Where you sign your car title depends on the state that issued it, because every state’s title looks different. In every state, the seller signs and prints their name in the seller or transfer of ownership section, exactly as the name appears on the title. Pick your state below for the exact steps.
Rules vary by state
Each state sets its own title rules, including where you sign, whether a notary is needed and what paperwork goes with the sale. Always follow the steps for the state that issued your title.
Moved recently? Your title may come from a different state than the one you live in now. Check the state printed on your title, and contact that state’s DMV if you are unsure which rules apply.
Find Your State
Pick the state that issued your title to see where to sign, what else the title asks for and any extra paperwork your state requires.
What Is the Same Everywhere, and What Changes by State
A few things hold true no matter where your title came from. Most of the details do not, which is why your state’s steps matter.
| The same in every state | Changes by state |
|---|---|
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Every Title Looks Different
The seller line can sit on the front or the back, carry a different label and come with different boxes around it. Here are three examples, each with a diagram showing where the seller signs.
- See where to sign a California title
- See where to sign a Virginia title
- See where to sign a Pennsylvania title
Three states, three layouts. Use the steps for the state that issued your title.
How to Sign Your Title, Step by Step
These steps cover what most titles ask of a seller. Wherever you see Varies by state, your state’s page has the exact rule.
- Check the title before you write anything. Make sure your name is spelled correctly and the VIN matches your car. If a lender is still listed on the title, read the loan section below first. Varies by state: how a paid-off loan is shown.
- Find the seller section. Look for wording such as “Signature of Seller,” “Seller” or “Assignment of Title.” On some titles it is on the front, and on others it is on the back. Varies by state: where it is and what it is called.
- Sign and print your name exactly as it appears on the title. Use your full name as printed, even if you normally sign differently. If more than one owner is listed, check whether you all need to sign. Names joined by “and” usually mean every owner signs. Names joined by “or” may mean one owner can sign alone, depending on your state. Varies by state: joint owner rules.
- Write in the mileage. Federal law requires the seller to record the mileage when ownership changes for most vehicles, though older vehicles can be exempt. Write the exact reading from the odometer and do not round it. Varies by state: where the mileage goes and which vehicles are exempt.
- Add the buyer and sale details your title asks for. This can include the buyer’s name and address, the date of sale and the sale price. Only fill in the boxes your title has. Varies by state: which details are required.
- Get your signature notarized if your state requires it. If it does, wait to sign until you are in front of the notary and bring a valid photo ID. Varies by state: whether a notary is needed at all.
- Finish any other paperwork. Some states also ask for a bill of sale, a separate transfer form, a notice that you sold the car or a decision about your plates. Varies by state: what else you need.
When to sign
Sign only when you are completing the sale. If you are selling privately, that usually means once the buyer has paid. If you are selling to We Buy Any Car, do not sign before your appointment. You sign once we have confirmed your car’s details and you have accepted the offer.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Most title problems come from small slips that are hard to undo. In many states, a title with corrections on it is no longer accepted and has to be replaced.
- Signing on the wrong line. The buyer and seller sections often sit close together. Read the label before you sign.
- Correcting a mistake by hand. White-out, crossing out and writing over can all void a title. Stop and check your state’s steps instead.
- Signing too early. Do not sign and hand over a title with the buyer’s details left blank. If your state requires a notary, wait until you are in front of one.
- Guessing the mileage. Write the exact odometer reading.
- Leaving out a co-owner. Check whether everyone named on the title has to sign before the sale.
Made a mistake?
Do not try to fix it on the title. The DMV in the state that issued your title can tell you how to get a replacement. Selling to We Buy Any Car? You sign at your appointment, not before. If your title already has corrections or damage on it, contact us before your appointment and we can help sort it out.
If You Don’t Have the Title in Hand
You can often still sell your car. What happens next depends on why the title isn’t with you and who you are selling to.
| Situation | Selling privately | Selling to We Buy Any Car |
|---|---|---|
| Your lender has the title | In some states the lender holds the title until the loan is paid off. You will usually need to pay off the loan and have the lender release the title before the buyer can take ownership. Varies by state. | We get the title from your lender as part of the payoff. Bring your lender’s details and a 10-day payoff letter. |
| Your title is electronic | Some states keep titles electronically instead of on paper. Ask your state’s DMV how to transfer it or request a paper copy. Varies by state. | We work with the DMV to get a physical title. |
| Your title is lost or damaged | Request a duplicate title from the DMV in the state that issued it before you sell. Varies by state. | Contact us before you do anything else. We can help sort out title issues and the paperwork as part of the sale. |
More detail: how to sell a car with a loan or lien.
Selling Your Car to We Buy Any Car
We have seen your state’s title before. We Buy Any Car has bought hundreds of thousands of cars, with titles from every state, including the rare ones. We are experts and can help anyone sell a car. Whatever your title looks like, we know what it needs, and you sign it at your appointment with us rather than working it out on your own.
If you would rather skip the private sale, selling to We Buy Any Car takes three steps:
- Get a free online valuation.
- Book an appointment of about an hour at a location near you, or have us come to you.
- Accept the offer and get instant secure payment by check, wire, ACH or Zelle.
What to bring:
- Your title, unsigned (you sign at the appointment once you have accepted the offer), or your lender’s details if they hold it
- Your current, valid registration
- A valid photo ID for each owner on the title