The bottom line: The word between the names on your title decides whether you can sell the car alone or need every owner involved.
Before you accept any offer, sort out who needs to sign, pay off any loans on the car and have the paperwork ready. That way the sale doesn’t stall at the last minute.
Once you’re ready, compare offers from multiple services with Sell Car Advisor to make sure you get the best deal.
Key Takeaways
- “OR” between names means either owner can complete the sale on their own. “AND,” no connecting word, or, in many states, “AND/OR” means all owners must sign.
- “AND/OR” is the most confusing wording, and the safe reading is that both owners sign. Confirm with your DMV before assuming you can act without the other owner.
- Any active loan must be fully paid off and a lien release obtained before the title can transfer to any buyer.
- Uncooperative co-owners, owners in different locations, and unpaid loans are the three most common reasons multi-owner sales stall or fall apart.
- Power of attorney for vehicle sales is allowed in many states, but the specific form and requirements vary widely. Don’t count on it until your DMV confirms it.
- Online instant buyers regularly handle multi-owner titles and manage the paperwork for you, which makes coordination much simpler than a private sale.
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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Multiple Ownership Types on Car Titles
What the Words Between Names Mean
The small word between owner names on your title is the most important thing to check before doing anything else. It tells you exactly how many people need to be involved for the sale to go through.
| Title Wording | What It Means | Who Must Sign |
|---|---|---|
| “OR” Between Names | Either owner can complete the sale entirely on their own. No permission or involvement from the other owner is needed. | Any one owner, alone |
| “AND” Between Names | Both owners must agree to sell and both must sign the title. Some paperwork around the sale is lighter: Michigan, for one, needs only one owner to sign an application for a duplicate title. | All listed owners |
| “AND/OR” Between Names | This one varies by state, and the states that spell it out read it strictly. California treats names joined by “and” or a slash as needing every owner, and Arizona treats “and” or “and/or” the same way. Treat it as needing both signatures unless your own DMV says otherwise. | Varies by state. Confirm with your DMV. |
| No Word Between Names | If your title lists two names with no connecting word, most states treat it the same as “AND.” All owners must sign before the car can transfer. | All listed owners (in most states) |
What This Means for Your Next Step
If your title shows “OR,” you can move forward on your own. Get an offer, schedule a pickup, and sign the title as the seller. The other owner doesn’t need to be involved.
If your title shows “AND,” contact all other owners before doing anything else. Get everyone’s agreement and confirm they’ll be available to sign before you accept any offer. Accepting an offer before you have that confirmation is the most common way multi-owner sales fall apart at the last minute.
If your title shows “AND/OR” or has no word between names, call your state DMV first. One phone call will tell you whether you can act alone or need everyone to sign. Getting it wrong can mean a failed sale.
Types of Co-Ownership Structures
Beyond the title wording, there are three main ownership structures, and they decide what happens if an owner dies or wants to come off the title. These terms may appear on your title or in your original purchase documents.
Joint Tenancy with Right of Survivorship
If one owner dies, the surviving owner automatically becomes the sole owner of the car. Some states show an abbreviation like JTRS after the names on the title to indicate this structure. The surviving owner typically just needs to file a death certificate with the DMV to get a clear title in their name.
Tenants in Common
Each owner holds a specific share of the car, usually 50/50. If one owner dies, their share goes to their heirs through their estate, not automatically to the other owner. This often means probate is required before the car can be sold.
Community Property
Available only to married couples in states with community property laws, such as California, Texas, and Arizona. Both spouses own the car equally, and both are typically required to sign to sell it.
Step-by-Step Process to Sell Your Car with Multiple Owners
Before You Start Selling
Find Your Original Title
In 42 states you cannot sell without the physical title, so a lost one means a duplicate first. The exceptions are Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, which stop requiring a title once a car is old enough. In several states, titles go through a county office rather than a state DMV counter.
Check the Ownership Wording
Look at the exact words between the owner names on your title. This one detail determines your entire process and who needs to be involved.
Talk to All Co-Owners
Even if only one signature is required, tell the other owner you’re selling, so there are no surprises or disputes later.
Check for a Loan
Look at the front of your title to see if a lender is listed. If there’s a loan on the car, you’ll need to pay it off and get a lien release before the title can transfer to any buyer.
Getting All Required Signatures
When You Need Everyone
If your title requires multiple signatures, every owner must sign in the correct seller section on the back of the title. A signature in the wrong spot can make the entire document invalid, even if everyone agreed to sell.
In seven states (Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Wyoming) those signatures have to be witnessed by a notary, which means every signing owner needs an appointment rather than just a pen.
Handling Co-Owners Who Are Far Away
Some states allow you to mail the title to a co-owner for their signature before completing the sale. Others require all parties to be present at some point. Check your state’s rules before planning around this option.
Power of Attorney
Many states allow a power of attorney document if a co-owner can’t be present for the vehicle sale. Contact your DMV to confirm whether this is allowed in your state and what specific form is required.
Handling Outstanding Loans
Contact Your Lender First
Call the bank or finance company that holds your loan. Ask about their specific process for selling a car with multiple owners listed on the title.
Get a Payoff Quote
Find out exactly how much you owe and how long that payoff amount is valid. Most lenders give you 10 to 30 days before the quote expires.
Get Your Lien Release Documents
After the loan is paid off, your lender must provide paperwork confirming the lien is cleared. The buyer needs this to register the car in their name.
When a Co-Owner Is Unavailable or Uncooperative
If Your Co-Owner Won’t Sign
If your title requires all owners to sign and one refuses, there’s no way around it on your own. The first step is a direct conversation. Sometimes agreeing on how to split the proceeds is all it takes.
If that doesn’t work, mediation is the next option. A neutral mediator helps both parties reach an agreement without going to court. It’s faster and cheaper than a lawsuit and works in many situations where the only real issue is disagreement over price or timing.
If mediation fails, a partition action is the legal path of last resort. This is a court filing that forces the sale of jointly owned property and splits the proceeds between owners. It can take several months and comes with legal fees, but courts do grant them when one owner is blocking a reasonable sale.
If Your Co-Owner Can’t Be Located
If you genuinely can’t reach the other owner, most states don’t have a simple DMV process for this. You’ll likely need legal help to move forward.
An attorney who handles vehicle title or property law in your state can advise on the specific options available to you. Some states have affidavit-based processes; others require a court petition. Either way, professional guidance is the only reliable path.
If a Co-Owner Has Passed Away
The process depends on how the title was originally set up. Where it shows joint tenancy with right of survivorship, often abbreviated on the title itself, the surviving owner can usually transfer it by filing a copy of the death certificate with whoever titles cars in your state.
If the title was set up as tenants in common (shown as “AND” between names in most states), the deceased owner’s share must go through their estate. That may require probate before the car can be sold. Our guide to selling a car of a deceased person covers the full process.
Where to Sell a Car with Multiple Owners
Online instant buyers are often the easiest option when multiple owners are involved. They handle all the paperwork, pick up the car from you, and are used to working through multi-owner title situations. For older or damaged vehicles, Peddle and Wheelzy are two of the most widely used options. You get an offer in minutes, and the process requires minimal back-and-forth between owners.
For newer cars in good condition, Carvana is worth considering. It walks you through each step, but every owner on the title has to be at the appointment, and Carvana can pay your lender directly if there’s a loan on the car. This makes the multi-owner setup easier to manage for cars that still have real value.
A private sale can also work, but it takes more effort. You’ll need all owners available to sign, and private buyers may be less comfortable with complex title situations. If you go this route, be upfront about the ownership setup from the first conversation.
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FAQ
Does selling a car with multiple owners affect how much money I get?
The number of owners on a title doesn’t directly affect the offer. Buyers price cars based on condition, mileage, year, and title type. The number of people listed on the title isn’t part of that calculation.
Where it can hurt is timing. If coordinating signatures drags on for weeks, market conditions may shift or a strong offer may expire. Lining everyone up before you start is the best way to protect the offer you get.
How do we split the money when multiple owners sell a car together?
The buyer pays one agreed sale amount.
How that gets split between owners is a separate matter you and the other owner handle directly. For equal ownership, the split is typically 50/50. For tenants in common with different percentages, each owner gets their recorded share.
It’s worth agreeing on the split before you accept any offer. Last-minute disagreements over the money are one of the most common reasons co-owner sales fall apart after an offer is already on the table.
Can I remove a co-owner from the title without selling the car?
Yes, but it works the same as a standard title transfer. The co-owner being removed signs as the “seller,” and the remaining owner signs as the “buyer.” You’ll pay the standard title transfer fees at your DMV.
Adding a name to the title works the same way. Both changes go through the DMV as a new title application.
What if the title says “AND” but we want to change it to “OR”?
You can change it, but it requires going through the DMV first. Both owners sign off the current title, then apply for a new title that shows “OR” between the names.
This is worth doing if you want either owner to be able to sell or refinance the car independently down the road, without needing the other person’s involvement every time.
How long does it take to sell a car when multiple owners are listed?
If all owners are available and in agreement, the process can move as fast as a single-owner sale. Online buyers can schedule pickup within a few days of accepting an offer.
The delays come from coordinating signatures across different locations or resolving an outstanding loan. If both of those are handled before you start, the whole sale can wrap up in under a week.
Article Update History
AND/OR title wording and co-owner signing rules now reflect official DMV sources, including California's DMV handbook.
Originally posted and shared with our readers.
Sources
California DMV: owners named on a title
California's rule on which owners must sign when names are joined by and, or, and/or. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD): owners named on a title
Arizona's rule on which owners must sign when names are joined by and, or, and/or. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Michigan Department of State (Secretary of State): jointly owned vehicles
Michigan's rule that both owners sign to transfer, and one signs for a duplicate title. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Alabama Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division: title requirement and age exemption
Alabama's rule on when an older vehicle no longer needs a title: vehicles more than 35 model years old are exempt. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV): title requirement and age exemption
Connecticut's rule on when an older vehicle no longer needs a title: more than 20 model years old exempt. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD): title requirement and age exemption
Georgia's rule on when an older vehicle no longer needs a title: model year 1985 and older exempt. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Kansas Statutes 8-135: title requirement and antique-vehicle exemption
Kansas's rule on when an older vehicle no longer needs a title: antique vehicles 35 model years or older exempt. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV): title requirement and age exemption
Maine's rule on when an older vehicle no longer needs a title: vehicles more than 25 model years old exempt. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV): title requirement and age exemption
Massachusetts's rule on when an older vehicle no longer needs a title: passenger vehicles model year 1980 or older bought before November 26, 1990 are exempt. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV): title requirement and age exemption
New Hampshire's rule on when an older vehicle no longer needs a title: model year 1999 and older exempt. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV): title requirement and age exemption
Rhode Island's rule on when an older vehicle no longer needs a title: model year 2000 and older exempt if first registered to the seller before 1/1/2024. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Vermont Statutes, 23 V.S.A. 2012: vehicles exempt from titling
Vermont's rule on when an older vehicle no longer needs a title: model year 2009 and older exempt. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Motor Vehicle Licensing: notarized title signatures
Kentucky's rule that the seller's signature on the title is notarized. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV): notarized title signatures
Louisiana's rule that the seller's signature on the title is notarized. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV): notarized title signatures
North Carolina's rule that the seller's signature on the title is notarized. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Ohio Revised Code 4505.06: notarized title signatures
Ohio's rule that the seller's signature on the title is notarized. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Oklahoma Statutes (OSCN): notarized title signatures
Oklahoma's rule that the seller's signature on the title is notarized. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Pennsylvania's rule that the seller's signature on the title is notarized. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
Wyoming Statutes, Title 31: notarized title signatures
Wyoming's rule that the seller's signature on the title is notarized. Accessed Oct. 20, 2026
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