Skip to content

Cash for cars in Columbus, OH

We buy cars, trucks and SUVs in Columbus and across Franklin County, in any condition. Get an offer online and we'll tow it for free.

Get your free cash offer

No obligation. Takes less than 2 minutes.

Vehicle info
Your contact info
  • Secure & private
  • Free towing
  • Same-day offer

By submitting, I agree that Car Emptor and the buyers, towing partners and service providers it works with to complete my sale may contact me about my vehicle by phone, email or text at the number I gave, including by automated means. Consent is not a condition of sale. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.

Rather talk? Call (855) 497-1176Mon to Fri 8am to 8pm, Sat 9am to 5pm ET

Selling a car in Columbus

Ohio titles must be notarized, and the Franklin County title offices handle duplicates if yours is missing.

Sellers in German Village, the Short North, the Hilltop and every other part of Columbus get the same free pickup. Pickup is usually within 24 to 48 hours after you accept an offer.

Rust is fine with us

Salted winter roads eat rocker panels, frames, brake lines and exhaust systems. Private buyers walk away from rust, and many dealers lowball it. We price rusted cars on what they're worth for parts and metal, and we don't need the car to pass inspection.

Areas we cover around Columbus

We buy cars across Franklin County and the wider Columbus area, including Dublin, Westerville, Grove City, Hilliard, Reynoldsburg and Gahanna. If your car is somewhere else in Ohio, we buy it there too.

  • Dublin
  • Westerville
  • Grove City
  • Hilliard
  • Reynoldsburg
  • Gahanna

Local rules in Columbus

Title transfers and duplicate titles for Columbus residents are handled by the Franklin County Clerk of Courts, Auto Title Division. Four title offices (North, East, South and West branches) handle transfers and duplicate titles.

Keeping a junk car at home: Columbus Code Enforcement deems a vehicle inoperable if it has an expired or missing plate, broken windows, over one flat tire, or missing parts. Report via 311, (614) 645-3111. Read the rule.

Paperwork for Ohio sellers

  • Notarized title signature: Required
  • License plates: Seller removes and keeps them
  • Duplicate title: BMV 3774; $18 ($23 in some counties)
  • Junk without a title: Title required

The full list of Ohio rules is on our Ohio page. For duplicate titles and release of liability forms, contact the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).

Takes about two minutes.
No obligation.
Get my Columbus offer (855) 497-1176

How it works in Columbus

Tell us about the car online or call (855) 497-1176, and you'll get a cash offer that stays good for 7 days. Accept it, pick a time, and a driver comes to wherever the car is in Franklin County. You get paid, sign the title, and the car is gone. The full process covers what to have ready.

  1. Get your offer

    Tell us the year, make, model and condition, or start with your VIN. Your cash offer is good for 7 days.

  2. Pick a pickup time

    Choose when and where. Towing is free anywhere in Columbus, and pickup is usually within 24 to 48 hours.

Questions from Columbus sellers

Do you buy cars in German Village and Franklinton?

Yes. We buy cars in German Village, Franklinton and every other neighborhood in Columbus, plus nearby areas like Dublin and Westerville. Pickup is free wherever the car is parked.

How fast can you pick up my car in Columbus?

Pickup is usually within 24 to 48 hours of accepting your offer, at a time you choose. The timing is the same in Dublin and Westerville.

Do you buy junk cars in Columbus?

We do, and they don't need to run. A junk car in Columbus is priced on its weight, its working parts and the model, and the tow truck brings a winch if the wheels won't roll.

What paperwork do I need to sell a car in Columbus, OH?

The title and a photo ID that matches it. Ohio requires the seller's signature on the title to be notarized, so plan a stop at a bank, shipping store or mobile notary before pickup. In Ohio, the plates belong to the seller, not the car. Seller must remove plates at sale and may transfer them to another vehicle within 30 days. For a duplicate title, Columbus residents can go to the Franklin County Clerk of Courts, Auto Title Division.

Can I sell a junk car without a title in Columbus?

No. Ohio statutes require the title: owners surrender it when a vehicle is dismantled or destroyed (ORC 4505.11(A)); scrap processors mark the owner's title 'TO BE CANCELED' and send it to the clerk (ORC 4738.16). To replace a lost Ohio title, apply to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) with BMV 3774. The fee is $18 ($23 in some counties).

Can I keep a junk car at my house in Columbus?

Columbus Code Enforcement deems a vehicle inoperable if it has an expired or missing plate, broken windows, over one flat tire, or missing parts. Report via 311, (614) 645-3111. If you'd rather not deal with it, we tow junk cars from Columbus for free and pay you for them.

Do you charge for towing in Columbus?

No. The pickup costs you nothing, and the price you accept for your car is what you're handed at pickup.

Sources

Checked against these sources on November 6, 2026.

Last updated November 6, 2026.

Other Ohio cities

Get cash for your car in Columbus

A cash offer, free towing anywhere in the US, and payment at pickup. The offer is good for 7 days.

Get my cash offer (855) 497-1176