Selling a junk car without a title in Michigan

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?

Michigan replacement titles come from the Michigan Secretary of State, using form TR-11L (Duplicate Title Application), for a fee of $15. 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 Michigan.

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 Michigan Secretary of State can tell you which estate papers Michigan accepts.

What do you do after the sale?

• The title stays in your name until the buyer submits it, so keep a copy of the signed title and a record of the sale. The Secretary of State's seller steps don't include a separate notice of sale.
• Plates: The seller removes the plate before the buyer takes possession (it may stay on only for a sale to an immediate family member) and may destroy or recycle it.
• 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 Michigan Secretary of State before you sell; this page is general information, not legal advice.