, and the $9,500 on it is the figure the state uses to calculate Marcus's use tax. Each of them keeps a copy, since a lost one has to be requested through a public records request.

Then Dana takes her plates off. Sellers are legally obligated to remove them, and Marcus cannot use them under any arrangement. She can move the plates to another car she owns, or surrender them at a licensing office. Plates only move to the same kind of vehicle, so a car plate goes on another car and a truck plate on another truck.

Because they met at the office, Marcus can start his transfer at the same counter. Had they met in a store parking lot instead, he would have needed a trip permit bought in person ahead of time to drive the Civic home legally. Dana also clears out the glove box, since the DOL tells sellers to remove anything showing their name, address, or photo, including old registration and insurance cards.

Her last legal step is the Report of Sale, due within 5 days, which means by March 12. She needs the plate number, the sale date, the $9,500 price, Marcus's name and address, and the VIN. Dana files online that afternoon, and the DOL processes an online report right after payment. A mailed form takes 7 to 10 business days to process after it arrives.

The report is what protects her. The DOL says filing it shields a seller from towing charges and from civil and criminal liabilities the new owner runs up. If anything on the report is wrong, the fix requires an office visit, after which the report is deleted and filed again.

Marcus has his own checklist. He completes the Vehicle Title Application and signs it in front of the licensing agent, who notarizes it. If he signs at home first, he needs a notary to witness the signature. He hands over the title, the bill of sale, and the odometer disclosure, then pays the use tax and fees.

His deadline is 15 days, or March 22. A late transfer costs $50 on the 16th day plus $2 for each day after that, up to $125. If Marcus showed up on day 30, he would owe $50 plus 14 days at $2, or $78 in penalties. At a regular office the new title arrives in 6 to 8 weeks, while a Quick Title office can issue it right away for an extra charge.

The reporting rule reaches well past cash sales. It also covers gifts, donations, consignment sales, sales out of state, and cars handed to a wrecking yard or an insurance company. If Dana had traded the Civic to a dealer, a registered Washington dealer could file the report for her, but the DOL makes confirming that filing the owner's responsibility. Once the transfer posts, she removes the Civic from her License Express account.

Sources

• Washington DOL: Sell a vehicle
• Washington DOL: Buy and register a vehicle