Kentucky title guide

Selling a junk car without a title in Kentucky

The short answer

In Kentucky, you'll usually need the title to sell or scrap a car. If it's lost, apply for a duplicate from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (county clerk) before you book a pickup.

First published November 4, 2026. Rules checked against official Kentucky sources on November 6, 2026 and reviewed by Paola Reniery, Operations Manager (see the sources).

What does Kentucky ask of sellers?

In Kentucky, a replacement title (form TC 96-182) costs $6.00, and your signature on the title must be notarized. Each card links to the official page it came from.

Replacing a lost title: Form TC 96-182, Application for Kentucky Certificate of Title or Registration. Fee: $6.00.; Official source
After the sale: There's no notice to file on every sale. If the buyer hasn't transferred the title within 15 days, file a notarized Affidavit of Incomplete Transfer (TC 96-3) with your county clerk.; Official source
License plates: If the registration is unexpired, the seller keeps the plate and can move it to another vehicle of the same class (one-time $11 transfer fee); if the registration has expired, the plate must be returned to the county clerk.; Official source
Notary: The seller's signature on the title must be notarized.; Official source

Kentucky's official guide to selling a vehicle

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. Kentucky requires the seller's signature to be notarized, so sign in front of a notary after you've accepted an offer, not at pickup. Banks, credit unions and shipping stores often have a notary.

What if the title is lost or damaged?

Kentucky replacement titles come from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (county clerk), using form TC 96-182 (Application for Kentucky Certificate of Title or Registration), for a fee of $6.00. 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 Kentucky.

Where to find a car's VIN: (1) on the dashboard on the driver's side, read through the windshield, (2) on the label on the driver's door jamb, and (3) on the title, registration or insurance card — The 17-character VIN appears in the same places on almost every car made since 1981: (1) on the dashboard, read through the windshield on the driver's side, (2) on the label on the driver's door jamb, and (3) on the title, registration and insurance card.

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 Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (county clerk) can tell you which estate papers Kentucky accepts.

What do you do after the sale?

There's no notice to file on every sale. If the buyer hasn't transferred the title within 15 days, file a notarized Affidavit of Incomplete Transfer (TC 96-3) with your county clerk.
Plates: If the registration is unexpired, the seller keeps the plate and can move it to another vehicle of the same class (one-time $11 transfer fee); if the registration has expired, the plate must be returned to the county clerk.
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 Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (county clerk) before you sell; this page is general information, not legal advice.

Can you junk a car without a title in Kentucky?

Usually not. In Kentucky you'll normally need the title or a duplicate from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (county clerk). Our buyer partner can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for yours in Kentucky when you get your offer.

How do I get a duplicate title in Kentucky?

Apply to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (county clerk) with form TC 96-182 (Application for Kentucky Certificate of Title or Registration), and have a photo ID and the VIN ready. The fee is $6.00, according to the agency.

Can I sell a car in Kentucky 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.