Massachusetts title guide

Selling a junk car without a title in Massachusetts

The short answer

In Massachusetts, you'll usually need the title to sell or scrap a car. If it's lost, apply for a duplicate from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) before you book a pickup.

First published November 4, 2026. We couldn't check Massachusetts's rules against its agency site yet, so confirm them with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) before you sell.

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?

Duplicate titles come from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), which can tell you the form and the fee. 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 Massachusetts.

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 Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) can tell you which estate papers Massachusetts accepts.

What do you do after the sale?

Massachusetts plates stay with the owner. Cancel the registration with the RMV, or transfer the plates, before you cancel insurance.
Ask the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) whether Massachusetts has a notice of sale or release of liability form, and file it if it does, so tickets and tolls stop coming to you.
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 Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) before you sell; this page is general information, not legal advice.

Can you junk a car without a title in Massachusetts?

Usually not. In Massachusetts you'll normally need the title or a duplicate from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). Our buyer partner can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for yours in Massachusetts when you get your offer.

How do I get a duplicate title in Massachusetts?

Apply to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), which can tell you the form and the fee. You'll usually need a photo ID and the VIN, and the lender's sign-off if there's an open lien.

Can I sell a car in Massachusetts 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.