Virginia title guide
Selling a junk car without a title in Virginia
The short answer
In Virginia, you'll usually need the title to sell or scrap a car. If it's lost, apply for a duplicate from the Virginia DMV before you book a pickup.
First published November 4, 2026. Rules checked against official Virginia sources on and reviewed by Paola Reniery, Operations Manager (see the sources).
What does Virginia ask of sellers?
In Virginia, a replacement title (form VSA 67) costs $15.00, and you notify DMV of the sale (Report a Vehicle Sold or Traded: online, at a customer service center, or by phone). Each card links to the official page it came from.
- Replacing a lost title
- Form VSA 67, Application for Replacement and Substitute Titles. Fee: $15.00.
- Official source
- After the sale
- Notify DMV of the sale (Report a Vehicle Sold or Traded: online, at a customer service center, or by phone).
- Official source
- License plates
- The seller removes the plates before the buyer takes the vehicle, then transfers them to a replacement vehicle or turns them in or inactivates them.
- 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?
Virginia replacement titles come from the Virginia DMV, using form VSA 67 (Application for Replacement and Substitute Titles), for a fee of $15.00. 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 Virginia.
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 Virginia DMV can tell you which estate papers Virginia accepts.
What do you do after the sale?
- Report the sale to Virginia (Notify DMV of the sale (Report a Vehicle Sold or Traded: online, at a customer service center, or by phone)), so tickets and tolls for the car stop coming to you.
- Plates: The seller removes the plates before the buyer takes the vehicle, then transfers them to a replacement vehicle or turns them in or inactivates them.
- 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 Virginia DMV before you sell; this page is general information, not legal advice.
Can you junk a car without a title in Virginia?
Usually not. In Virginia you'll normally need the title or a duplicate from the Virginia DMV. Our buyer partner can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for yours in Virginia when you get your offer.
How do I get a duplicate title in Virginia?
Apply to the Virginia DMV with form VSA 67 (Application for Replacement and Substitute Titles), and have a photo ID and the VIN ready. The fee is $15.00, according to the agency.
Can I sell a car in Virginia 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.