Selling a Junk Car on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist

You can set a limit: list it for two weeks, then call a hauler. Getting a hauler’s number first gives you a floor. Any buyer who offers less is easy to turn down. Our junk, sell or donate guide covers the bigger decision, and this guide covers selling parts yourself.

An honest listing saves you from most of the pointless messages. Include:

• Year, make, model and mileage.
• Exactly what is wrong. “Does not start, needs a tow” is better than “runs when parked”.
• Whether you have the title in your name.
• Clear photos, including the damage.
• “Buyer arranges towing” if it doesn’t run.
• How you will take payment.
• A general area, not your street address.

Be truthful about known problems. Do not give a VIN photo with your address visible. Do not post a picture of your title.

• Have someone with you whenever a buyer visits. Tell another person the time and the buyer’s name.
• If the car can be moved legally and safely, meet in a public spot. DOL recommends meeting at a licensing office for the paperwork. If the car can’t move, meet in daylight in the driveway, not the garage or the house.
• Do not let anyone take the car for a test drive alone, and ask to see a driver’s license first. A rough car should not go on a test drive at all if it may not be safe.
• Take payment before you hand over a signed title. Our guide to taking cash safely covers counting and receipts.
• Check the buyer’s age. Transferring a vehicle to someone under 18 is a misdemeanor under RCW 46.12.755.
• Ignore anyone who wants to pay more than the price and have you send the difference back, or to send a “mover” with a check. If a deal does not make sense, walk away.

Private buyers can miss appointments, and there is no way around it. A few habits limit how much of your time it costs:

• Confirm the same day. A short text a couple of hours before is enough.
• Keep talking to the next person until money changes hands. You are not holding the car for anyone unless you agreed to.
• Have a walk-away number. If you have a hauler’s offer, you know when to say no thanks.
• Don’t accept a promise to pay later. Keep the title until you have been paid.

1. Sign the title

   Release your interest, and fill in the buyer’s name. All listed owners must sign. See how to sign a title and why not to leave the buyer blank.

2. Do the bill of sale

   DOL requires a bill of sale signed by both parties unless the price and date are on the title. Use the true price. A false statement on a transfer is a class B felony under RCW 46.12.750.

3. Complete the odometer statement if needed

   RCW 46.12.665 exempts model year 2010 or older until Jan. 1, 2031. Newer cars need it. No one may sign both sides.

4. Take your plates

   You are legally obligated to remove them, and they protect you from later bills. The buyer needs to tow the car or arrange a trip permit, if a permit fits.

5. Write down the buyer’s details

   You need the buyer’s full name and complete address. A photo of their ID is a reasonable thing to ask for.

6. File the Report of Sale

   Do it online the same day, or at least within five business days under RCW 46.12.650. If you file by mail or in person, DOL lists an $18 fee.

Under RCW 46.12.655, you are relieved of liability for someone else’s operation of the car when you have made a real sale, delivered possession, released interest, gave over the title and registration, and filed a proper report. The buyer then has 15 days to apply for a new title.

A report alone may not protect you if the buyer later denies knowing about the sale. RCW 46.12.650 says a contract, title, receipt or purchase order can establish the transfer. Keep your copy of the bill of sale. It may matter if the buyer leaves the car on a street somewhere, because the last registered owner can be presumed responsible for removal and storage costs under RCW 46.55.105.

Set your limit and stick to it. If the listing isn’t working, we buy junk cars around Seattle and Tacoma and tow them on a flatbed for free. Call (206) 941-0612 or use the pickup form. Non-running car removal has the details.