Selling A Vehicle

You will need the following paperwork to transfer the title of your vehicle:

• Title; all registered owners and legal owners must sign and date the title and complete the date of sale and sales price.
• Completed Odometer Disclosure Statement signed by the buyer and seller, if the vehicle is the vehicle is 2011 or newer.
• Bill of Sale, which includes the year, make, model, license plate, VIN number, the date of sale, purchase price, and signature of the seller.
• You must notify the state of Washington of the sale within 5 days.  See following section for report of sale.

In the event the title is lost, the vehicle owner can complete an Affidavit of Loss / Release of Interest form, it must be signed in the presence of a licensing agent or a notary public. Be sure to bring ample proof supporting your ownership claim.

The buyer will need a bill of sale. The DOL needs it for calculating the vehicle's use tax. And while this does not apply to you, it's always smart to keep a bill of sale for your own records. You can, if needed, easily download this form from the DOL web page.

If you are selling a vehicle in Washington, the state's Department of Licensing requires you to complete a Vehicle Report of Sale, a form that is similar to a bill of sale. You must notify the DOL within five days of your vehicle being sold.  A report of sale can be completed at a vehicle licensing office or completed on-line.   The report is required for any Washington-titled vehicle owner who sells or otherwise transfers their interest in the vehicle. This is true even if it's a gift, trade, dealer trade-in, or vehicle disposal situation. The report of sale does not transfer ownership. 

A Vehicle Report of Sale states in writing that the vehicle has been sold, traded, donated, sold, or otherwise transferred. The document is intended to protect the vehicle's seller from liability associated with the vehicle or its operation after it has been transferred.  If the sale falls through, you must go in person to a Vehicle Licensing Office to cancel the report. Correction or deletion of a Vehicle Report of Sale cannot be done online.