Down in Mississippi, you’ll find some of the best people, selling some wonderful cars! But what do you as a seller, have to do? How do you transfer a title? What happens to your license plates, once you sell your car? Check out our guide as we demystify how to sell a car in Mississippi for you!
⚠️ If It's Broken, Don't Fix It - Get Paid Cash for Your Vehicle ⚠️
How to Sell a Car in Mississippi – The Vehicle Title
As a car title proves ownership of the vehicle, it is vital that the car title be transferred whenever ownership changes.
So, for buyers of cars from private sellers in If you’re buying a car from a private seller in Mississippi, you’ll need to transfer the title to your own name.
Sellers must transfer the title to the buyer’s name. Check out the details about how to transfer a car title here in Mississippi and more!
What is a Title?
According to the Mississippi Department of Revenue a title is: “…a secure, negotiable document issued by the DOR that represents ownership of a motor vehicle, trailer, or a manufactured housing unit.”
Since the year of 1969 Mississippi requires all motor vehicles to have a title. Once you register a car in Mississippi that was once in another state, you must provide the title from the other state as well as an odometer disclosure statement.
For a vehicle in another state that did not have a title, you must offer the Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin.
Steps a Mississippi Car Seller Has to Take, After Selling a Vehicle
You as a car seller have some tasks to complete. They include:
- You must fill out the assignment sections on the back of the title. If you have lost the title, you’ll need to pay for a duplicate, which will cost you $9.
- For a title that doesn’t have an area for you to provide information such as the buyer’s name and the odometer reading, you must fill out a bill of sale.
- Once you fill out that bill of sale, give it to the buyer of your car.
- For the sale of a car to a relative, you have to fill out an Affidavit of Relationship. You can get this form from the tax collector’s office in your county.
- Finally, don’t forget to remove your license plates.
What if I Need a Duplicate Car Title?
For a duplicate car title, you have to fill out Form 78-006 which is the “Application for Replacement Certificate of Title”. You also have to pay a $9.00 fee. “For a Fast Track title, complete Form 78-026 and pay a $39.00 fee,” adds the Department of Revenue.
For a car seller attempting to sell a car and the title is missing, you have to apply for a duplicate title. Mississippi will not make the sale valid unless it has proper assignment with a title.
“If the title has been lost, mutilated, destroyed or otherwise ruined, the owner of the vehicle must apply for a duplicate title in order for the sale to proceed, states the Department of Revenue.
The time it takes for you to receive your duplicate title is about 10-14 days from time the application from the time you submit the application. For a Fast Track title, you can get it in about 72 hours of receipt of the application.
Tell me More About Fast Track Title
Mississippi offers a service called Fast Track Title. A fast track title is one that that the DOV issues within a 72-hour time after getting an application.
A Fast Track Title can be either an original or a duplicate one. As you can image, there is higher fee for this expedited service. You must pay $30.00 for a Fast Track Title.
“The fast-track program does not change any paperwork requirements,” adds the DOV. So, prepare to still fill out all documents and paperwork. If you fill out anything wrong, the DOV will reject it.
Click here to read more!
What if There is an Error on a Title That was Issued to me?
Mississippi asks that you take the title with the error on it, to your local county Tax Collector’s office. There, you can apply for a corrected title.
The Mississippi Department of Revenue will then investigate the title with the mistake on it. You don’t have to pay a fee, if the error was made by the county and/or the state. But if, there was an error made once the DOR looks at the title, then, there is a fee.
After Selling My Vehicle, I Need to Have my Name Removed from Vehicle Record
As the seller, you must remove the license plate(s) from a vehicle that you just sold. Then, you must take the license plate to the county Tax Collector’s office.
When you turn the tag in, the record for the vehicle showing your name as owner will be dissolved.
Additionally, you should make a copy of the front and back of the title and keep in your personal records along with other paperwork. Click here to read more!
The State of Mississippi also asks that you never accept or deliver a title that has not received a proper assignment. This is a violation of Mississippi law. Read more here!
What is a Salvage Title in Mississippi?
A salvage title is for a car or a vehicle that is deemed as a “total loss claim”.
Need a specific car title form? Click here and choose from the list the DOV offers you!
Understanding the Bill of Sale
Although not required for most vehicle sales and transactions, the State of Mississippi requires a Bill of Sale form for certain sales.
The State of Mississippi does not offer a state-wide approved Bill of Sale.
For your vehicle sale, the state asks that perform a title transfer to the new buyer.
You must also add the Bill of Sale if there is no area on the title, to list the sale price.
Additionally, you should include the following information on the Bill of Sale:
- Address of the buyer.
- Date of sale.
- Price of car.
- Name of buyer
- Signature of seller.
- Signature of buyer.
- Vehicle odometer reading at time of sale.
- Detailed description of car which includes the VIN (vehicle identification number), year, make and model of the car.
The Vehicle History Report
As a seller, it is vital that you provide an easy and comfortable sale to your buyer. One way of doing this, is providing vehicle history report to the buyer.
Nowadays, it’s seen as a vital and fundamental part of the selling experience. To a buyer, you are seen as a more trustworthy, honest and straightforward car seller.
You may even find that you sell your car a lot faster too! Click here to obtain a vehicle history report!
How to Sell a Car Privately in Mississippi – Get that Fast Sale!
You now know what documents you need to sell your car here in Mississippi. Now, is the time to make that fast sale! So, what do you do? Where to you begin?
Check out some tips we are offering, that will help you sell that car, FAST!
- Get an assessment of your car. As a car seller, it’s important that you know what you’re selling! So, get a mechanic to look at your car, and provide you a status report on the car. You must know the condition of your car, so you can relay this to potential buyers.
- Clean your car. Once you have your car assessed, you want to clean your car from the inside, out. This means that you have to wash as well as wax the exterior. Then, you want to take the time to vacuum the inside of the car.
- Remove personal items from the car. Don’t forget to remove loose change, dollar bills and personal items from your car. There’s nothing worse than selling a car and no one bothered to look at and remove those stacks of dollar bills you save for the car wash!
- Price your car competitively. You want to make a profit, but you want to price your car to sell. So, price your car competitively. You may also want to see what the going rate is, for cars that are similar to yours.
- If you provide a test drive, have a friend with you. Do you have a friend who is willing to go with you on that test drive? Great! Additionally, if you can get a family member to go with you, go! You just don’t want to be alone with the buyer.
- Never wire any money to anyone for the sale of your car. Has someone asked you wire them a certain amount of money, for the sale of your car? Run!
- Never drive someone to retrieve money or payment. Has a buyer asked you to take them to a nearby ATM so they can give you the money for your car? You can politely tell them “no thank you.” Serious buyers know to have payment in hand, when buying a car.
Your car sale of your Mississippi vehicle will be a smooth one. You have to be smart, safe and knowledgeable. And we know that you are all of those and more! So, here's to happy selling!