How to Sign Your Title in Minnesota? (Seller Guide)

No notary needed. Standard private party title transfers in Minnesota don’t require a notary. Both parties complete their sections of the title and sign.

Black or blue ink only. Any white-out, correction fluid, or erasure voids the title immediately. If you make a mistake, apply for a corrected title using Form PS2025A at your local deputy registrar before completing the sale.

Your name must match exactly. Print and sign your name as it appears on the front of the title. Even a small spelling difference can delay the buyer’s registration.

Your plates stay with the car. In Minnesota, standard license plates stay with the vehicle when you sell it. Don’t remove them before handing over the car. The only exception is personalized plates, which you can keep and transfer to another vehicle you own by contacting your deputy registrar.

If two names appear on your title, one word changes everything. Look at how the names are connected, then follow the rule below.

Get all signatures before the buyer arrives. Missing one forces the buyer to come back to you after the car is gone, which is a problem if you’re no longer easy to reach.

Each owner must print and sign their name exactly as it appears on the title. No exceptions.

Odometer disclosure is required for any vehicle model year 2011 or newer. Federal law requires it for any vehicle within 20 years of its model year, and Minnesota follows that standard.

Enter the current mileage without the tenths digit. Then check one of three boxes: actual mileage, exceeds mechanical limits of the odometer, or not actual mileage (odometer discrepancy).

Some vehicles are fully exempt from odometer disclosure: trucks and vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating over 16,000 lbs, trailers, mopeds, and scooters.

Providing a false odometer reading is a gross misdemeanor in Minnesota. Under federal law, it can result in civil damages of at least $10,000, or three times the actual damages, whichever is greater. Always enter the true reading.

Every vehicle sold in Minnesota requires a damage disclosure, regardless of age. Minnesota updated this law in 2022. Before the change, it only applied to vehicles six model years old or newer. Now it covers everything.

You check one of two boxes: your vehicle HAS or HAS NOT sustained damage exceeding 80% of its actual cash value. The threshold also changed in 2022, moving from 70% to 80%. Many older guides and competing articles still show the wrong number.

If your car was declared a total loss by an insurer, it almost certainly crossed this threshold. Check your insurance paperwork if you’re not sure where your vehicle falls.

If a lien is listed on your title, you must provide the buyer with an original signed lien release card or a notarized lien release (Form PS2017) from your lender before the sale. Get this from the lender ahead of time, not after.

This document confirms the loan is paid off and the buyer will receive a clear title. Without it, the buyer can’t register the car.

You still complete the seller’s section of the title exactly as you would for a private sale. The dealer handles most of the paperwork on their end, but your signature and information are still required.

One advantage: if you sell to a licensed Minnesota dealer, you don’t need to file the Notice of Sale separately. The dealer takes care of it.

As the seller in Minnesota, you pay almost nothing. The buyer handles all the standard transfer fees when they register the car. Your only potential costs are if you need to replace a lost title or process a lien release before the sale.

Any correction fluid, white-out, crossing out, or erasure on a Minnesota car title voids it completely. There’s no workaround. If you write in the wrong field or misspell something, you need to file Form PS2025A (Application for Corrected Title/Odometer) at the DVS before you can complete the sale.

Every required seller field must be filled in. A blank odometer field, missing address, or unsigned damage disclosure will delay or reject the buyer’s registration at the DVS. Fill in every field before you hand over the title.

Your printed name and signature must match exactly what appears on the front of the title. Even a minor spelling difference, a missing middle initial, or using a married name when the title shows a maiden name can cause problems at the DVS.

This is the most commonly skipped step. Until you file the Notice of Sale, you remain the registered owner. That means parking tickets, toll violations, or legal issues tied to the vehicle can still come back to you. File it online at the DVS website as soon as the car is sold.

In Minnesota, standard license plates stay with the vehicle. Don’t remove them before the buyer drives away. The buyer uses the existing plates to drive the car and has 10 days to complete the title transfer and registration in their name.

The only exception is personalized plates. You can keep those and transfer them to another vehicle you own by contacting your deputy registrar. Standard issue plates are not transferable to the seller.

Signing the title is just one part of a private sale. You also need to advertise the car, screen buyers, agree on a price, and handle payment safely. That’s a lot of steps before any money changes hands.

If your car is older, has high mileage, or has some damage, an instant-offer buyer is much simpler. Peddle gives you an offer online in minutes, picks up your car for free, and you sign the title right when their driver arrives. No listing, no strangers to meet. See how selling a junk car works if your vehicle is in rough shape.

If your car is newer and in good condition, Carvana handles most of the title paperwork for you. Their pickup team walks you through the signing on the day they collect the car.

For private sales where you want added protection, KeySavvy handles the title transfer and payment securely between you and the buyer. It’s especially useful when selling to someone you don’t know.

Before you commit to any buyer, take a minute to compare offers from multiple services with Sell Car Advisor side by side. Knowing how to sign the title is easy. Getting the best price for your car takes a little more work.