How to Sell a Car in Minnesota Privately? (State Guide)

The buyer has 10 business days from the date of sale to complete the title transfer at a deputy registrar office. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the next business day applies.

The late penalty: $2 additional fee for missing the 10 business day deadline, plus a $10 reinstatement fee if plates are suspended for not filing within 30 days. Make sure your buyer knows about this deadline upfront so there are no surprises.

Minnesota does not require the title assignment to be notarized; sign in blue or black ink exactly as your name appears on the title. Fill in all the required fields completely so the deputy registrar can process the transfer without delays.

A bill of sale is not required by Minnesota law for private vehicle sales, though it is recommended for both buyer and seller protection. Notarization is not required in Minnesota.

Use our free bill of sale generator to make one quickly.

Yes, but you need to coordinate a lien release with your lender first. Here’s how it works: for a paper title, the lender returns the title to you with the lien released or provides a signed lien release card; for an electronic lien held in the ELT system, the lender releases it and DVS then issues a paper title before the sale.

If you owe more than the car is worth, you’ll need to pay the difference at closing so the title can transfer free and clear.

Yes, in one narrow case. Minn. Stat. § 168A.1501, subd. 10(2) exempts inoperable older motor vehicles from the title requirement when sold to a licensed scrap vehicle operator. Specifically, the vehicle must be inoperable with a model year that is 20 or more years before the current year, and the buyer must be a licensed scrap vehicle operator such as a scrap metal processor, used vehicle parts dealer, or junk yard.

The paperwork: no state form; the licensed scrap vehicle operator records a signed statement from the seller that the vehicle is not stolen and is free of liens, along with a copy of the seller's photo ID.

For all other cars, you’ll need to get the title in your name first. That usually means applying for a duplicate title if you’ve lost it.

The required documents depend on the situation: Form PS2071 (Assignment of a Vehicle to a Surviving Spouse/Not Subject to Probate) for a surviving spouse, an Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property for a small estate, or court-issued probate documents for a probated estate.

For a small estate, the small estate affidavit (Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property) may be used when the decedent's probate estate is $75,000 or less under Minn. Stat. § 524.3-1201.

Check directly with DVS or a deputy registrar office to confirm which forms apply to your situation before signing anything.

It depends on how the title reads. If your names are joined by “AND,” both owners must sign. If they’re joined by “OR,” either owner can sign alone.

Check the title before the buyer arrives so you don’t get to the deputy registrar’s office and find out you’re missing a signature.

Don’t try to fix it with white-out or cross-outs. Any alteration or erasure voids the entire title.

You’ll need to apply for a duplicate title using Form PS2067A (Application for Duplicate Title, Registration, Cab or Lien Card). The fee is $21.50 by mail or $22.50 at a deputy registrar office. Then complete the assignment correctly on the new title.

Your obligations as the seller are the same. You sign the title and report the sale to DVS within 10 days.

For plates: leave your plates on the car for in-state sales; remove them if the buyer is taking the car out of state; personalized or specialty plates can be transferred to another vehicle you own.

Out-of-state buyers will need a temporary transit permit, either from their home state or from a Minnesota deputy registrar office, to drive the car legally until it’s registered elsewhere.

The buyer still needs to complete the Minnesota title transfer process first, then use that transferred title to register the car back home. They should check whether their state requires a VIN inspection before registration.

In Minnesota, license plates stay with the car. Here’s how that works: leave your plates on the car for in-state sales; remove them if the buyer is taking the car out of state; personalized or specialty plates can be transferred to another vehicle you own.

Yes. To do this, File the Notice of Vehicle Sold online through the Minnesota DVS portal within 10 days of the sale..

Filing protects you from tickets, parking violations, or other issues the new owner might create after buying your car. It’s a quick process and worth doing the same day you sell.