If you’ve been driving for more than a few years now, you’ve probably spent your fair share of time down at the DMV. You have to go to the DMV on a regular basis to renew your driver’s license, update your car registration, and more. But did you know that you can also sometimes sell a car to the DMV? You might be able to do it by learning how to sell a car to the DMV in your state.
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Now, just to be clear, this is not going to be an option for everyone. But it might be an option for some of you out there, especially those who are driving around in old cars that have seen better days. So you should look into trying to figure out how to sell a car to the DMV. It could be the best option for you at this time.
Keep reading if you would like to learn how to sell a car to the DMV. You might be able to get the DMV in your state to take your car off your hands so that you can buy something that will work better for you.
Can You Sell a Car to the DMV?
As we just mentioned, selling a car to the DMV isn’t going to be an option for everyone out there. Most states aren’t going to allow you to learn how to sell a car to the DMV. But there are some states, like California for example, that have started to buy older cars from residents. It could be well worth your time to learn how to sell a car to the DMV in a state like this.
To see if you’re eligible to sell your current car to the DMV, Google the words “how to sell a car to the DMV” plus the name of your state or the abbreviation for it. This should shed some light on whether or not it’s worth you looking into how to sell a car to the DMV further. Within a matter of just a few seconds, you should be able to find out if your state’s DMV buys back old cars from people.
Why Do DMVs in Some States Buy Cars?
We know what you’re probably thinking at this point: “Why do some states have DMVs that buy cars and not others?” It really all depends on where a state stands when it comes to air pollution and trying to eliminate as much of it as they can.
This is why California is big on buying cars through their DMV. There has been a huge push in California to get older cars that pollute the environment off the road. The state has tried to do this by imposing strict smog checks on cars. Those who own a car in California have to have routine smog checks done to keep their registrations up to date.
The state of California has also tried to get old cars off the road by making it possible for people to learn how to sell a car to the DMV. They’ve put programs in place that are designed to help people sell their cars to the DMV for cash so that they can buy something newer that won’t pollute the air like old cars do.
What Are the Benefits of Selling a Car to the DMV?
If you’re able to sell a car to the DMV in your state, you should seriously consider doing it. There are actually a whole host of benefits that are going to come along with figuring out how to sell a car to the DMV as opposed to trying to sell it in another way. Some of the biggest benefits of selling a car to the DMV include:
- You won’t have to worry about listing your car for sale and allowing others to test drive it
- You’ll be able to sell your car very quickly without much effort on your part
- You’ll feel good about doing your part to help the planet by parting ways with your old car
- And of course, you’ll be able to get paid more money than you would otherwise for your car!
It’s no wonder why so many people in states like California have started trying to figure out how to sell a car to the DMV. The benefits that come along with doing it are too great to ignore.
How Much Can You Make Selling a Car to the DMV?
You might be under the impression that figuring out how to sell a car to the DMV isn’t going to be worth your time. Most people naturally assume that the DMV isn’t going to give them hardly any money for their cars, especially when their cars aren’t in good shape at all.
But you’ll be happy to know that, once you’re able to find out how to sell a car to the DMV, you could get paid handsomely for doing it. In California, the DMV routinely pays between $1,000 and $1,500 for old cars. The Bureau of Automotive Repair has a Consumer Assistance Program that has been set up to pay people top dollar for their cars to entice them to get rid of these cars once and for all.
How to Sell a Car to the DMV
Does learning how to sell a car to the DMV sound like a good idea to you? If so, we’ve put together a list of the steps that you’re going to have to take in order to sell a car to the DMV in your state. It’s important for you to work your way through them one at a time to ensure you’re able to sell a car to the DMV in the end. Check out the steps you’ll need to take below.
1. Start by Seeing If the DMV in Your State Buys Cars
You obviously aren’t going to want to spend a whole bunch of your time trying to learn how to sell a car to the DMV only to discover that selling a car to the DMV isn’t a possibility in your state! So let’s start there. You should see if the DMV in your state buys cars.
You can find this out by conducting the simple Google search that we referenced earlier. You can also do it by getting in touch with your DMV and seeing if they have something like the Consumer Assistance Program that we just talked about in place.
2. Find Out If You Qualify to Sell a Car to the DMV
If your state does, in fact, buy cars through the DMV, the next thing that you’re going to want to do is see if you qualify to do it. There are going to be some basic eligibility requirements that you’ll have to meet in your specific state when you’re trying to learn how to sell a car to the DMV.
Every state operates a little bit differently. But here are some of the requirements you’ll need to meet in a state like California to sell a car to the DMV:
- You need to be the sole owner of your vehicle, and you need to have a title with your name on it in your possession
- You need to have a gross household income that is either equal to or less than 225 percent of the national poverty level
- You need to have a car that recently failed a smog check
- You need to have a current registration for your car and that registration needs to have been in place for at least 2 years without any lapses lasting for more than 120 days
California has a lot of requirements in place because they don’t want people going out and buying old cars for the sole purpose of then selling them to the DMV. But as long as you’ve owned your car for a few years now, you should be able to meet most of the requirements that are in place.
3. Apply to Sell Your Car to the DMV
If you find that you meet all the necessary requirements to sell a car to the DMV in a state like California, you can then apply to do it right online. The DMV will usually recommend that you do everything online so that they’re able to keep better track of your application throughout the process.
After you fill out an application to sell a car to the DMV, it may take several weeks for them to process your application and decide whether to approve or deny it. You’ll have to sit back and wait for them to get back to you about potentially purchasing your car from you.
4. Submit the Necessary Income Documents to Sell a Car to the DMV
As we touched on earlier, there are some income requirements that you’ll need to meet when figuring out how to sell a car to the DMV. More often than not, you’re going to need to be able to prove that you meet these requirements prior to getting approved to sell your car to the DMV.
If the DMV asks you to verify your income, you’ll need to send them the appropriate documentation. If you don’t, it’s going to result in your original application getting denied, and you won’t be able to sell a car to the DMV.
5. Figure Out Where to Take Your Car to Sell It to the DMV
If you go through the first four steps here and the DMV lets you know that your application has been approved, you’ll be well on your way to figuring out how to sell a car to the DMV! The only thing that will be left to do is to bring your car down to a dismantler so that they can check out your car.
A dismantler will inspect your car from top to bottom to make sure that the DMV is making the right decision by purchasing your car from you. And if they agree that buying your car is the right move to make, they’ll take your car off your hands so that you can collect cash for it.
What If You Can’t Sell a Car to the DMV in Your State?
Did you just look into how to sell a car to the DMV and discover that the DMV in your state doesn’t buy cars? That’s a shame, but you should know that it’s far from the only option that you have! There are going to be some other ways that you can sell your car and get cash for it. See what these options are below.
1. Sell Your Car to a Private Buyer
In this day and age, it’s so easy for people to sell cars when they don’t want them anymore. You might be able to get away with sticking a “For Sale” on it in an effort to sell it. But you might also want to go ahead and post it for sale online to drum up some interest in it. You should be able to do it by posting it on a site like eBay Motors or Craigslist.
2. Trade Your Car in to a Dealership
If you attempt to sell your car on your own and come up empty, you should know that you also have the option of trading a car in to a dealership. A dealership will often give you a big discount on a new car when you trade your old one in. They might also be willing to give you cash for your car depending on what make and model it is.
3. Ask a Junk Car Buyer to Buy Your Car
Want to sell your old car in the simplest way possible? It doesn’t get any easier than selling a car to a junk car buyer! There are lots of junk car buyers scattered throughout the country today. You should be able to find one in your immediate area that will give you a fair offer for your old car.
Interested in Selling Your Car to a Junk Car Buyer? Let Us Help!
If you aren’t able to figure out how to sell a car to the DMV in your state or if you just don’t want to, Cash Cars Buyer is here to help! We would love to make you an offer for your old car, no matter what kind of condition it might be in.
To get an offer from us, simply fill out our easy-to-use form and let us know:
- The make and model of your car
- The year your car was manufactured
- The number of miles on your odometer
Once we have this information, we’ll put together an offer for you and send it your way. It’ll make the process of selling a car so easy on you and prevent you from having to learn how to sell a car to the DMV. Contact us today to get started.