Selling a car in San Jose
Bay Area parking costs make an extra car a burden, and we can pick up from apartment garages around San Jose.
Sellers in Willow Glen, Evergreen, Berryessa and every other part of San Jose get the same free pickup. Pickup is usually within 24 to 48 hours after you accept an offer.
High mileage is welcome
Long commutes put a lot of miles on a car, and private buyers get nervous above 150,000. We buy cars with any mileage. Tell us the odometer reading and the condition, and the offer accounts for both.
Areas we cover around San Jose
Outside the city limits, we cover Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Campbell, Mountain View and Cupertino. The tow is just as free in the suburbs as it is downtown.
- Santa Clara
- Sunnyvale
- Milpitas
- Campbell
- Mountain View
- Cupertino
Local rules in San Jose
Title transfers and duplicate titles for San Jose residents are handled by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) field office. Use the DMV locator to find a field office.
Keeping a junk car at home: San Jose code (17.72.030, 17.72.565): an inoperable vehicle may sit in a side or backyard if 5 feet from property lines, not blocking a bedroom window, and not street-visible. Read the rule.
Paperwork for California sellers
- 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))
The full list of California rules is on our California page. For duplicate titles and release of liability forms, contact the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
No obligation.
How it works in San Jose
Most San Jose sales take a few days from first quote to empty driveway. You get an offer, schedule the tow, get paid on the spot, then hand over the signed title and keys. Nothing is charged for the pickup. The full process covers what to have ready.
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 San Jose, 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.
Questions from San Jose sellers
Do you buy cars in Willow Glen and Almaden Valley?
Yes. We buy cars in Willow Glen, Almaden Valley and every other neighborhood in San Jose, plus nearby areas like Santa Clara and Sunnyvale. Pickup is free wherever the car is parked.
How fast can you pick up my car in San Jose?
Pickup in San Jose is usually within 24 to 48 hours after you accept. We also cover Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Milpitas and the rest of the San Jose area.
Do you buy junk cars in San Jose?
Yes, from rusted-out project cars to vehicles that haven't started in years. We pay for junk cars across Santa Clara County and haul them away at no cost.
What paperwork do I need to sell a car in San Jose, CA?
The title and a photo ID that matches it. 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. 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. For a duplicate title, San Jose residents can go to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) field office.
Can I sell a junk car without a title in San Jose?
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.
Can I keep a junk car at my house in San Jose?
San Jose code (17.72.030, 17.72.565): an inoperable vehicle may sit in a side or backyard if 5 feet from property lines, not blocking a bedroom window, and not street-visible. If you'd rather not deal with it, we tow junk cars from San Jose for free and pay you for them.
Do you charge for towing in San Jose?
No. The pickup costs you nothing, and the price you accept for your car is what you're handed at pickup.
Sources
- California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) field office: vehicle titles
- San Jose: rules on junk and inoperable vehicles
- 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.