California title guide
Selling a junk car without a title in California
The short answer
In California, you'll usually need the title to sell or scrap a car. If it's lost, apply for a duplicate from the California DMV before you book a pickup.
First published November 4, 2026. Rules checked against official California sources on and reviewed by Paola Reniery, Operations Manager (see the sources).
What does California ask of sellers?
In California, a replacement title (form REG 227) costs $28, and you file the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL) within 5 calendar days. Each card links to the official page it came from.
- Replacing a lost title
- Form REG 227, Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title. Fee: $28.
- Official source
- After the sale
- Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL), within 5 calendar days.
- Official source
- License plates
- Standard plates generally stay with the vehicle; personalized and special interest plates can be reassigned by the owner for a fee.
- Official source
What do you do if you have the title?
Sign and print your name where the seller signs, fill in the odometer reading if there's a space for it, and leave the buyer section blank. If your title has a notary section, the signatures have to be notarized. If it doesn't, you sign in front of the driver at pickup. Don't sign the title until the driver is there and you've agreed the price.
What if the title is lost or damaged?
California replacement titles come from the California DMV, using form REG 227 (Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title), for a fee of $28. You'll need the VIN, which is on the dashboard by the windshield, on the driver's door jamb and on your registration. If you're in a hurry, tell our buyer partner when it contacts you: it can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for your car in California.
For the full walkthrough, including the states that exempt older cars and what to avoid, read how to sell a junk car without a title.
What if there's a loan, or the owner has died?
If a lender is still listed on the title, you'll need its lien release, or the loan gets paid off as part of the sale. If the owner has died, only someone with legal authority, usually the executor, can sell the car, and the California DMV can tell you which estate papers California accepts.
What do you do after the sale?
- Report the sale to California (Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL), within 5 calendar days), so tickets and tolls for the car stop coming to you.
- Plates: Standard plates generally stay with the vehicle; personalized and special interest plates can be reassigned by the owner for a fee.
- Keep a photo of the signed title, and cancel the insurance once the car has been picked up.
Title rules change, so confirm them with the California DMV before you sell; this page is general information, not legal advice.
Can you junk a car without a title in California?
Usually not. In California you'll normally need the title or a duplicate from the California DMV. Our buyer partner can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for yours in California when you get your offer.
How do I get a duplicate title in California?
Apply to the California DMV with form REG 227 (Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title), and have a photo ID and the VIN ready. The fee is $28, according to the agency.
Can I sell a car in California with just a bill of sale?
A bill of sale on its own usually isn't proof of ownership for a titled vehicle. It's a useful record of the sale, but buyers will normally want the title or a duplicate.