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The bottom line: Indiana keeps private car sales simple. There’s no notarization on the title, no statewide release-of-liability filing, and your license plates stay with you when you sell.
You sign the title over, provide a bill of sale, and remove your plates before the buyer drives away. The buyer handles registration and taxes after that.
Key Takeaways
- Title notarization: Indiana does not require it. Just sign in blue or black ink, exactly as your name appears on the title.
- Missing title: A replacement costs $15.00 and can be applied for online through the MyBMV portal. Standard processing typically takes 7 to 10 business days.
- E-title note: Indiana has offered electronic titles since July 2025. If your title is held electronically by a lender, they must release it to you in paper form before you can sell.
- Buyer deadline: The buyer has 45 days to register the car at the Indiana BMV or they’ll face an administrative penalty.
- License plates: They stay with you, not the car. Remove them before the buyer drives away.
- Release of liability: Indiana has no required form or filing deadline. Your signed title and bill of sale serve as your proof of sale.
- Bill of sale: Not technically required by state law, but the buyer will likely need it to register the car and avoid tax disputes at the BMV. Just do it. Indiana has an official form (Form 44237) you can pick up at any BMV branch.
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Step-by-Step Process for Indiana
Step 1: Prepare Your Indiana Paperwork
Documents you’ll need:
- Vehicle title – Must be in your name and clear of liens
- Valid Indiana driver’s license – Name must match the title exactly
- Lien release documentation – If you still owe money on the car
If your title is missing:
You’ll need to get a replacement first. Apply online through MyBMV or visit your local BMV branch in person with your ID and $15.00. Standard processing typically takes 7 to 10 business days. You can also download Form 205 and mail it in.
Electronic titles:
Indiana has offered electronic titles (e-titles) since July 2025. If your lender holds your title electronically, they’ll need to release it to you in paper form before you can complete the sale. Contact your lender early so this doesn’t delay your sale.
If you still owe money on the car:
Your lender must release the lien before you can transfer the title. Contact them to either pay off the loan at closing or obtain a lien release letter. If you owe more than the car’s worth, you’ll need to pay the difference.
Learn more: How to Sell a Financed Car?
Name matching requirement:
Check your title carefully. The name on your driver’s license must match the name on the title exactly. If you changed your name due to marriage or other reasons, bring documentation showing the name change.
Step 2: Prepare Your Car
Clean your car inside and out, gather maintenance records, and run a VIN check to get the best price and build buyer confidence.
Learn more:
Step 3: Price Your Car
Learn more: Best Free Car Valuation Tools
Step 4: Advertise Your Car
Facebook Marketplace works best in Indiana, especially in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Evansville where buyer activity is highest. Cars.com and Autotrader are good for reaching buyers statewide and from neighboring states like Ohio and Illinois.
Indiana has no statewide emissions testing for private sales, so older cars tend to sell well locally without extra hoops for buyers. One exception: if your buyer lives in Lake or Porter County (the Northwest Indiana area near Chicago), their car will need to pass an emissions test before they can fully register it. If you think the car might not pass, it’s worth giving them a heads-up before the sale.
Peddle or Wheelzy will buy your old or damaged car directly, and Carvana will give you competitive offers if you have a newer car. You can also compare offers from multiple services with Sell Car Advisor at once to see who’s paying the most right now.
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Buys newer, low-mileage cars
Offers pickup or free drop-off
Competitive trade-in value
Best for Used Cars
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Instant offer and free pickup
Get paid on the spot
Best for Junk Cars
Sell your car in 30 minutes
Easy-to-use
Buys non-running cars
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Step 5: Meet with Buyers Safely
Always meet at public places like bank parking lots during daylight hours.
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Step 6: Handle Payment and Negotiate
Cash for cars under $5,000, cashier’s check (verify at bank), or meet at the buyer’s bank for a wire transfer.
Learn more:
Step 7: Complete the Indiana Title Transfer
This is the most important step. Fill out the seller section on the back of the title carefully, using blue or black ink only.
What you need to fill in: Date of sale, buyer’s full name and address, purchase price, and current odometer reading. All sellers must also sign and print their names.
Sign exactly as your name appears on the front of the title. Only sign in the seller’s signature section. Never sign in the buyer’s section, even if asked.
Multiple owners on the title? Look at how the names are listed on the front. If it says “First Owner OR Second Owner,” only one person needs to sign. If it says “First Owner AND Second Owner,” both owners must sign before the sale is complete.
No corrections allowed. White-out and cross-outs will void the title. If you make a mistake, you’ll need to apply for a corrected title from the BMV before the sale can go through.
Odometer disclosure: Federal and Indiana law require you to record the current mileage on the title for any 2011 or newer vehicle that weighs 16,000 lbs or less. The odometer field is on the title itself. If that section isn’t available, you can use a separate Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form 43230) from the Indiana BMV. Vehicles from 2010 or older, vehicles over 16,000 lbs, low-speed vehicles, trailers, and scooters are exempt.
Buyer’s deadline: The buyer has 45 days to apply for a new title at the BMV. If they miss that window, they’ll face an administrative penalty.
Step 8: Sign Bill of Sale (Recommended)
Indiana doesn’t technically require a bill of sale by state law, but the buyer will almost certainly need it to register the car. If the purchase price on the title is messy or hard to read, the BMV may default to fair market value for tax purposes, which can cost the buyer more money. A clear bill of sale avoids that problem.
Indiana has an official form, Form 44237, which you can pick up at any BMV branch. It doesn’t need to be notarized. You can also use our free bill of sale generator to create one in minutes.
Learn more: What is Bill of Sale for a Car? (Seller Guide + Templates)
Step 9: Handle Indiana License Plates and Registration
Remove your license plates before the buyer drives away. In Indiana, plates belong to you (the owner), not the car.
You can transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or destroy them. The Indiana BMV does not require you to return them. The buyer gets new plates when they register the car.
Learn more: How to Remove License Plates Safely?
Step 10: Keep Your Records Safe
Contact the Indiana BMV to note that the vehicle has been sold after the transaction is complete.
Indiana has no required release-of-liability form or deadline. Your signed title copy and bill of sale serve as your proof that you no longer own the vehicle. Keep copies of both for at least a few years.
Step 11: Cancel Insurance
Cancel your insurance only after the title transfer is complete.
Learn more: When to Cancel Car Insurance After Selling a Car?
Indiana BMV Resources
State Resources:
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)
- BMV Branch Office Finder
- MyBMV Online Portal (titles, renewals, duplicate requests)
Phone Support:
- 888-692-6841 (Indiana BMV general inquiries)
Indiana Fees and Costs
| What You Pay? | Cost | When? |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate title (if needed) | $15.00 | Before sale |
| Lien payoff (if applicable) | Loan balance | Before sale |
| Everything else | $0 | Buyer pays |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the buyer have to transfer the title after we complete the sale?
The buyer has 45 days from the date of sale to apply for a new title at the Indiana BMV. If the 45-day deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, they get until the next business day.
Miss the deadline and the BMV charges an administrative penalty. It’s worth reminding buyers of this window, especially since some assume they have longer.
Do I need to get the title notarized when I sign it over in Indiana?
No, Indiana doesn’t require title notarization. The title assignment itself never needs a notary. Just sign in blue or black ink, exactly as your name appears on the front of the title, and you’re good.
When is a bill of sale required in Indiana?
Indiana doesn’t require a bill of sale by state law for private vehicle sales of titled cars. In practice, though, the buyer will likely need one to register the car without issues. If the purchase price on the title is unclear, the BMV may use fair market value to calculate sales tax, which can mean a higher tax bill for the buyer.
It takes five minutes and protects both of you. Indiana has an official form (Form 44237) at any BMV branch. No notary needed.
Can I sell my car if I still owe money on it in Indiana?
Yes, but you need to coordinate lien release with your lender first. Indiana requires all lienholders to release their interest in the vehicle before you can legally transfer the title. Your lender can either release the lien at the time of sale or provide a lien release letter if the loan is already paid off.
If you owe more than the car’s worth, you’ll need to pay the difference out of pocket at closing.
My car was inherited. What additional Indiana forms do I need?
It depends on the estate situation. If the estate went through probate, you’ll need the letters testamentary (or letters of administration) from the court along with the original title and a completed Form 205 to transfer the title into your name before selling.
For small estates that avoid probate, Indiana allows an Affidavit for Transfer of Personal Property to establish ownership. Either way, you’ll need to title the vehicle in your name at the BMV before you can sign it over to a buyer. Contact the Indiana BMV directly to confirm which documents apply to your situation.
Both my spouse and I are on the Indiana title. Do we both need to sign?
It depends on how the names are listed on the front of the title. If the title shows “First Owner OR Second Owner,” only one of you needs to sign the seller section. If it says “First Owner AND Second Owner,” both of you must sign before the sale is valid.
Look carefully at the exact wording before signing. The BMV will reject a title where a required co-owner signature is missing.
What if I make a mistake on the Indiana title?
Don’t try to fix it yourself with white-out or cross-outs. Any corrections on the title will void it completely. You’ll need to apply for a corrected duplicate title from the Indiana BMV using Form 205, which costs $15.00.
You can apply online through the MyBMV portal or visit a BMV branch in person. Once you have the corrected title, you can complete the sale.
The buyer is from out of state. Does Indiana require anything special?
Your obligations as the seller are the same regardless of where the buyer lives. Sign the title over correctly, provide a bill of sale, and remove your plates.
The buyer will take the completed Indiana title and register the vehicle in their home state. Some states require a VIN inspection for out-of-state vehicles, but that’s the buyer’s responsibility to handle on their end.
Do Indiana license plates transfer to the buyer?
No, Indiana license plates stay with you (the seller). Remove them before the buyer drives away. The Indiana BMV does not require you to return the plates.
You can transfer your plates to another vehicle you own or destroy them. The buyer will get their own plates when they register the car at the BMV.
How do I sell a junk car in Indiana?
You still need the title, even for junk cars. If the original is lost, apply for a duplicate through MyBMV or use Form 205 at your local BMV branch for $15.00.
Services like Peddle and other junk car buyers handle most of the paperwork and offer free pickup, but you’re still responsible for having proper ownership documentation ready.
My buyer is in Northwest Indiana. Do they need an emissions test?
Yes, if they live in Lake or Porter County. Vehicles registered there must pass an emissions test every two years. That’s your buyer’s responsibility to handle after the sale, not yours.
But it’s worth a quick heads-up if you have any reason to think the car might not pass. It won’t stop the sale, but it avoids a frustrated buyer calling you after the fact.
Do I need to file a release of liability after selling my car in Indiana?
No. Indiana does not have a required release-of-liability form or filing deadline for private sellers. Your signed title copy and bill of sale are your proof that the vehicle changed hands.
Keep copies of both documents for several years, just in case a question about the vehicle comes up after the sale.
Article Update History
This guide was last updated to reflect Indiana's current BMV requirements, including the state's e-title program and the correct bill of sale rules for private sellers.
Originally posted and shared with our readers.