The procedures and approach for selling a car online vary by state. Discover how to sell your used car or truck in Massachusetts confidentially. If you reside in the Berkshires, Cape Cod, Pioneer Valley, or the Boston Metro region and want to sell your old vehicle or truck privately, you've come to the perfect location. With an estimated 2 million trucks and vehicles registered in Massachusetts, it's no surprise that thousands of individual car owners have used cashforcarsinc.com to sell their vehicles. We've explained the five procedures and documents necessary how to sell a car in Massachusetts below, so you may sell your automobile promptly and for the maximum amount of money. Remember that most states in the United States regard the car title as a legal document; therefore, use the legal names (no nicknames) of both parties involved, as well as legible handwriting in black or blue ink. Mistakes, omissions, and the use of "White Out" may render the document null and void, so be cautious and take your time filling it out.
Step 1: Allow the buyer to have a third party assess the vehicle
Most private automobile buyers pay for a pre-purchase vehicle check performed by a skilled and certified auto mechanic of their choice. Although the buyer pays for the inspection, the seller and buyer must agree on the date and location of the inspection. If the inspection reveals any problems with the vehicle, you should save the report for your records as the seller.
Step 2: Organize and collect all vehicle papers
Find all maintenance records, the owner's manual, and other vehicle papers Required Before Selling Your Car. In Massachusetts, the current safety and emission inspection reports are not transferable since state law requires all used cars to be examined within seven days of registration after a change of ownership. More commonly asked questions can be found on the Massachusetts Inspections Check website.
Step 3: Create a Bill of Sale
The following information should be included in a Bill of Sale:
- Vehicle Year and Make
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Purchase Price
- Legal complete names and signatures of the buyer and seller
A Bill of Sale might come in handy if there are any issues when the buyer wants to transfer the title of the car or register the car in their name. As a best practice, many private owners have their Bill of Sale notarized.
Step 4: Change the title
If the vehicle's title has been lost, stolen, or severely damaged, you must file for a replacement title and pay the accompanying fees before selling the vehicle. If the owner of the car has died, the surviving spouse, the personal representative of the decedent's estate, or a court-appointed personal representative may transfer the certificate of title. You may verify the car's status online here if you are unsure about the status of your Massachusetts vehicle's certificate of title or the veracity of the lienholder information. You can supply the original title as well as a lienholder release letter on the lienholder's original letterhead (copies are not allowed). Fill out the "Assignment of Title" on the back of the vehicle's "Certificate of Title" with the necessary information to legally and correctly transfer ownership of a car title in Massachusetts:
- The date of the auction
- Purchase cost
- Legal name, address, and signature of the buyer
- Legal name, address, and signature of the seller
- Speedometer reading
A Registration and Title Application must be completed by the buyer. If the vehicle's ownership changes, or if an owner is added or removed from a title, this is deemed a transfer of ownership, and a new original title must be obtained. A sales tax exemption form MVU-26 must be completed if the car is being sold between family members (parent, sibling, spouse, or kid). The exemption does not apply if the property is passed down from a grandparent, cousin, uncle, or aunt. If the car is being given as a gift, the individual giving it must complete Sales Tax Exemption Form MVU-24. If you need to modify any of the current information on your vehicle's title before selling it, including an odometer correction, you can learn how to do so here. If the odometer reading on your title has to be updated, you'll need a Notarized Affidavit for Correction. If the title shows more than one owner, the following number of signatures will be required based on the link between the names: Furthermore, all individuals specified must sign. Alternatively, either vendor can sign; just one signature is necessary. Alternatively, both vendors must sign. If no connection is specified, the default will be 'and,' and all owners (sellers) must sign. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) odometer disclosure standards for private car sales in Massachusetts were revised in December 2020: Any vehicle of the model year 2011 or newer (2012, 2013, etc.) that is transferred between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2030, will require an odometer disclosure. Beginning January 1, 2031, every vehicle less than 20 model years old will be required to have an odometer disclosure. Previously, the NHTSA only mandated disclosure for the first ten years. Cars manufactured before 2010 are exempt from odometer disclosures. Important: Cars acquired through a private party sale in Massachusetts are subject to the state's “Lemon Laws” regarding vehicles and may be returned within 30 days if the buyer can establish the seller was aware of the fault but failed to disclose it.
Step 5: Take your license plates off
Remove your license plates from the car before completing the sale. Unless the license plate has been transferred to another vehicle, revoke your registration as soon as possible online or in a Massachusetts RMV office. When a vehicle's registration is revoked, it can no longer be driven on any public road in the state. When a vehicle's registration is canceled, license plates are not required to be returned to the RMV, but they must be destroyed or recycled. When there are two car owners listed on the title, you must fill out the Affidavit for Cancellation of Registration. Visit the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles' website for further information.
The Easier Way to Sell Your Car
Now that you've learned everything there is to know about selling a car in Massachusetts, it's time to determine where to list it. Cashforcarsinc.com makes it simple to sell your car. With ready-to-sign state documentation, encrypted chat, and more, our platform provides all the tools and recommendations you need to make the transaction a breeze.
