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

Documents you’ll need:

1. Vehicle title – Must be in your name and clear of liens
2. Valid Utah driver’s license – Names must match exactly
3. Lien release documentation – If you still owe money on the car

If your title is missing:

You’ll need to get a replacement first. To apply, Request a duplicate online through the Utah Motor Vehicle Portal (MVP), or complete Form TC-123 and submit it with your ID and the $6.00 fee. A duplicate is $6.00 and takes about 10 to 14 business days. You can download Form TC-123 from the Utah DMV website.

If you can’t get a duplicate title:

For a lost Utah title, sign Part 1 and Part 2 of Form TC-123 and give it to the buyer in place of the original. For a vehicle with no Utah record, complete the Insufficient Evidence of Ownership process with an Ownership Statement and a possible surety bond.

If you still owe money on the car:

In Utah, many lenders use the Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) system, meaning there’s no paper title for you to hold. The lien holder releases the lien. For electronic titles held in the ELT system, the lender releases it and has the paper title sent to you. 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 got married or changed your name, bring documentation showing the name change.

The assignment section is on the back of your Utah title. Fill it in with the buyer’s full legal name and address, the date of sale, the purchase price, and the current odometer reading. Use only black or blue ink and do not make any corrections. Even a small mistake voids the title entirely, and you’ll need to apply for a duplicate.

Sign your name exactly as it appears on the front of the title. If the title lists two owners with “AND” between them, both must sign. If it says “OR,” one signature is enough.

Utah law requires a seller to provide a negotiable title within 48 hours of the transaction. Best practice is to hand over the signed title at the moment of sale, but that 48-hour rule gives buyers legal footing if a seller delays.

Insider tip: If a co-owner can’t be there to sign in person, have them fill out a Utah motor vehicle power of attorney ahead of time. That lets you complete the sale without the transaction stalling.

Odometer disclosure: An odometer disclosure is required unless the vehicle is 20 model years old or older. (Under the federal rolling exemption, that currently works out to model year 2011 and newer.) The odometer section is usually printed right on the title. If there isn’t space, you can use Form TC-891 (Odometer Disclosure Statement) as a separate document. Both you and the buyer sign it, and each party keeps a copy for at least four years.

After you sign: Give the buyer the signed title along with your current registration certificate. The buyer takes these to the Utah DMV and completes Form TC-656 (Application for Utah Title and Registration) to put the car in their name. The buyer handles registration, taxes, and new plates after that.

In a private sale, the buyer can’t legally drive the car on public roads until it’s registered. The 45-day permit you may have heard about is a dealer-only privilege. A private buyer who needs time to register or pass inspections gets a temporary permit from any Utah DMV office instead.

Insider tip: Emissions testing is a buyer's registration requirement in Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Cache, and Utah counties based on vehicle model year. It is not a condition of sale for the seller. If you’re selling to a buyer in one of those counties and your car has a current emissions certificate, hand it over with the title and registration. The DMV instructs sellers to provide the current emission certificate if applicable, and it’s a selling point that can help close the deal.

If the buyer has never titled a vehicle in Utah before, they’ll also need a VIN inspection using Form TC-661. This can often be completed at the DMV office during their registration visit.

Where transfers happen: Title transfers happen at any Utah DMV office, or online through the Utah Motor Vehicle Portal (MVP) for qualifying vehicles using the UPP system.