Do I need a Notary to Sell my Car?

Selling a car can be quite a hassle. From getting it cleaned and posting pictures online to meeting a potential buyer and working out the terms, all this and more come with putting up a vehicle on the market. But out of all the steps that need to be followed when disposing of an automobile, an owner’s primary concern remains making the most dollars. Due to this excitement and eagerness to earn money, many people lose sight of some other seemingly trivial yet immensely important legal technicalities, such as notarizing the car title. Getting your car’s title, also known as certificate of title or pink slip, notarized is necessary to sell it.

If you forget about this essential legality, you’ll most likely not be allowed to handover your once pride and joy to its new owner. Although some states may not require notarization of car titles or automobile bill of sale, getting those documents notarized will be beneficial for you nonetheless. Having certified statements will act as proof of your transaction. You might think that’s unnecessary, but it’s not because in case of damage to your car before it’s registered under the new owner’s name, you will not be liable, and as evidence, you’ll have the notarized papers. Therefore, you must consider notarizing your vehicle’s documents to avoid any possible future hassles.

Here’s what you’ll need to do when you put up your car for sale

Search Your State Laws

Once you have decided to give up your vehicle, search your state laws as they differ from region to region. Check the official DMV website to figure out if you need to notarize your car papers, and if so, which documents you will need. After you are clear about all the documents that you have to get notarized, gather them before all else.

Find Out Who Needs To Be Present At The Time Of Notarization.

Many times, people book an appointment to a notary office and show up only to find out that they had to bring a witness or the buyer. Therefore, read up on who needs to be present at the notary office so that you are not unprepared. Typically there are three cases when it comes to visiting the notary office.

• A vehicle title can be notarized by the owner, without having to identify a buyer.
• Both the buyer and seller sign the title or confirm in person at the notary that they did sign the title.
• Only the signature of the seller must be notarized.

Just like the legal requirements, witness laws vary from state to state, so you must visit the DMV website to find out who you need to take along for notarization.

Book An Appointment

Once you have all the documents and know who needs to be with you at the notary office, book an appointment. Lastly, show up on the decided date with all the essentials.

We understand that selling a car only becomes exciting when you think about the money you’ll be getting, but you don’t have to think about just that. Pay a bit more attention to the involved legalities to have a smooth, glitch-free transaction.