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North Dakota Selling a Vehicle

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Selling a Vehicle in North Dakota 101

There is a very good chance that you will sell a vehicle at one point or another in your North Dakota residency. Of course, this is true for most residents of North Dakota. You will have to give a certificate of title to the person buying your vehicle. You also have to fill out the Warranty of Title and Seller’s Assignment sections which are located on the back of the vehicle title. You will also have to take your license plates off of your vehicle, as well.

Signing Over the Vehicle Title in North Dakota

As in any other state, you have to sign the vehicle’s title over to the buyer to complete the transaction. This is fairly straightforward. You do have to remember to complete the aforementioned sections. Also, you have to sign the vehicle title so that legal ownership of the vehicle is transferred from you to the buyer. The buyer has to take responsibility for registering and titling the vehicle in their own name.

What If You Lost the Vehicle Title?

As you probably already guessed, you cannot sell a vehicle in North Dakota if you do not have the vehicle title. In the event that you lose the vehicle title, you will have to get a new title. You can do so by filing an Application for Certificate of Title & Registration of a Vehicle and submitting it to the Motor Vehicle Division of the North Dakota Department of Transportation. You will have to explain why you require a replacement vehicle title on the application. You are also required to pay a $5 replacement title fee, as well.

Transferring License Plates in North Dakota

You might think that transferring license plates is a common thing to do after you finish the process of selling a vehicle. However, some states do not allow you to transfer license plates at all. You can transfer license plates from your previous vehicle to a new vehicle in North Dakota. You can also transfer license plates to a vehicle that your domestic partner or spouse owns. You are unable to transfer license plates to the buyer of your vehicle, however.

In the event that there is a remaining credit on the registration for your previous vehicle, you might have to pay a fee to transfer the license plates. You might also have to pay service fees, taxes, and any title fees that apply to you, as well. If you want to know more about special interest license plates, you can check out this document for more information.

North Dakota Title/Registration Fees

There are fees associated with registering your vehicle in North Dakota. However, there is no flat rate that applies to all vehicle registrations in the state. You can go here to figure out how much you have to pay in fees to register your vehicle in North Dakota. You do also have to pay for license plate fees, as well. However, you have to pay a $5 fee to get a vehicle title in North Dakota in addition to paying for the vehicle license fee, which varies depending on the weight and model year of your vehicle.

North Dakota Vehicle History Reports

It is common for a buyer to request information about the vehicle before they buy it. As a result, it is a good idea to provide them with the information they need so you come off as trustworthy and honest. Some buyers might even request a vehicle history report. You should obtain a vehicle history report on your vehicle and have it with you in case the buyer requests one. This makes it easier for you to sell your vehicle since many questions a buyer might have will be answered by the vehicle history report.

North Dakota Bill of Sale

A bill of sale is a good document to fill out when you sell a vehicle. In fact, there are some states that require you to complete a bill of sale when you sell a vehicle. North Dakota is not one of those states. North Dakota does provide an official Bill of Sale for your convenience, though. The buyer of your vehicle can use this bill of sale as proof of ownership between when they buy your vehicle and when they register it with the state of North Dakota.

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Last Verified:
Mar 30, 2023