Selling a car in Vermont is easy! The state does not require a vehicle inspection, so all you need is the signed title, bill of sale, and odometer disclosure.

Written by Bonnie Stinson

Reviewed by Carrie Adkins

Updated on Jun 27, 2022

Table of Contents

What you need to sell a car in Vermont
Getting a pre-sale inspection
Documenting the sale
Signing the title over
Reporting the sale
Finding affordable car insurance

Load full table of contents

Selling a car in Vermont? The process involves signing over the title, filling out the Bill of Sale and Odometer Disclosure, a lien release (if applicable), and removing the license plates.

It may seem complicated, but it’s pretty straightforward to sell a car in

Vermont

. Just be sure you follow all the rules, as failure to do so could make you liable for the new owner’s behavior. Don’t forget to cancel your insurance policy, too.

Ready? Here’s what you need to know about selling a car in Vermont, compiled for you by

car insurance

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Jerry

What you need to sell a car in Vermont

Getting your paperwork organized is the first step toward completing a successful sale. The Vermont DMV will need a few key items to approve the official change in ownership:

Title (signed by you, the old owner)

Current registration certificate

Odometer disclosure

Bill of sale

Lien release, if applicable

Vehicle inspection (optional)

Remember to remove your old license plates. Otherwise, the new driver could accumulate traffic violations and you’d be liable. Plus, who doesn’t want to mount their old plates in the garage as a keepsake?

Getting a pre-sale inspection

Vermont does not require any safety inspections as a condition of sale. There are no required forms in the DMV for inspections.

While not required, safety inspections are still a good idea. A good report card can attract buyers and speed up the sale process. Note that

emissions tests

are still federally mandated in Vermont.

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Documenting the sale

A bill of sale is required in Vermont any time you buy or sell a car or motorboat. You can either use the

form

provided by the state or you can create your own. If you DIY the Bill of Sale, it must include the following information:

Buyer - name, address

Seller - name, address, signature

Item description - VIN, make, model, year, purchase price

ODS (Odometer Disclosure Statement)

Signing the title over

Vermonters must complete the entire

Form VD-119

, the Vermont Motor Vehicle Registration, Tax and Title Application. The first step is to enter the license plate number of the vehicle you are transferring.

There is one important difference for vehicles with a lien on their title. For these vehicles, the lienholder must release interest in the vehicle prior to sale. This can be accomplished by obtaining a lien release from the lienholder

(Form VT-008

with a $35 fee) or paying off the vehicle.

Is the title lost or damaged? No problem. Get a replacement/duplicate Vermont title by filing

Form VT-004

and paying $35.

Reporting the sale

You are not required to report the sale of a vehicle to the DMV in Vermont—lucky you! Once you complete all the required paperwork and the title has changed hands, you’re good to go.

Finding affordable car insurance

Finding affordable car insurance is easier than you think. The

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How do I know how much my car is worth?

Check online at

Edmunds

Kelley Blue Book

to see what prices are like in your area. You can search by make, model, year, and condition to figure out a fair price.

What is the Vermont loophole?

Vermont is a non-titling state. This means that the state gives registrations instead of titles for vehicles 15 years or older. The registration acts as a valid document that can be utilized in other states to exchange for a proper title. You can easily recover a lost title this way.

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