How To Sell a Car in Georgia

Selling a motor vehicle in Georgia is not legally complete upon delivery of the vehicle alone. It requires compliance with state procedures governing title transfer, odometer disclosure, registration cancellation, and tax payment. Ownership and registration responsibilities must be handled in the manner required by the Georgia Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Division.

What You Need To Know Before Selling a Car in Georgia

Georgia Title Law And Ownership Requirements

A Georgia title is required for most vehicles that fall within the state’s title system. When a vehicle requires a Georgia title, a private owner must already hold the title in their name before transferring ownership. A title must not be assigned in blank, and the purchaser’s information must be entered before the document is signed.

For a Georgia-titled vehicle, the assignment on the back of the original title must be completed with the purchaser’s full legal name, current address, date of sale, odometer reading in complete miles, and the printed names and signatures of the parties. If the vehicle is jointly owned, each seller must print and sign. If the seller is a company, the company name, the authorized agent’s printed name and signature, and the agent’s position must be shown on the title assignment.

Vehicles Exempt From Title Requirements

Georgia does not require a title for every vehicle. The state excludes limited categories from title issuance, including 1962 or older year model vehicles, trailers weighing 2,000 pounds or less, boat trailers, homemade trailers, mopeds, certain off-road vehicles, and vehicles not manufactured for highway use.

Georgia also allows optional titling for certain older vehicles. A 1963 through 1985 model-year vehicle may be titled if the ownership documents support it, but a title is not required in every such case. When a vehicle 1985 or older does not require a title, a bill of sale is used as proof of ownership for the buyer’s registration.

Satisfying An Existing Lien

A private sale should not proceed until any recorded lien or security interest has been released. For a casual-sale title transfer, the ownership documents must show that all recorded liens or security interests against the previous owner have been released in the spaces provided on the title.

Georgia generally requires lienholders to release liens electronically. If the title is unavailable at the time of release, the lienholder may provide a completed Satisfaction of MV Title Lien or Security Interest Affidavit (Form T-4). Certain older liens may not require a separate release based on the age of the lien and vehicle, subject to the exceptions stated in Georgia’s lien release requirements.

Inspection, Emissions, And Other Pre-Sale Requirements

Georgia does not impose a general pre-sale safety inspection for an ordinary private vehicle sale. A physical inspection becomes relevant only in specific title and registration situations. When a used vehicle has not previously been registered in Georgia, or when ownership documents come from a non-title state or country, the transaction requires a completed Certification of Inspection (Form T-22B).

An emissions inspection certificate is required only if applicable to the buyer’s registration transaction. Georgia requires an emission inspection certificate as one of the required documents for a casual-sale title and registration when the vehicle is subject to emissions requirements.

Georgia also requires the seller to cancel the vehicle registration after the sale. Registration may be canceled online through DRIVES e-Services or in person by filing the Application of Voluntary Registration Cancellation (Form MV-18J) with the county tag office.

Documents Required To Sell a Car in Georgia

Certificate Of Title

For a vehicle that requires a Georgia title, the original title is the principal ownership document in the sale. The seller completes the assignment on the back of the title using blue or black ink. Georgia warns that any alteration or erasure may void the title, and an alteration to the purchase date may result in a penalty fee.

The assignment requires the purchaser’s full legal name as it appears on a Georgia driver’s license or identification card, the purchaser’s current address, the date of sale or transfer, the odometer reading at the time of sale, and the printed names and signatures of the seller and buyer. Georgia’s standard transfer instructions require the parties to sign the assignment and do not include notarization as part of the ordinary title transfer procedure.

Notice Of Sale And Bill Of Sale

Georgia provides the Motor Vehicle Division Bill of Sale (Form T-7) to document that a transaction occurred and that the odometer reading was disclosed and acknowledged when required. The form records the VIN, year, make, model, odometer reading, date of sale or transfer, purchase price, seller information, purchaser information, lienholder information, if any, and the signatures of the parties.

A bill of sale is especially important when the vehicle is 1985 or older and does not require a title. In that situation, the buyer must provide a bill of sale as proof of ownership for title and registration processing when applicable.

Odometer Disclosure Statement

Georgia requires the seller to accurately disclose the vehicle’s odometer reading at the time of sale on a secure transfer document, such as the title, a dealer reassignment, or a secure power of attorney. The buyer must acknowledge the odometer declaration by printing and signing the document when odometer disclosure is required.

The state follows the federal exemptions for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 16,000 pounds, vehicles that are not self-propelled, vehicles that are 20 model years old or older, certain government-manufacturer transfers, and certain dealer-to-dealer transfers of new vehicles before the first retail sale. If the vehicle is exempt, the seller may enter “exempt” in the odometer field.

If an odometer discrepancy exists, the parties may need to submit either the Odometer Discrepancy Affidavit (Form T-107) or the Application Odometer Discrepancy Affidavit (Form T-107A), depending on the status of the title record and the nature of the error.

Lien And Title Application Documents

After the sale, the buyer applies for title and registration on the Motor Vehicle Title/Tag Application (Form MV-1). All owners listed on the new title must sign the application.

For a casual sale, the buyer may also need proof of insurance, a completed T-22B inspection form, if required, an emissions inspection certificate, if applicable, and payment of title, tag, and tax charges. The transaction is completed through the county tag office in the buyer’s county of residence.

How To Transfer a Car Title in Georgia

Step 1: Review The Title Before The Sale

Before the vehicle is offered for sale, the seller should confirm that the vehicle falls within Georgia’s title system, that the title is in the seller’s name, and that any recorded lien has been released. If the vehicle does not require a title, the transfer will generally be documented with a bill of sale and any inspection document required for registration.

Step 2: Complete The Title Assignment

For a Georgia-titled vehicle, the seller completes the assignment on the back of the original title by entering the buyer’s full legal name, current address, date of sale, and odometer reading in complete miles. Each seller must print and sign, and each buyer should print and sign. Georgia requires the purchaser’s information to be entered before signature, and a title assigned in blank is not valid.

Step 3: Prepare The Bill Of Sale And Disclosure Paperwork

At the time of sale, the parties should complete a written bill of sale and all required odometer paperwork. Georgia’s Bill of Sale (Form T-7) may be used to document the transaction and the odometer declaration. If the vehicle has not previously been registered in Georgia, or if it comes from a non-title state or country, a completed T-22B inspection form must also be prepared for the buyer’s title work.

Step 4: Deliver The Documents To The Buyer

At the time of transfer, the seller delivers the properly assigned original title if the vehicle requires one. The seller should also provide any completed bill of sale, any lien release documentation if needed, and any other records necessary for the buyer’s title application. Copies of the transfer documents should be retained for recordkeeping purposes.

Step 5: Buyer Submits Application Through A Local Office

The buyer must title and register the vehicle within 7 days of the purchase date through a county tag office. The buyer submits the assigned title or bill of sale (if title is not required), the MV-1 application, proof of insurance, inspection documents (if required), an emissions certificate (if applicable), and payment of all fees and taxes. Georgia’s casual-sale registration requirements place this filing responsibility on the buyer, and Georgia’s casual sale title and registration process is handled at the county tag office.

Title Transfer Fee Schedule in Georgia

Georgia collects the following title-related fees:

A casual-sale title and registration transaction may also include a $20 license plate fee, any applicable taxes, and penalties if due.

Sales Tax on Private Vehicle Sales

Georgia generally does not impose ordinary sales tax on titled motor vehicles purchased in a private sale. Most vehicles purchased on or after March 1, 2013 and titled in Georgia are instead subject to the one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT). The current TAVT rate is 7.0% of the vehicle’s fair market value.

TAVT is paid when the vehicle is titled, and it replaced sales tax and annual ad valorem tax for most titled vehicles in the TAVT system. Non-titled vehicles and trailers are exempt from TAVT and remain subject to annual ad valorem tax instead.

In a private-party transaction, the buyer pays TAVT as part of the title and registration process at the county tag office.

What To Do After Selling Your Car in Georgia

After the sale, the seller must transfer ownership and cancel the registration. Registration may be canceled online through DRIVES e-Services or in person by filing the Application of Voluntary Registration Cancellation (Form MV-18J) with the county tag office.

The license plate and registration do not remain with the vehicle. The previous owner keeps the plate and tags, transfers the plate to another vehicle, or surrenders the plate using the Report and/or Surrender of Georgia License Plate (Form T-158).

Insurance should not be canceled before registration has been canceled. Georgia directs the previous owner to cancel the vehicle’s registration and then cancel the vehicle’s insurance coverage.

Copies of the assigned title, bill of sale, registration cancellation records, and related transfer documents should be retained. Those records may be needed to establish the date of sale, the identity of the purchaser, and the end of the seller’s responsibility for the vehicle.

Contact Information

Georgia Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Division
4125 Welcome All Rd. SW, Atlanta, GA 30349
Phone: (855) 406-5221
Official Website: Georgia Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Division