You Only Have a Bill of Sale: Can You Sell the Car?

Under WAC 308-65-020, bills of sale in place of a title are acceptable to a hulk hauler only for:

• Vehicles from nontitle jurisdictions.
• Previously destroyed vehicles whose title was turned in.
• Vehicle types that do not get titles.

WAC 308-65-080 also lists a registration and notarized bill of sale for a vehicle from a registration-only state. If your car came that way, see out-of-state titles.

If your car has a Washington title out there somewhere, none of these fit, and a bill of sale on its own will not get the car sold to a hauler.

1. Find the seller

   If the person you bought from is the owner on record, they are the one who can help. DOL says an Affidavit of Loss/Release of Interest or an Affidavit in Lieu of Title can stand in for a lost title at sale. A replacement title, under WAC 308-56A-200, goes only to owners of record, so it must be their request.

2. Find the owner on record

   If the seller was not on the title, there is a gap. See what a jumped title is. The person named can release interest with a notarized signature, under WAC 308-56A-265.

3. Apply for a title

   Once you have a release or title, apply at a vehicle licensing office. See never transferred the title for deadlines and penalties.

4. Ask about ownership in doubt

   If no one can be found, RCW 46.12.680 may be available, as described below.

5. Consider a court petition

   A court order can transfer title. WAC 308-56A-320 notes a security interest is removed only if the order says so. This is a job for an attorney, so weigh the cost against the car.

RCW 46.12.680 offers three options when ownership is in doubt.

You must meet the conditions. You must have acquired the car from the owner of record or an interim owner. The route is not for unauthorized or abandoned vehicles, snowmobiles or Washington dealer sales. The procedure in WAC 308-56A-210 includes a State Patrol inspection, with exemptions, and a bond is required when the record shows an existing lien.

That is a lot of work for a car with little value. Ask a licensing office what your case would involve, and add up the real cost before you start. Then compare it with what the car might bring. If you do not have a realistic route, keep the car legally parked and keep asking. Getting it towed anyway is not an option.

• Keep the original somewhere safe, and take a photo of it.
• Do not add details after it was signed. Make a new, dated note if you remember something.
• Write down what you know about the seller: names, phone numbers, old messages, how you paid.
• Check the car’s history. DOL points to the national vehicle history system for title, insurance loss and salvage data.
• Do not write out a new bill of sale in someone else’s name. RCW 46.12.750 makes false statements and forgery a class B felony.

We need one of: a Title, an Affidavit in Lieu of Title, or a Junk Vehicle Affidavit. A bill of sale alone is not on that list. If there is no title but the car is registered in your name in Washington, call and we will try to help, and read our no-title page.

If it is not registered to you, call us at (206) 941-0612 and tell us what you have, and we will tell you whether we can take it. Our how it works page covers the pickup once the paperwork is in order.