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• Introduction
• What do I need to do after I've sold or transferred my car?
• Can I submit a report of sale after the five business days as stated in the Report of Sale law?
• How do I report the sale or transfer of my car?
• Is there a charge for filing a report of sale?
• What information do I need to provide on the Report of Sale?
• Do I need to file a Report of Sale if I gave the car away or traded it with no money being exchanged?
• Do I need to file a Report of Sale if the car was awarded to another person in a court order?
• Should I file a Report of Sale if the car was sold to a wrecking yard or sold for parts?
• If I've sold my vehicle and the buyer's making payments, when should I file a Report of Sale?
• Since my name will still appear as the legal owner of the car until the buyer has made the required payments, will I be responsible for parking tickets or towing charges that happen while I'm listed as the legal owner?
• What should I do if I receive charges for towing or parking tickets that aren't mine?

Introduction

This publication explains how you can protect yourself from being held responsible for the actions of another person after you?ve sold or transferred your car. 

It talks about laws in state statutes, state administrative regulations, and case law.  If you want to do more research, we list of some sale/transfer laws at the end of this publication.

Call the Department of Licensing at 360-902-3770, contact your local auto licensing office, or visit the Department web site (www.dol.wa.gov) if you have questions. 

What do I need to do after I've sold or transferred my car?

1. Give away your ownership of the car by signing the title (vehicle certificate of ownership) and giving the title to the new owner.[1] If your car is less than 10 years old, also fill out the odometer disclosure statement on the back side of the title. [2]

2. Give a Report of Sale to the Department of Licensing WITHIN FIVE DAYS. Don't count Saturdays, Sundays, or state and federal holidays.[3] Failure to file this report on time can result in criminal or civil responsibility for the operation of the car after you've sold or transferred it. [4]

3. Make sure the Department of Licensing has your current address. If you move and you don't update your address, you may not receive notices from a court or a towing company, you may not learn that you are being held responsible for the actions of others after you sold or transferred your car, and you may lose the chance to fix a mistake.

Can I submit a report of sale after the five business days as stated in the report of sale law?

Yes, but a report of sale that's filed late could be considered improperly filed. 

File your Report of Sale on time to protect yourself from parking tickets, towing charges, and accidents that may happen after you sell or transfer your car.

How do I report the sale or transfer of my car?

Take the Report of Sale to your local auto licensing office. (A list of licensing offices is available online at https://fortress.wa.gov/dol/dolprod/vehoffices/.)  A detachable report of sale form comes with the "certificate of ownership" (title) to your car. Or you can get a form at any auto licensing office, or report the sale of your car online at https://fortress.wa.gov/dol/rosprod/.

If you submit your Report of Sale personally, you get a receipt that gives you all the information you need to show a court or a towing company that you've properly reported the sale or transfer of your car.  If you file your Report of Sale using the Department of Licensing website, save or print out the receipt. 

Don't mail your Report of Sale to the Department of Licensing in Olympia.  You don't receive a receipt and you take your chances with the postal service.

Is there a charge for filing a report of sale?

There's no charge if you report the sale or transfer of your car using the Internet.  It costs $4.00 to report in person or by mail. 

What information do I need to provide on the Report of Sale?

The Report of Sale must have the following information:

• your name and address
• the date you sold or transferred your car
• the name and address of the buyer/transferee
• the sale price, or listed as a gift or trade
• a description of your car, including its vehicle identification number (VIN) and license plate number.

If you cannot provide the information required above, your Report of Sale could be considered improperly filed.

Do I need to file a Report of Sale if I gave the car away or traded it with no money being exchanged?

Yes. Any time you give your car away, donate it, trade it in to a car dealer, or trade it to a private party, you should file a Report of Sale.

Check the "gift/trade" box on the report of sale form if you're using the Internet to report.  Write in "gift" or "trade" in the box marked "purchase price" on the Report of Sale form if reporting in person. 

Do I need to file a Report of Sale if the car was awarded to another person in a court order?

Yes.  Report the transfer as a gift or trade. (See above.) 

Should I file a Report of Sale if the car was sold to a wrecking yard or sold for parts?

Yes.

If I've sold my vehicle and the buyer is making payments, when should I file a Report of Sale?

You must still file your Report of Sale WITHIN FIVE DAYS from the date of sale. 

You and the buyer should go to your local auto licensing office together.  Take the title (certificate of ownership) with you. 

• First: file your Report of Sale. 
• Second: your buyer must apply to be the car's registered owner.
• Third: you and the buyer should apply for a new title that says the buyer's the registered owner and you're the legal owner.[5]

The Department will issue a new title (certificate of ownership).  The new title will be sent to you. 

After the buyer's made the required payments, take the title to your local auto licensing office. Have your name removed as the legal owner.  

Since my name will still appear as the legal owner of the car until the buyer's made the required payments, will I be responsible for parking tickets or towing charges that happen while I'm listed as the legal owner?

No.  You're not legally responsible for parking tickets if you properly reported the sale of your car.  If your buyer became the registered owner of the car at the same time you reported its sale, there's little chance that you'll be mistakenly given a ticket that isn't yours.  

However, you and your buyer will both receive a notice from a towing company if the car has been towed.[6] The towing company sends you a notice not because you're considered to have been responsible for the car getting towed, but because you're the legal owner.  Sending you a notice gives you the chance to pay the towing company's charges to get the car back if your buyer won't pay.[7] (You might want to, since the car is your security for the buyer's payments.)

If you don't want to pay to get the car back, you won't be responsible for any additional charges if the car is sold and the towing company is still owed money.[8]

What should I do if I receive charges for towing or parking tickets that aren't mine?

Show your Report of Sale receipt to the towing company or the court where the parking ticket was issued.[9]

If you don't have a receipt, you may request a copy of your Report of Sale from the Department of Licensing with a Vehicle/Vessel Disclosure Request.

You can get a Vehicle/Vessel Disclosure Request form:

• on the Internet at http://www.dol.wa.gov/forms/224003.pdf
• by calling the Department of Licensing at 360-902-3770 (Option 3, then Option 2) and asking that a request form be mailed to you.
• at SOME local auto licensing offices. (Please note: local auto licensing offices do NOT process the requests.)

Mail the completed form to the address listed on the form. There's no charge unless 6 or more documents are requested. The Department of Licensing has 5 working days to respond.

Footnotes:

1. Don't give up your interest in the car and deliver the title to the new owner if the new owner is making payments.  See the "If I've sold my car and the buyer is making payments, when should I file a Report of Sale" section of this publication.
2. RCW 46.12.124
3. RCW 46.12.101(1)
4. RCW 46.12.102
5. The details of the payment agreement you have with the buyer is a separate agreement that you have with the buyer. It's not a part of the Report of Sale process.
6. RCW 46.55.110
7. RCW 46.55.120
8. RCW 46.55.140
9. If your car's been abandoned and towed away after you sold or transferred it, you won't be guilty of the traffic infraction of "littering - abandoned vehicle" and you won't be responsible for costs incurred in removing, storing, and disposing of it, if you've properly filed a Report of Sale or transfer. RCW 46.55.105 (4). See also RCW 46.63.140.