Selling a car in Indiana is pretty straightforward if you understand the steps that are involved. Each state has its own requirements and rules to ensure legal transfer of ownership, and failing to complete them properly could leave you liable for the car even after it has left your possession.

What you need to sell a car in Indiana

If you want to sell your car privately in Indiana, the BMV requires certain documents to complete the change of ownership. You’ll need:

Indiana

Certificate of Title

Signature of any lienholder(s)

Pre-sale inspection form

As the seller, you’ll also need to be ready to remove the license plate at the sale.

MORE:

Buying a car in Indiana

Getting a pre-sale inspection

Indiana law requires that all cars get a pre-sale

car inspection

. This can be done:

At any Indiana BMV branch at no cost

By a BMV certified service provider at no cost

By a law enforcement officer for a fee of up to $5—the officer will need to provide you with a Physical Inspection of a Vehicle form

Documenting the sale

Once you’ve found a buyer, you may need an Indiana bill of sale to support or supplement the information on the title. The title, along with the bill of sale, will include basic information about the vehicle and the buyer and seller:

Vehicle identification number

—required only if you’re using a Bill of Sale as the primary ownership document

Make, model,

and year

Selling price

Seller name and signature

Buyer name

Physical inspection of a vehicle

You can download the bill of sale document from the

Indiana BMV website

MORE:

How to write a bill of sale

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Signing the title over

To transfer your vehicle to a new owner, you must sign the title. This allows the buyer to take it to the BMV to get a new title and

in their name. To properly complete the sale, the back of the title should include:

Sellers’ signatures exactly as they appear—all owners listed must sign the title

Buyer’s signature

Odometer reading

Selling price

Purchase date

As the seller, you need to remove the license plates at the time of the transaction.

MORE:

How to transfer a private number plate to your vehicle

Finding affordable car insurance

Once you sell your vehicle, make time to revisit your car insurance to make sure you're compliant with

Indiana's car insurance laws

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