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The bottom line: Massachusetts calls its motor vehicle agency the RMV, not the DMV. That’s the first thing to know before you start.
You sign the title over to the buyer, remove your plates, and cancel your registration right after the sale. The buyer handles their own registration, plates, and taxes from there.
Key Takeaways
- Title notarization: Massachusetts does not require it. Just sign in blue or black ink, exactly as your name appears on the title.
- Missing title: A replacement costs $25 and can be applied for online at the RMV portal. Processing takes up to 10 business days.
- Buyer deadline: The buyer has 10 days to submit their title and registration applications to the RMV to avoid Department of Revenue penalties.
- License plates: They stay with you, not the car. Remove them before the buyer drives away.
- Release of liability: Massachusetts requires you to cancel your registration immediately after the sale. This protects you from future excise tax bills and liability.
- Bill of sale: Required for all private sales in Massachusetts. The buyer needs it to register the vehicle. No state form is required, so a generic one works.
- Sales tax: The buyer pays 6.25% on whichever is higher: your sale price or the J.D. Power book value. Setting a low price doesn’t save your buyer money on taxes.
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Step-by-Step Process for Massachusetts
Step 1: Prepare Your Massachusetts Paperwork
Documents you’ll need:
- Vehicle title – Must be in your name and clear of liens
- Valid Massachusetts driver’s license – Names must match 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 the RMV portal or visit a local RMV service center in person with your ID and $25.00. Processing takes up to 10 business days. The RMV rejects any application with white-out, erasures, or alterations, so be precise.
You can also download Form T20558 and mail it to: Title Division, P.O. Box 55885, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-5885. Mail-in processing also takes up to 10 business days.
If you still owe money on the car:
Your lender must release the lien before you can transfer the title. Contact them for their exact payoff amount and process. The RMV requires a lien release letter on the lender’s official letterhead that includes the vehicle year, make, VIN, and all owner names. The RMV won’t accept faxes or photocopies.
If you owe more than the car’s worth, you’ll need to pay the difference before completing the sale.
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 got married or changed your name, bring documentation showing the name change.
Older vehicles:
Massachusetts doesn’t require titles for vehicles model year 1979 or older that were registered before November 26, 1990. For these vehicles, your registration serves as proof of ownership.
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 Massachusetts, especially in Boston, Worcester, and Springfield where buyer activity is highest. Cars.com and Autotrader are good for reaching buyers statewide and from neighboring states.
Massachusetts has no pre-sale emissions testing requirement, which makes selling older cars locally a lot simpler. Peddle or Wheelzy will buy your old or damaged car directly, and Carvana will give you competitive offers if you have a newer car.
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Step 5: Meet with Buyers Safely
Always meet at public places like bank parking lots during daylight hours.
Learn more:
Step 6: Handle Payment and Negotiate
Cash for cars under $5,000, cashier’s check (verify at bank), or meet at buyer’s bank for wire transfer.
Learn more:
Step 7: Complete the Massachusetts Title Transfer
The “Assignment of Title” section is on the back of your Massachusetts Certificate of Title. Fill it out carefully with black or blue ink only. The RMV rejects any title with white-out, cross-outs, or alterations, so take your time.
You’ll need to fill in the buyer’s complete name and address, the sale date, the exact sale price, and the current odometer reading. Both you and the buyer must sign and print your names, then date the document.
If two names appear on the title with the word “AND” between them, both owners must sign. If the title uses “OR,” either owner can sign alone.
The buyer has 10 days to submit their title and registration applications to the RMV to avoid Department of Revenue penalties. The buyer also has 7 days after registration to complete the required vehicle inspection. Massachusetts prohibits registration transfers between different owners, so the buyer must apply for completely new registration and plates.
Keep a copy of the signed title for your records before handing it over.
Step 8: Sign Bill of Sale (Required)
Massachusetts requires a bill of sale for all private vehicle sales. The buyer needs it to register the vehicle with the RMV. There’s no official state form, so a generic bill of sale works fine.
Include both parties’ names and addresses, the vehicle’s year, make, model, and VIN, the sale date, the odometer reading, and the exact sale price. Both of you should sign it.
The sale price matters in Massachusetts. The RMV calculates the buyer’s 6.25% sales tax on whichever is higher: your stated price or the J.D. Power book value. You don’t need to notarize the bill of sale.
You can 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 Massachusetts License Plates and Registration
Remove your license plates before the buyer drives away. In Massachusetts, plates belong to you (the owner), not the car.
You can transfer your plates to another vehicle you own. If you’re not keeping another car, cancel your registration online and destroy the plates by cutting them in half before discarding them.
The buyer gets new plates when they register the car.
Learn more: How to Remove License Plates Safely?
Step 10: Submit the Release of Liability
Cancel your registration online with the Massachusetts RMV right after you sell the car. You must do this immediately after the sale.
Canceling your registration stops the automatic annual excise tax bills. It also creates a record showing you’re no longer responsible for the vehicle.
The cancellation is free and only takes a few minutes online. Download your cancellation receipt as proof.
Step 11: Cancel Insurance
Cancel your insurance only after the title transfer is complete and you’ve cancelled your registration.
Learn more: When to Cancel Car Insurance After Selling a Car?
Massachusetts RMV Resources
State Resources:
Phone Support:
- Massachusetts RMV: 857-368-8000
Massachusetts Fees and Costs
| What You Pay? | Cost | When? |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate title (if needed) | $25.00 | Before sale |
| Lien payoff (if applicable) | Loan balance | Before sale |
| Registration cancellation | $0 | After 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?
Massachusetts buyers have 10 days to submit their title and registration applications to the RMV. If they miss this deadline, they may face Department of Revenue penalties.
The buyer also has 7 days after completing registration to get the required Massachusetts Vehicle Check inspection done.
Vehicles under 15 years old must pass both safety and emissions testing within that window.
Do I need to get the title notarized when I sign it over in Massachusetts?
No, Massachusetts 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 title.
When is a bill of sale required in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts requires a bill of sale for all private vehicle sales. It’s essential because the buyer needs it to register the vehicle with the RMV. There’s no official state form, so a generic bill of sale is fine.
It doesn’t need to be notarized. Just make sure both parties sign it and it includes the exact sale price, since Massachusetts calculates the buyer’s 6.25% sales tax based on it.
Can I sell my car if I still owe money on it in Massachusetts?
Yes, but you need to coordinate the lien release with your lender first.
Your lender must provide a lien release letter on their official letterhead, including the vehicle year, make, VIN, and all owner names. The RMV won’t accept faxes or photocopies of lien releases.
If you owe more than the car’s worth, you’ll need to pay the difference before you can transfer a clear title to the buyer.
My car was inherited. What additional Massachusetts forms do I need?
The process depends on whether the estate went through probate. If it did, the executor signs the title over to the buyer using the probate court documentation as proof of authority.
If the estate was small enough to skip probate, Massachusetts may allow an Affidavit of Heirship to establish ownership transfer.
Contact the Massachusetts RMV directly at 857-368-8000 to confirm what documentation they require for your specific situation before proceeding.
Both my spouse and I are on the Massachusetts title. Do we both need to sign?
It depends on how the title reads. If “AND” appears between your names, both owners must sign the title for the sale to go through. If “OR” appears between the names, either owner can sign alone.
What if I make a mistake on the Massachusetts title?
Don’t try to fix it yourself with white-out or cross-outs. The RMV will reject any title with corrections. You’ll need to apply for a new duplicate title using Form T20558, which costs $25.00.
Apply online through the RMV portal or mail the form to the Title Division. Processing takes up to 10 business days.
The buyer is from out of state. Does Massachusetts require anything special?
Your obligations as a seller are the same regardless of where the buyer lives. Complete all Massachusetts paperwork normally, including proper title assignment and a signed bill of sale.
The buyer uses your completed Massachusetts title documentation to register the vehicle in their home state. Their state may have its own requirements, but that’s the buyer’s responsibility to sort out.
Do Massachusetts license plates transfer to the buyer?
No, Massachusetts license plates stay with you (the seller). Remove them before the buyer leaves. You can transfer the plates to another vehicle you own, or cancel your registration online and destroy them.
Do I need to file a release of liability after selling my car in Massachusetts?
Yes. Massachusetts requires you to cancel your registration immediately after the sale. This is done online at the RMV and is free. There’s no separate “notice of sale” form like some other states use.
Canceling your registration right away stops the annual excise tax bills and protects you from being held responsible for anything the buyer does with the car after it’s sold.
Article Update History
All legal requirements in this article were verified against the Massachusetts RMV and reflect the current rules for private vehicle sales.
Originally posted and shared with our readers.