3 min read
On this page
Quick overview
The short answer
You can sell your car to someone in another state. Nothing in the Nevada DMV's seller requirements depends on where the buyer lives. According to the DMV's title page, you sign the title exactly as your name appears on it, and for a 2011-or-newer vehicle the seller must provide the paper title; a bill of sale plus a duplicate-title application won't be accepted instead.
The part that is different is on the buyer's side: they register the car in their state, under their state's rules. We can only speak to Nevada's, so we don't list other states' requirements.
What stays your job, and what is the buyer's
- Your job (Nevada): the signed title, the odometer reading, a bill of sale for your records, the resale notification, and your plates.
- The buyer's job: registering and titling the car in their own state. Ask them to check their state's DMV before they pay.
Your Nevada checklist
- Sign the paper title. Sign exactly as your name appears. If it says "AND" between owners, both sign; if it says "OR," either can.
- Fill in the odometer. On a 2011-or-newer car, enter the current mileage in the odometer section, even if the title says "exempt."
- Make a bill of sale. The Nevada bill of sale (VP-104) documents the price and parties. It supports the sale; it doesn't replace the title.
- File the Vehicle Resale Notification in MyDMV within five days of the sale. See our resale notification guide.
- Keep your plates. The DMV says they don't stay with the vehicle: reuse them or turn them in within 30 days of the sale. More in what to do with your plates.
- Cancel your insurance last. The DMV says to cancel the registration before dropping insurance to avoid potential fines.
The full seller's list is in our Nevada paperwork guide.
Is your car titled in another state?
You still need the title itself, and the answer depends on what you have:
- You have it, in your name: that title is what you sign over.
- You've lost it: the Nevada DMV says a vehicle titled in another state needs a duplicate from that state. Nevada can't issue it. The Nevada duplicate title guide covers Nevada-titled cars only.
- There's a loan or lease on it: the DMV says you must contact the lienholder, who orders a printed title once the lien is satisfied. See selling a car with a loan or lien.
If the car isn't in your name at all, read selling a car that isn't in your name.
If you'd rather skip finding a distant buyer
We buy cars you fully own. You get an offer online in about two minutes, choose a pickup time from the windows offered when you accept, and are paid at pickup. The tow is free, and we handle the title transfer at no cost. We buy cars running or not.
If your title came from another state, say so when you start the quote: a valid out-of-state title can be signed over as it is, and the offer lists what it needs. If the title is lost, the state that issued it has to replace it. Nevada can't.
Common questions
- Can I sell my car to someone in another state if I live in Nevada?
- Yes. The Nevada DMV's seller requirements don't change because the buyer lives elsewhere: you sign the title, complete the odometer reading where required, keep your plates and notify the DMV of the sale. What the buyer must do to register the car is set by the buyer's own state.
- What do I need to sell a car to an out-of-state buyer?
- The paper title in your name, signed by every owner it requires; the odometer reading on the title for model-year 2011 and newer; a bill of sale for your records; and a lien release if there is a loan. Then you file the Vehicle Resale Notification within five days and keep your plates.
- Do I need a bill of sale?
- It's wise to have one. The Nevada bill of sale (VP-104) documents the sale and supports your release of liability, but it doesn't replace the signed title. For a 2011-or-newer vehicle, the Nevada DMV says the seller must provide a paper title and won't accept a bill of sale plus a duplicate-title application instead.
- What do I do with my license plates when the buyer is from another state?
- Keep them. The Nevada DMV says the plates do not stay with the vehicle: you use them on another vehicle or turn them in for cancellation within 30 days of the sale. Don't let them leave on the car.
- How long do I have to report the sale to the Nevada DMV?
- The DMV's Vehicle Resale Notification page says the information should be submitted within five days after the sale. You can file it in MyDMV.
- My car is titled in another state. Can I still sell it?
- You need the title itself. If your vehicle is titled in another state and you no longer have the title, the Nevada DMV says you must obtain a duplicate from that state; Nevada can't issue it.
- Can I sell a car that still has a loan on it to someone out of state?
- Not until the lender has released its interest. The DMV says that if there is a loan, lease or other lien, you must contact the lienholder, who orders a printed title once the lien is satisfied. Our guide to selling a car with a loan walks through it.
- What does the out-of-state buyer have to do?
- That depends on the buyer's state, so ask the buyer to check with their own state's DMV before they pay. We don't list other states' rules because we can't verify them for you.
- Do you buy cars that are titled in another state?
- We buy cars you fully own. A valid out-of-state title can be signed over as it is; say it's out-of-state when you start the quote and the offer lists what it needs. If the title is lost, only the state that issued it can replace it.
