Nevada paperwork
Selling a car in Nevada,
paper by paper.
The title, the DMV bill of sale, your plates, the 5-day resale notice and your insurance — in the order the Nevada DMV wants them, with a link to the official source for every step.
The Nevada seller's checklist
| What | When | Form / where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign the title over and record the odometer | At the sale | Nevada title | Nevada DMV Car Seller's Guide |
| Fill out a bill of sale and keep your copy | At the sale | VP-104 | Bill of Sale VP-104 |
| Take your plates off the car | Before it leaves | — | Nevada DMV — Plate surrender |
| File the Vehicle Resale Notification | Within 5 days | Online (MyDMV) | DMV Vehicle Resale Notification |
| Cancel registration; reuse or turn in plates | Within 30 days | MyDMV, mail or office | Nevada DMV — Plate surrender |
| Cancel your insurance — last | After plates are handled | — | Nevada DMV — Insurance |
Step by step
- 01
Sign the title over — in the seller's spot
The Nevada title is what transfers ownership. Sign where the title asks the seller to, and show a photo ID that matches the name on it. For 2011 and newer vehicles, write in the odometer reading; 2010 and older can be marked exempt. Two owners? "AND" between the names means both sign; "OR" means either can.
Source: Nevada DMV Car Seller's Guide - 02
Fill out the DMV bill of sale (VP-104)
Nevada's bill of sale is form VP-104: the vehicle (year, make, VIN), the sale date and price, and both parties' names and signatures. It doesn't need a notary. It isn't proof of ownership on its own — the title is — but your copy proves exactly when the car left your hands if a ticket, toll or tow notice shows up later.
Source: Bill of Sale VP-104 - 03
Take your plates off
In Nevada the plates stay with you, not the car. Remove them before the car leaves your driveway.
Source: Nevada DMV — Plate surrender - 04
File the resale notice within 5 days
The DMV asks sellers to submit the Vehicle Resale Notification online within five days of the sale. It puts on record that you no longer own the car — the protection if it's later abandoned or towed.
Source: DMV Vehicle Resale Notification - 05
Cancel the registration and deal with the plates
Cancel the registration in MyDMV, then move the plates to another car you own or turn them in — the DMV's resale page says within 30 days of the sale. Plates can be surrendered online, by mail to the DMV in Carson City, or at an office. Unused registration usually becomes a credit toward your own future registration, not a cash refund; refunds only apply in narrow cases.
Source: Nevada DMV — Plate surrender - 06
Cancel your insurance — last
Nevada checks insurance against registration electronically. The DMV's rule: cancel your registration and surrender your plates first, then cancel the policy. Do it in the other order and a lapse can bring fines and a registration suspension.
Source: Nevada DMV — Insurance
When your paperwork isn't simple
Lost titles, liens, estates and salvage brands — what each one means in Nevada and which DMV form applies.
Lost or damaged title
If the car was last titled in Nevada with no lien, the owner can apply for a duplicate with form VP-012. Selling to us? Pick "I don't have the title" in the quote first — the offer says whether you need it.
Source: Nevada DMV — TitlesLoan paid off, lien still on the title
After payoff the lender releases the lien on the title or gives you a Lien Release (VP-186). We only buy cars that are fully owned — no active loan or lease.
Source: Nevada DMV — TitlesThe owner passed away
Without probate, Nevada uses an Affidavit for Transfer (VP-024) once more than 40 days have passed since the death, with a certified death certificate. A car held in a family trust transfers with VP-188.
Source: Affidavit for Transfer VP-024The owner can't be there
A Nevada Power of Attorney (VP-136) lets someone sign the title for the owner. It must be notarized, and 2011 and newer vehicles need the secure version for the odometer statement.
Source: Power of Attorney VP-136Salvage or rebuilt title
Nevada brands a title salvage when damage tops 65% of the car's value. A salvage-titled car can only be sold to a licensed rebuilder, wrecker or dealer until it's rebuilt and inspected.
Source: Nevada DMV — Salvage vehiclesOut-of-state title
A valid title from another state can be signed over the same way. If it's lost, only the state that issued it can replace it — Nevada can't.
Source: Nevada DMV — TitlesNevada paperwork questions, answered straight
- Does Nevada require a bill of sale to sell a car?
- The DMV's seller guide lists a Bill of Sale (VP-104) for your records. It doesn't need a notary, and the title is what actually transfers ownership — but keep your copy as proof of the sale date.
- Where do I sign the title when selling a car in Nevada?
- In the seller's signature area on the front of the Nevada title, with the odometer reading for 2011 and newer vehicles. If two owners are joined by "AND", both sign; with "OR", either can.
- How soon do I have to report the sale to the DMV?
- Within five days. The Vehicle Resale Notification is filed online through the DMV.
- What do I do with my plates after selling my car in Nevada?
- Keep them — they don't go with the car. Move them to another vehicle you own, or turn them in; the DMV's resale page says within 30 days of the sale. You can surrender them online, by mail or at a DMV office.
- Do I get my registration money back?
- Usually as a credit toward your own future registration, not cash. A refund only applies in narrow cases the DMV lists.
- When should I cancel my car insurance?
- Last. The DMV says to cancel the registration and surrender the plates first — cancelling insurance on a still-registered car can trigger fines and a suspension.
- Do I need a smog check to sell my car in Nevada?
- No. Testing only applies in urban Clark and Washoe counties, and in a private sale it's the buyer's responsibility, not the seller's.
- Who handles the title transfer when I sell to you?
- You sign the title at pickup and we take it from there — no DMV line for the transfer. Your side is only the resale notice, registration, plates and insurance.
Forms and deadlines change; when in doubt, trust the Nevada DMV over anyone's summary — including ours.
Car in someone else's name? Read how to sell a car that isn't in your name in Nevada.
Local DMV offices and rules: Las Vegas · North Las Vegas · Henderson · Reno · Sparks · Carson City · Pahrump · Mesquite
Related: selling without a title · how offers work
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