Selling a car in Georgia: the paperwork
| Georgia seller rules at a glance | What applies |
|---|---|
| License plates | Seller removes and keeps them |
| Report the sale | No separate seller notice form |
| Duplicate title | MV-1 (Title/Tag Application); $8 |
| Bill of sale | Recommended |
| Older cars without a title | 1962 and older models need no title; 1963 to 1985 models are title optional. |
| Junk without a title | Allowed in some cases (MV-1SP, Cancellation of Certificate of Title for Scrap/Derelict Vehicles) |
Title questions, duplicate titles and release of liability forms are handled by the Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division. 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 Georgia
We buy cars in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah and Athens, and in every other town in Georgia 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.
Long Atlanta commutes put miles on cars fast, and high-mileage vehicles are welcome here.
How it works in Georgia
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 Georgia, 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 Georgia
Local pickup details for these cities are below. We buy everywhere else in Georgia too, from the suburbs to the smallest towns.
Georgia car selling questions
Do I need a title to sell my car in Georgia?
For a titled vehicle, yes: the title is how ownership passes to the buyer. To replace a lost Georgia title, apply to the Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division with MV-1 (Title/Tag Application). The fee is $8. For older vehicles, Georgia has an exception: 1962 and older models need no title; 1963 to 1985 models are title optional.
Can I junk a car without a title in Georgia?
Sometimes. Recyclers may accept a sworn Form MV-1SP instead of a title if the vehicle is 12+ model years old, worth under $850, lien-free, and the owner never obtained or lost the title (O.C.G.A. 40-3-36). Otherwise you'll need the title or a duplicate. To replace a lost Georgia title, apply to the Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division with MV-1 (Title/Tag Application). The fee is $8.
Do I keep my license plates when I sell a car in Georgia?
In Georgia, the plates belong to the seller, not the car. Plates do not transfer to the buyer. Cancel the registration, online or at your county tag office.
How do I tell the Georgia DMV that I sold my car?
Georgia has no separate seller notice form. In Georgia, the plates belong to the seller, not the car. Plates do not transfer to the buyer. Cancel the registration, online or at your county tag office. Keep a bill of sale and a photo of the signed title as your record of the sale, in case a ticket or toll arrives later.
Is pickup really free everywhere in Georgia?
Yes. Towing is free anywhere in Georgia a tow truck can reach, and nothing is deducted from your offer for it.
Sources
- Georgia DOR: I sold my car, what do I do now?
- Georgia DOR: Responsibilities of Sellers and Buyers
- Georgia DOR: Transfer Vehicle Titled in Georgia
- Georgia DOR: Replace Lost or Stolen Title
- Georgia DOR: Title Not Required or Optional Titles
- Georgia DOR: Title and Register a Vehicle Purchased in a Casual Sale
- Georgia DOR Form MV-1SP, Cancellation of Certificate of Title for Scrap/Derelict Vehicles (PDF)
- Georgia DOR Policy Bulletin MVD-2021-04, Notice to Secondary Metals Recyclers, Parts Dealers and Scrap Metal Processors (PDF)
Checked against these sources on November 6, 2026.
Last updated November 6, 2026.