The bottom line: To sign a car title in Minnesota, flip the title over and complete the “Assignment by Seller (Transferor)” section. Use black or blue ink only, and print your name exactly as it appears on the front.
Fill in the odometer and damage disclosures, then sign. After the sale, you have 10 days to file a Notice of Sale with the state, because until you do, you’re still the registered owner.
If you haven’t decided where to sell, compare offers from multiple services with Sell Car Advisor before you sign anything.
Key Takeaways
- Minnesota doesn’t require a notary for standard private party title transfers.
- License plates stay with the vehicle in Minnesota, not with the seller. Two exceptions: personalized plates, which you keep and transfer to another vehicle you own, and any sale where the buyer is taking the car out of state, where you take the plates off.
- The damage disclosure threshold is 80% of actual cash value, updated from 70% in 2022. Many guides still show the old number.
- Odometer disclosure is required for all vehicles model year 2011 or newer and under 16,000 lbs.
- You have 10 days to file a Notice of Sale after the sale. Until you do, you’re still the registered owner and parking tickets tied to the vehicle can still reach you.
- Any white-out, erasure, or cross-out voids the title immediately. Use Form PS2025A for corrections before the sale instead.
- If you haven’t picked a buyer yet, compare offers from multiple services with Sell Car Advisor before you sign anything.
Automated assistant: general info, not legal advice
Answers come from our state paperwork data and published guides. Confirm anything binding with your state DMV.
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Before You Sign: 4 Things to Know
No notary needed. Standard private party title transfers in Minnesota don’t require a notary. Both parties complete their sections of the title and sign.
Black or blue ink only. Any white-out, correction fluid, or erasure voids the title immediately. If you make a mistake, apply for a corrected title using Form PS2025A at your local deputy registrar before completing the sale.
Your name must match exactly. Print and sign your name as it appears on the front of the title. Even a small spelling difference can delay the buyer’s registration.
Your plates stay with the car. In Minnesota, standard license plates stay with the vehicle when you sell it to an in-state buyer. Don’t remove them before handing over the car. Two exceptions: personalized plates, which you keep and transfer to another vehicle you own by contacting your deputy registrar, and a buyer taking the car out of state, where the plates come off before it leaves.
How to Sign a Car Title in Minnesota
Locate the “Assignment by Seller (Transferor)” Section
Flip your title over. The seller’s section is on the back. This is the only section you need to complete as the seller.
Enter the Odometer Reading
Write the current mileage without the tenths digit. Then check one of three boxes: actual mileage, exceeds mechanical limits of the odometer, or not actual mileage.
Required for vehicles model year 2011 or newer. Exempt vehicles include trucks over 16,000 lbs GVWR, trailers, mopeds, and scooters.
Complete the Damage Disclosure
Check HAS or HAS NOT sustained damage in excess of 80% of actual cash value. This applies to every vehicle sold in Minnesota regardless of age. The threshold was updated to 80% in 2022. Many older guides still show 70%, which is no longer correct.
Print Your Name
Find the “Seller’s Printed Name(s)” field and print your full name exactly as it appears on the front of the title. Don’t abbreviate, don’t use a nickname. An exact match is required.
Enter the Date of Sale
Write today’s date in the “Date of Sale” field. Use the actual date the car changes hands. This date starts the 10-day clock for filing your Notice of Sale.
Enter Your Address
Write your full current address in the “Seller’s Address” field. Use your current mailing address, not the address printed on the front of the title if it’s changed.
Sign Your Name
Sign in the “Seller’s Signature(s)” field using black or blue ink. Your signature should match how your name appears on your ID. This is the last thing you do before handing the title to the buyer.
File the Notice of Sale Within 10 Days
At the bottom of the title is a detachable “Seller’s Notice of Sale” stub. Fill in the date of sale and the buyer’s name, address, driver’s license number, and date of birth.
Report the sale with those details on the DVS website within 10 days; Minnesota takes this report online only. If you’re selling to a licensed Minnesota dealer, you can skip this step entirely.
Important: Until the Notice of Sale is filed, you’re still listed as the registered owner. Parking tickets, toll violations, and accident liability can still reach you.
AND vs. OR: Who Needs to Sign?
If two names appear on your title, the word between them decides who signs. Look at how the names are joined, then follow Minnesota’s rule for it.
| What the title shows | Who must sign |
|---|---|
| “John Doe OR Jane Doe” | Either owner can sign alone |
| “John Doe AND Jane Doe” | Both owners must sign |
| “John Doe AND/OR Jane Doe” | Both owners should sign to be safe |
| “John Doe Jane Doe” (no connector) | Both owners must sign |
Get all signatures before the buyer arrives. Missing one forces the buyer to come back to you after the car is gone, which is a problem if you’re no longer easy to reach.
Each owner must print and sign their name exactly as it appears on the title. No exceptions.
Odometer Disclosure: What Minnesota Requires
Odometer disclosure is required for any vehicle model year 2011 or newer. Federal law covers a 2011 or newer car until it’s 20 years old, and Minnesota follows that standard.
Enter the current mileage without the tenths digit. Then check one of three boxes: actual mileage, exceeds mechanical limits of the odometer, or not actual mileage (odometer discrepancy).
Some vehicles are fully exempt from odometer disclosure: trucks and vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating over 16,000 lbs, trailers, mopeds, and scooters.
Providing a false odometer reading is a gross misdemeanor in Minnesota. Under federal law, it can result in civil damages of at least $10,000, or three times the actual damages, whichever is greater. Always enter the true reading.
Damage Disclosure: The Updated 80% Rule
Every vehicle sold in Minnesota requires a damage disclosure, regardless of age. Minnesota updated this law in 2022. Before the change, it only applied to vehicles six model years old or newer. Now it covers everything.
You check one of two boxes: your vehicle HAS or HAS NOT sustained damage exceeding 80% of its actual cash value. The threshold also changed in 2022, moving from 70% to 80%. Many older guides and competing articles still show the wrong number.
If your car was declared a total loss by an insurer, it almost certainly crossed this threshold. Check your insurance paperwork if you’re not sure where your vehicle falls.
Special Situations
Vehicle Has a Lien
If a lien is listed on your title, you must provide the buyer with an original signed lien release card or a notarized lien release (Form PS2017) from your lender before the sale. Get this from the lender ahead of time, not after.
This document confirms the loan is paid off and the buyer will receive a clear title. Without it, the buyer can’t register the car.
Selling to a Dealer
You still complete the seller’s section of the title exactly as you would for a private sale. The dealer handles most of the paperwork on their end, but your signature and information are still required.
One advantage: if you sell to a licensed Minnesota dealer, you don’t need to file the Notice of Sale separately. The dealer takes care of it.
Who Pays Which Fees?
As the seller in Minnesota, you pay almost nothing. The buyer handles all the standard transfer fees when they register the car. Your only potential costs are if you need to replace a lost title or process a lien release before the sale.
| Fee | Amount | Who Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Title transfer fee | $8.25 | Buyer |
| Filing fee | $12.00 | Buyer |
| Technology surcharge | $2.25 | Buyer |
| Transfer tax | $10.00 | Buyer |
| Sales tax | 6.875% of purchase price | Buyer |
| Duplicate title (lost title) | $21.50 by mail or $22.50 at a deputy registrar office | Seller (only if needed) |
| Lien release processing | $10.00 | Seller (only if needed) |
Common Mistakes That Void a Minnesota Title
Using White-Out or Making Erasures
Any correction fluid, white-out, crossing out, or erasure on a Minnesota car title voids it completely. There’s no workaround. If you write in the wrong field or misspell something, you need to file Form PS2025A (Application for Corrected Title/Odometer) at the DVS before you can complete the sale.
Leaving Fields Blank
Every required seller field must be filled in. A blank odometer field, missing address, or unsigned damage disclosure will delay or reject the buyer’s registration at the DVS. Fill in every field before you hand over the title.
Name Doesn’t Match the Title
Your printed name and signature must match exactly what appears on the front of the title. Even a minor spelling difference, a missing middle initial, or using a married name when the title shows a maiden name can cause problems at the DVS.
Forgetting to File the Notice of Sale
This is the most commonly skipped step. Until you file the Notice of Sale, you remain the registered owner. That means parking tickets, toll violations, or legal issues tied to the vehicle can still come back to you. File it online at the DVS website as soon as the car is sold.
Removing Standard Plates Before the Sale
In Minnesota, standard license plates stay with the vehicle. Don’t remove them before the buyer drives away. The buyer uses the existing plates to drive the car and has 20 calendar days from the date of sale to complete the title transfer and registration in their name.
There are two exceptions. Personalized plates you can keep and transfer to another vehicle you own by contacting your deputy registrar. And if the buyer is taking the car out of state, remove the plates before it goes: standard issue plates are not transferable to you otherwise, but they should not leave Minnesota on a car that is no longer yours.
Want to Skip the Private Sale Process?
Signing the title is just one part of a private sale. You also need to advertise the car, screen buyers, agree on a price, and handle payment safely. That’s a lot of steps before any money changes hands.
If your car is older, has high mileage, or has some damage, an instant-offer buyer is much simpler. Peddle gives you an offer online in minutes, picks up your car for free, and you sign the title when its driver arrives. No listing, no strangers to meet. See how selling a junk car works if your vehicle is in rough shape.
If your car is newer and in good condition, Carvana handles most of the title paperwork for you. Its team walks you through the signing at the appointment, whether Carvana collects the car or you drop it off.
For private sales where you want added protection, KeySavvy handles the title transfer and payment securely between you and the buyer. It’s especially useful when selling to someone you don’t know.
Common Questions About Signing a Car Title in Minnesota
Is a bill of sale required when selling a car in Minnesota?
No. Minnesota recommends one but does not require it, and the state publishes no official form, so any clear written record will do.
Write one anyway. The title records who owns the car; only the bill of sale records what was agreed, what the price was, and that it was sold as-is. If the buyer disputes any of that later, the title will not help you.
What do I do if I lost my Minnesota car title?
Apply for a duplicate before you list the car, not after you have a buyer waiting. It costs $21.50 by mail or $22.50 at a deputy registrar office, and going in person is usually same-day where the mail route is not.
You cannot sign over a title you do not have, and there is no workaround in Minnesota for a private sale. The one exception is narrow: an inoperable vehicle of model year 20 or more years ago can go to a licensed scrap operator without one.
Can I sell a car with a salvage title in Minnesota?
Yes, and the process at the title itself is the same: you complete the seller’s section exactly as you would on a clean title.
What changes is the disclosure and the buyer pool. A car that was totaled has almost certainly crossed the 80% damage threshold, so the HAS box is the honest answer, and checking HAS NOT on a branded car is the version of this that becomes a legal problem. Expect fewer private buyers and a lower price; rebuilt and salvage cars often do better with buyers who specialize in them.
Does the buyer need to sign the title too?
Yes, in their own section. The back of a Minnesota title has an assignment area for the seller and separate fields for the buyer’s name, address and signature, and the DVS will reject a transfer that is missing either side.
Fill in your part and let them fill in theirs. Writing the buyer’s details yourself is a common way to end up with a mismatch between the title and their ID, and a correction means Form PS2025A and a delay.
Compare Offers Before You Decide
Before you commit to any buyer, take a minute to compare offers from multiple services with Sell Car Advisor side by side. Knowing how to sign the title is easy. Getting the best price for your car takes a little more work.
Compare instant offers before you accept one
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Article Update History
Minnesota's current damage disclosure threshold and odometer rule added, with fees and Notice of Sale filing checked against Minnesota DVS records.
Originally posted and shared with our readers.
Sources
"$21.50 by mail or $22.50 at a deputy registrar office" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Release of Liability Filing Deadline
"10 days" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026
Minnesota Statutes 325F.6641: Disclosure of vehicle damage
Minnesota's law on disclosing damage to a buyer when a car is sold. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
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