How To Sell A Car In California: Step-By-Step Guide (2026)

Gather the Required California DMV Documents

The first step in how to sell a car in California is to understand the paperwork you need to transfer ownership of your vehicle. Generally, a title is sufficient. However, if the seller is not the registered owner, you must also prepare a bill of sale.

If you do not have a title, you can still sell your vehicle, but you will need to provide the buyer with a signed application for a replacement title.

Get a Smog Certification for Your Vehicle

California requires sellers to provide buyers with a smog certificate that is less than 90 days old. Smog certificates expire after 90 days, so older smog certificates will not be valid for registration at the DMV, forcing the buyer to obtain a new inspection. The state exempts the following vehicles:

• Gasoline, hybrid, and alternative-fuel vehicles from model year 1975 and older
• Diesel vehicles from model year 1997 and older or a gross vehicle weight rating of over 14,000 pounds
• Electric vehicles
• Motorcycles

Additionally, the state exempts gasoline, hybrid, and alternative-fuel vehicles from four model years and newer from smog certification when changing ownership. However, the new owner must pay a smog transfer fee when recording the ownership change and registering the vehicle.

Determine Your Car's Value and Set a Price

A key step in learning how to sell a car in California is to understand how vehicle prices are set. You can find online resources, such as Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds, that explain how to determine your vehicle’s condition. These sites estimate the vehicle’s value based on your description of its condition, combined with its age and vehicle model. You can then use the value to set the price.

Prepare Your Car for Sale and Allow Buyer Inspection

In most cases, you will have a better chance of selling your vehicle if you clean it thoroughly and remove any personal items. List your car for sale on reputable classified advertising websites. When interested parties contact you, allow a test drive and, if the buyer desires, an inspection by a mechanic.

Complete and Sign All Required Forms With the Buyer

You complete a sales transaction by filling out an odometer disclosure and signing the title and a vehicle bill of sale in California. You are not required to disclose the odometer mileage for transfers of the following vehicles:

• 2011 or newer model transferred at least 20 years after January 1 of its model year
• 2010 or older model transferred at least 10 years after its model year

If you have any conditions on the sale, such as selling the vehicle as-is or accepting payments for the sale price, you should document those terms.

Submit the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability

California's DMV requires sellers to report ownership transfers within five days. This document also notifies the DMV that you are no longer liable for any lawsuits or violations of California traffic laws by the vehicle’s driver.

You must file the notice of transfer and release of liability within five calendar days of the sale. You may transmit the form online or by mail. You will need the following information:

• License plate number
• Last five digits of the vehicle identification number (VIN)
• Buyer’s name and address
• Odometer reading
• Sale date

The DMV record should update within one business day for online submissions.

Understand Transfer Fees, Taxes and Payment

Sellers generally pay no fees to transfer title or obtain a car registration in California. Moreover, the buyer’s payment is typically not considered income subject to income taxes unless you sell vehicles for a living.

Buyers have only ten days after the sale to transfer ownership. The DMV charges late fees for late submissions. Sellers should inform buyers of the deadline since the seller’s DMV record remains open until the buyer records the sale.

Sellers will transfer the license plates with the vehicle, unless they are personalized. Sellers can keep vanity plates.

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