Selling a Parent’s Car When They Stop Driving

A car can mean independence, so this talk may matter more than the paperwork. A few things may help:

• Pick a quiet moment, not right after a scare or an argument.
• Ask what they want to happen to the car, and listen before offering a plan.
• Talk about the costs of keeping it, such as insurance and tabs. Our guide to what an unused car costs lists them.
• Offer choices: a family member takes it, a private sale, donation or junking. See junk, sell or donate.
• Let them decide what to do with the money, if they can.
• Bring in their doctor or a family member they trust if safety is the worry.

If a parent still wants to keep the car, that may be the honest answer for now. We have a companion guide written for the owner: you have stopped driving. It may be easier for them to read it themselves.

Ask the care facility whether a notary can come to them, or look for one who travels. Bring your parent’s ID and the document, unsigned.

If your parent is able and willing, they can release the car to you, and you title it in your name. After that, it is your car to sell or junk.

• When you receive a car as a gift, you still have the buyer’s job. Apply for the new title within 15 days of delivery under RCW 46.12.650.
• DOR says gifts are exempt from use tax if the prior owner paid sales or use tax and no consideration was given. A vehicle gifted with an unpaid loan generally does not qualify.
• Your parent’s Report of Sale still has to be filed. DOL says the sale price is entered as zero for a gift.
• RCW 46.17.100 sets a $15 title application fee for most applications. Ask the office about other amounts due.

Whether this makes sense depends on the car and family. It adds a trip to a licensing office, but after it, you sell as the owner.

• The title. Check desk drawers, safes and file boxes. If it is lost, an owner of record can use an affidavit or request a replacement. See replacing a lost title.
• Any old loan. If a bank is on the title, see lost title and an old lien.
• The plates. DOL says plates must come off, and disabled parking plates must be returned. A parking placard may be a separate item, so ask DOL about it.
• Tabs. If your parent renewed early, unapplied tabs can be sent back with a bill of sale or report of sale for a refund. It takes 1 to 3 months.
• Belongings. Check the glove box and trunk for papers, then see what to remove from a car.
• The insurance policy. Keep it in force until the car is gone, then tell the insurer the date.

Sometimes a sibling objects, or a parent says no and then forgets, or no one is sure what the parent understands. Slow down. A car is not worth a family dispute. Do not arrange a pickup quietly while your parent is away, even if you believe it is for the best. If there is real doubt about your parent’s ability to decide, talk to an attorney about authority before anything moves.

If the worry is safety today, you can often solve that first without selling. Ask your parent to let someone hold the keys, and take your time with the decision.

The car is not in the seller’s name if you are the one calling, so please call before you book. Call us at (206) 941-0612 and tell us what you have, and we will tell you whether we can take it. If we can take it, the tow is free, the car does not need to run, and we pay cash at pickup. We recommend the person selling be there, to hand over paperwork and get paid. For a car that has sat for a long time, see non-running car removal.