In a Nebraska private sale, every owner named on the title signs the seller's section, you print your name, address and signature in the purchaser's section on the spot, and you get a bill of sale or a Department of Revenue Form 6. Then you have 30 days from the purchase date to title the car at a county treasurer ($10 title fee), register it and pay state and local sales tax. Unlike some states, Nebraska taxes a car bought from a neighbor; the 5.5 percent state rate plus any local rate applies, and penalty and interest start after day 30.
I read the Nebraska DMV transfer-of-ownership, certificate-of-title, registration and vehicle-inspection pages plus the Department of Revenue's Form 6 and county treasurer instructions on October 16, 2026. County treasurers run the counters; payment methods and hours differ, so call ahead.
Filling out the title without making it "open"
The DMV's transfer of ownership page says all names on the certificate must sign off as sellers, and any open lien has to be released by the lienholder and a county official on the face of the title before it is reassigned. The seller also completes the odometer certification. On newer Nebraska titles the seller, purchaser and odometer blocks sit on the lower front; some older titles put them on the back.
Your part is not optional. Your name, address and signature must go in the purchaser's section at the time of purchase. A title the seller signed with the buyer area left blank is an "open title," which is a violation that a county official, the DMV or police can confiscate. Do not take one, even at a great price; if the county confiscates it at the counter, you are stuck with a car you cannot title.
Nebraska is also blunt about flippers. Any consumer who transfers a vehicle must first title it in their own name, register it and pay sales tax, and skipping that is a Class IV felony; licensed dealers are exempt. If the person selling you the car is not the name on the title, walk.
Thirty days, a $10 title and the county treasurer
According to the certificate of title page, you file an Application for Certificate of Title signed by everyone who will appear on the new title, plus proof of ownership and a $10 fee payable to the county treasurer. Titles are issued at the county level and can be issued in any county. The title must be issued within 30 days of purchase. Missing ownership papers can push you into a bonded title, which is slow.
Registration happens in the county where the car is housed most of the time. The registration page says new purchases must be registered, and sales tax paid, within 30 days. Bring original proof of insurance (photocopies are refused) and proof the tax was paid. A Nebraska title must be issued before registration. Registration fees and motor vehicle taxes vary by vehicle and county, so the DMV points you to its Motor Vehicle Tax Estimator or your treasurer for a quote.
Sales tax on a private sale: yes, you owe it
The Department of Revenue's sales and use tax page lists the state rate at 5.5 percent, and local sales tax can stack on top based on your registration street address. The Form 6 instructions tell the buyer to hand a copy to the county treasurer within 30 days and pay state and local tax. The purchase date is the earlier of the title date or the possession date, so you cannot backdate your way out of a late charge. After 30 days the treasurer assesses penalty and interest.
The treasurer instructions (a November 2021 guide that I could still fetch this week) clear up two common myths. The occasional-sale exemption it mentions covers things like unlicensable dirt bikes and golf carts sold between individuals, not road cars you register. And when two individuals swap, the only trade-in credit allowed against the tax base is another motor vehicle, motorboat or ATV/UTV traded at the time of sale. One small break: the $1-per-tire fee is not due when the sale is between two individuals. Compare other states in our used car sales tax guide.
Out-of-state titles need a sheriff's inspection
Buying a car that carries another state's title adds a step. The DMV vehicle inspection page requires an inspection for vehicles brought in from out of state, assembled vehicles, salvage-titled cars moving to a regular title (which then get a permanent "Previously Salvaged" brand) and assigned-VIN applications. The county sheriff does it, the fee is $10, and every major component has to be attached in the right spot or they will not inspect. A Nebraska title presented at transfer is exempt.
If you are eyeing a cheap car with a salvage past, read our Nebraska salvage and rebuilt title rules first. The VIN steps in VIN verification for title transfer help you spot a mismatch before the sheriff does.
Run the VIN before cash changes hands
A clean-looking body tells you very little about old insurance claims. Search brands on NMVTIS and pull your own history report rather than accepting a printout from the seller; see our CARFAX for private-party sales notes. CarVins sells official CARFAX and AutoCheck reports under license and is not affiliated with either brand or Experian. In mid October 2026 expect around $5.50 for a guest report, about $4.50 as a member, or near $6.75 for both, against roughly $39.99 to $44.99 at retail. Prices move, so confirm at checkout before you pay.
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