In an Oregon private sale, the seller signs the title over (with an odometer disclosure on most 2011 and newer cars), reports the sale to DMV within 10 days, and you apply for your own title within 30 days or pay a late fee. There is no sales tax on a used car bought from a private person. Your main costs are the title fee, which runs $101 to $192 depending on the car's MPG rating, plus registration if the car has no current Oregon plates.
If you heard Oregon title fees were jumping in 2026, that was House Bill 3991, and voters killed most of it. ODOT's HB 3991 page says the fee and tax increases were rejected in Measure 120, and Ballotpedia records it failing on May 19, 2026 with about 83 percent voting no. So older blog posts that warned of a much bigger title fee are wrong now. I checked the live DMV fee page on October 16, 2026, and it still shows the old tiers.
What the seller has to hand you
The seller signs and dates the back of the title or a bill of sale, according to DMV's Buying or Selling a Vehicle page. If there was a loan, the lienholder has to have signed the front of the title or given a separate signed release. For a car that is model year 2011 or newer and under 20 years old, the odometer reading goes on the back of the title and both of you sign it. A seller who lost the title on a car in that range has to get a replacement before selling, so "I'll mail it to you" is a reason to wait.
If the person selling is not the name on the title, get a bill of sale from them. DMV says it will not process one unless it has at least the VIN, a statement releasing interest, the seller's printed name and signature, and the date. Look at the title for brands too. A brand can mean the car was totaled or flooded, and our Oregon salvage and rebuilt title rules post explains what each one means here.
The 10-day and 30-day clocks
The seller notifies DMV of the sale through DMV2U within 10 days, with your name and address. DMV notes the sale, but the seller stays listed as owner until you transfer the title, so the seller has a real reason to want you to file quickly. You have 30 days from the sale. The titling page lists a $25 late fee for applying 31 to 60 days after the sale and $50 after 60.
For a passenger car you can use the guided DMV2U application, mail the packet to DMV Services, 1905 Lana Ave NE, Salem, OR 97314, or go to an office. When I looked, the page quoted two to three weeks for Oregon and out-of-state titles to come back.
What it costs
Oregon ties the title fee to the combined MPG rating assigned to the VIN. The fee page lists $101 for 0 to 19 MPG, $106 for 20 to 39, $116 for 40 or higher and $192 for an all-electric car. Two-year registration is $126, $136 and $216 for those same MPG bands (the 40-plus figure assumes the car is not in OReGO), and $376 for an EV. New plates are $26. Multnomah County adds $112, and Washington or Clackamas County adds $60.
Registration fees are due only when the car has no Oregon plates or the plates have expired. The seller is allowed to pull the plates, so ask before you agree on a price. A 30 MPG sedan with current plates left on might cost you $106. The same car with no plates, kept in Portland's Multnomah County, is $106 plus $136, $26 and $112, so $380. DMV2U's calculator does this math for you.
About taxes: Oregon's 0.5 percent vehicle use tax applies to cars bought from a dealer outside Oregon with 7,500 miles or less that were never titled here, per the Department of Revenue. A used car from your neighbor does not meet that test.
DEQ testing and VIN inspections
If you live in the Portland or Medford DEQ areas and want plates, most cars need to pass an emissions test first. DEQ's testing rules cover 1975 and newer gas and hybrid cars in Portland and those 20 years old or less in Medford. During 2026, model years 2024 through 2027 are exempt as newer cars, and 2023 is exempt if its current registration expires before January 1, 2027. The test is $25 in Portland and $20 in Medford, charged only if it passes.
If the car has an out-of-state title, DMV wants a $9 VIN inspection, which can happen at your title appointment. If you have to drive it home before plates arrive, a light vehicle trip permit is $35 for 21 days, and you can only buy two for the same car in 12 months.
Check the history yourself
DMV's own buying tips say to search NMVTIS and check recalls. Do both. Compare the VIN on the car to the title with our VIN verification for title transfer guide, and if the car came from Washington or California, read out-of-state title transfers and CARFAX, since a brand can go missing when a title crosses a state line. DMV notes that an NMVTIS search costs a fee, but that is where title brands from other states show up.
For service and accident records, a seller's printout is not enough, as our private-party CARFAX post explains. CarVins is a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with either company or Experian. This October we have been charging about $5.50 for a guest report, about $4.50 for members and around $6.75 for both reports, compared with roughly $39.99 to $44.99 at retail. Look at the checkout total before paying. CARFAX explains what a report covers.
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