Selling a car in California: the paperwork
| California seller rules at a glance | What applies |
|---|---|
| License plates | Stay with the car |
| Report the sale | Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL), form REG 138, within 5 days, online |
| Duplicate title | REG 227 (Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title); $28 |
| Junk without a title | Title required (REG 227, Application for Duplicate Title (if the title is lost)) |
Title questions, duplicate titles and release of liability forms are handled by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Compare these rules with other states on our seller rules by state page. After the sale, cancel your insurance once the car is gone. Our after-sale checklist covers each step.
No obligation.
Where we pick up in California
We buy cars in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno and Sacramento, and in every other town in California a tow truck can reach. Pickup is free wherever the car is, from a city driveway to a farm lot, and you're paid before it's loaded.
How it works in California
Get your offer
Tell us the year, make, model and condition, or start with your VIN. Your cash offer is good for 7 days.
Pick a pickup time
Choose when and where. Towing is free anywhere in California, and pickup is usually within 24 to 48 hours.
Get paid on the spot
The driver checks the car and pays you. Then you sign the title, hand over the keys and the car is loaded.
Cities we serve in California
Local pickup details for these cities are below. We buy everywhere else in California too, from the suburbs to the smallest towns.
- Cash for cars in San Diego
- Cash for cars in Los Angeles
- Cash for cars in Sacramento
- Cash for cars in San Jose
- Cash for cars in Fresno
- Cash for cars in San Francisco
- Cash for cars in Riverside
California car selling questions
Do I need a title to sell my car in California?
For a titled vehicle, yes: the title is how ownership passes to the buyer. To replace a lost California title, apply to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) with REG 227 (Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title). The fee is $28.
Can I junk a car without a title in California?
No. To get junk status a dismantler must submit the California title or, if lost, an Application for Duplicate Title (REG 227), with the Report of Vehicle To Be Dismantled (REG 42). To replace a lost California title, apply to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) with REG 227 (Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title). The fee is $28.
Do I keep my license plates when I sell a car in California?
In California, the license plates stay with the car when you sell it. Personalized, special recognition, and special interest plates can be reassigned to another vehicle for a fee.
How do I tell the California DMV that I sold my car?
File the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL), form REG 138, with the state within 5 days of the sale, and you can file it online. It records that the car is no longer yours. Filing it protects you from tickets, tolls and liability for anything that happens after the car leaves.
Is pickup really free everywhere in California?
Yes. Towing is free anywhere in California a tow truck can reach, and nothing is deducted from your offer for it.
Sources
- California DMV: License Plates
- California DMV: Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability
- California DMV: Title Transfers and Changes
- California DMV: Registering a vehicle purchased from a private party
- California DMV: Registration Fees (replacement title)
- California DMV, Dismantler's Handbook of Registration Procedures, 6.010 California-Titled Vehicles
Checked against these sources on November 6, 2026.
Last updated November 6, 2026.