The procedures and approach for selling a car online vary by state. Discover how to sell your used car or truck in Oregon confidentially.
If you reside in the rural Willamette Lowland, the Cascade Mountains, the Columbia Plateau, or one of Oregon's major towns like Portland, Eugene, or Salem and want to sell your old vehicle or truck privately, you've come to the perfect location. With over 3 million registered trucks and vehicles in Oregon, it's no surprise that cashforcarsinc.com has helped thousands of individual car owners in the Beaver State sell their vehicles. We've explained the five stages and paperwork required to sell a car in Oregon so you can sell your vehicle quickly and for the most money.
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. If you can offer the buyer thorough and detailed maintenance documents, it will give the buyer confidence that the automobile has been maintained properly and consistently. Whether it's a newer automobile, check with your dealership or service business to see if they have electronic records for the vehicle you're selling.
If you’ve previously paid off your vehicle’s loan but the lienholder has not been removed, you’ll need to remove the lien off your Oregon vehicle’s title within 30 days of doing so. The lienholder must sign the front of the title, confirming the automobile debt has been fulfilled. This Statement of Lien Satisfaction form 735-0524 is available from the Oregon DMV. Vehicles registered in the Portland and Medford regions may be required to pass an emissions test, which is the buyer's obligation.
Step 3: Create a Bill of Sale
The following information should be included in a Bill of Sale:
- Plate and title numbers
- Vehicle Year and Make
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Date of Purchase
- Purchase Cost
- Buyer and seller's legal complete names, addresses, and signatures Odometer reading on the date of sale
Although a Bill of Sale is not legally needed in Oregon, it might be useful if complications arise when the buyer attempts to transfer the title 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 vehicle's owner has died, Oregon provides a transfer of ownership form that applies whether or not there is a surviving spouse. If one or more of the original car owners have died, extra paperwork will be required depending on whether survivorship is mentioned on the title and whether the estate is in probate. Go to this page's "Dead Owner" section to find out what documentation you'll need for your scenario.
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. 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, which affect some private car purchases in Oregon, 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. The Oregon DMV has created this odometer exemption table to assist buyers and sellers. If the car title lacks an odometer disclosure field, you must contact the Oregon DMV to get a secure odometer disclosure form. The buyer must submit an Application for Title and Registration within 30 days of the acquisition date.
Step 5: Remove your license plates and contact the Department of Motor Vehicles
Remove your license plates from the car before completing the sale. Unless the license plate has been transferred to another vehicle, cancel your registration as soon as possible online or at an Oregon DMV location. If you do not remove your license plate, the new owner may hold you accountable for future traffic offenses, as this seller did in 2018. State law requires all private sellers to notify the Oregon DMV of the sale of a car within 10 days of the sale by using this online form, submitting a Notice of Sale in person to a local DMV office, or mailing it to:
Oregon DMV1905 Lana Avenue NE
Salem, OR 97314
For more information, visit the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services website.
The Easier Way to Sell Your Car
Now that you've learned everything there is to know about selling a car in Oregon, 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.
