Selling a car in Massachusetts: the paperwork
| Massachusetts seller rules at a glance | What applies |
|---|---|
| License plates | Seller removes and keeps them |
| Report the sale | No separate seller notice form |
| Duplicate title | Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title; $25 |
| Junk without a title | Title required |
Title questions, duplicate titles and release of liability forms are handled by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). 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 Massachusetts
We buy cars in Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge and Lowell, and in every other town in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
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 Massachusetts, 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 Massachusetts
Local pickup details for these cities are below. We buy everywhere else in Massachusetts too, from the suburbs to the smallest towns.
Massachusetts car selling questions
Do I need a title to sell my car in Massachusetts?
For a titled vehicle, yes: the title is how ownership passes to the buyer. To replace a lost Massachusetts title, apply to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) with Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title. The fee is $25.
Can I junk a car without a title in Massachusetts?
No. The person taking the vehicle for junking must surrender its title or salvage title to the RMV within 10 days (M.G.L. c. 90D §20E). Age-exempt untitled vehicles may use the last registration. To replace a lost Massachusetts title, apply to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) with Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title. The fee is $25.
Do I keep my license plates when I sell a car in Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts, the plates belong to the seller, not the car. Registration ends at sale. Seller may move plates to a replacement vehicle within 7 days, or cancel the registration and destroy the plates.
How do I tell the Massachusetts DMV that I sold my car?
Massachusetts has no separate seller notice form. In Massachusetts, the plates belong to the seller, not the car. Registration ends at sale. Seller may move plates to a replacement vehicle within 7 days, or cancel the registration and destroy the plates. 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 Massachusetts?
Yes. Towing is free anywhere in Massachusetts a tow truck can reach, and nothing is deducted from your offer for it.
Sources
- M.G.L. c.90 s.2 (registration expires on transfer; 7-day plate transfer)
- Mass RMV: Transfer your registration to a vehicle purchased from an individual
- Mass RMV: Cancel your vehicle registration (license plates)
- Mass RMV: Apply for a registration and title for a vehicle purchased from an individual
- Mass RMV: Replace your vehicle's paper certificate of title
- Mass.gov RMV, Junk vehicles
- M.G.L. c. 90D, §20E, cancellation of certificate upon junking or scrapping
Checked against these sources on November 6, 2026.
Last updated November 6, 2026.