Selling a car in Missouri requires you to complete some required paperwork, get a safety and smog inspection, sign the title, and report the transfer.

Written by Tiffany Leung

Reviewed by Carrie Adkins

Updated on Aug 30, 2023

Table of Contents

What you need to sell a car in Missouri
Getting a pre-sale inspection
Documenting the sale
Signing the title over
Reporting the sale
FAQs

Load full table of contents

If you’re selling a car in

Missouri

, you’ll need to provide the buyer with the certificate of title, a

valid safety inspection

and emissions certificate, and potentially a notarized lien release. You must also submit a notice of sale or

bill of sale

to the Department of Revenue.

What you need to sell a car in Missouri

To sell your car privately in Missouri, you’ll need to gather all the necessary forms and information, including:

Properly assigned Certificate of Title

Valid safety inspection certificate, less than 60 days old

Valid emissions certificate, less than 60 days old (for county residents of Franklin, Jefferson, St. Charles, or St. Louis city)

Notarized Lien Release, if applicable

Odometer disclosure and date of sale

Notarized Bill of Sale, reported to the Department of Revenue within 30 days from date of sale

You will also need to remove your license plate (valid or expired) before the buyer takes possession of the vehicle.

Getting a pre-sale inspection

Missouri law requires all motor vehicles to pass a safety inspection done by an authorized Missouri inspection station within 60 days of the sale, unless the vehicle is exempted. County residents of Franklin, Jefferson, St. Charles, or St. Louis city also need to get a

vehicle smog inspection

no more than 60 days before selling the vehicle.

The following vehicles are exempt from a safety inspection:

Vehicles in the first 10 years of their model years with less than 150,000 miles

Vehicles registered for 26,000 pounds or above and registered for less than 12 months

"Even" model-year vehicles with registrations expiring in "odd" calendar years

"Odd" model-year vehicles with registrations expiring in "even" calendar years

All types of trailers

Motor vehicles for interstate commerce and registered with the Missouri Department of Transportation

Motor vehicles that display historic plates

Motor vehicles sold for junk, salvage, or rebuilding

Motor vehicles sold from dealer to dealer

Low-speed vehicles

The following are exempt from an emissions inspection:

Vehicles registered outside of the listed counties

New vehicles and the first retail sale during the model year and the following year with odometer with less than 6,000 miles at time of sale

All types of trailers

Motor vehicles and RVs that weigh over 8,500 pounds

Motorcycles, dirt bikes, and motor tricycles

Vehicles made in the 1995 model year or older, and 1996 model year or older for diesel vehicles

Motor vehicles for interstate commerce and registered with the Missouri Department of Transportation

Vehicles for sale as junk, salvage, or rebuilding

Vehicles for sale at public auction and bought and sold between dealers

Low-speed gasoline vehicles

“Title Only” vehicles

Vehicles with historic, school bus, shuttle bus, or street rod plates

Solar power, electric, hydrogen, or dual-fueled vehicles using fuels other than gasoline, diesel, or E10 and E85

Plug-in electric-drive vehicles

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Documenting the sale

Once you’ve found a buyer, you must complete the Notice of Sale or Bill of Sale form. The following information should be included and notarized:

Year and make of the vehicle

Title number

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)

Date of sale

Sale price

Printed legal name and address of the seller and buyer

Signature of seller and buyer

You can download the Notice of Sale or Bill of Sale document from the

Missouri Department of Revenue

Signing the title over

All sellers and buyers are required to print their names and sign the back of the title within the assignment area (the signatures don’t need to be notarized). The seller must also include the odometer reading and date of sale.

Be sure to verify the information before writing on the title. Correction fluid or erase marks on the title are not permitted.

MORE:

How to complete a title transfer in Missouri

Reporting the sale

As the seller, you’ll need to report the sale or transfer within 30 days to the Department of Revenue. You will be required to submit the Notice of Sale or Bill of Sale form with the information listed above.

If you fail to report the sale of your vehicle, you will be guilty of an infraction and be fined up to $200. Therefore, notifying the department as soon as possible will help protect you from possible liability.

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