To transfer a car in a Vermont private sale, the seller signs the title over to you (every owner listed, your name on the "transferred to" line, liens released) and hands you a bill of sale and an odometer statement; you file a VD-119 application with the DMV, pay the $42 title fee, registration, and 6% purchase and use tax on the price or the J.D. Power clean trade-in value, whichever is higher. If the car is a 2009 or older that was never titled, the seller gives you the Vermont registration certificate and a signed bill of sale instead, and you get a title when you register.
I read the Vermont DMV title guide, the new-registration page, the VD-119 instructions, the title fee page and the inspection FAQ on October 16, 2026. Vermont changed its title law in 2024, and some older advice online still describes the old rules, so I have flagged where that matters.
The 2024 title change and older cars
Vermont used to skip titles for older vehicles. The DMV's title guide now opens with a note that Act 165 took effect July 1, 2024, and the VD-119 instructions say that when a vehicle is sold, a title will be issued to the new owner at registration, while vehicles already exempt stay exempt with no action required. In practice, the guide says a 2009 or older car registered in Vermont needs no title, and its registration certificate is the ownership document. When that car is sold, the buyer gets a title on registering it.
An older version of the same DMV page described a rolling 15-year cutoff. The current guide names 2009, and as I read it, that line is no longer moving forward each year. If you are buying a 2010 or 2011 car with no title, call the DMV before you pay. The guide also warns that most other states want a real title, so if you plan to register an older Vermont car elsewhere, ask the seller to get one first.
What the seller hands you
For a titled car, the new-registration page lists a properly assigned title signed by all owners, a bill of sale and odometer disclosure, and a VIN verification if the title is branded salvage. The DMV says a bill of sale must identify the car by make, year and VIN and show the purchase price, mileage, the seller's signature and the date of sale. An odometer disclosure is required on model year 2011 and newer, on form VT-005 or by both of you signing the back of the title, which matches the federal rule in 49 CFR 580.17.
Look hard at the bill of sale. Since Vermont taxes the higher of price or book value, a lowball number on paper does not save you anything, and a seller who wants to write a fake price is telling you something about the rest of the deal.
The 6% purchase and use tax
The VD-119 instructions set the tax at 6% of the purchase price or the J.D. Power clean trade-in value, whichever is greater, minus any trade-in or allowable credit. On a car you pay $12,000 for that books at $13,500 clean trade-in, you owe tax on $13,500, which is $810. If you register by mail, the DMV wants a printed J.D. Power valuation dated within the last seven days.
If you think the book value is wrong for your car, the instructions allow a Vermont Dealer Appraisal Form, and for a refund after registration it must arrive within 30 days. The DMV says it does not accept values from online research. Transfers to a spouse, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild of the donor are among the listed exemptions. For a wider look at how states tax private sales, see our used car sales tax guide.
Fees, and the 15-day inspection clock
The title fee page, dated March 19, 2026, lists $42 for a car title and $14 per lien. The September 2025 VD-119 instructions show a one-year car registration at $91 for gas cars, $135.50 for plug-in hybrids and $178 for battery EVs. Those numbers change, so check the current form before you write the check.
Then the inspection. Per the DMV's inspection FAQ, a vehicle without a valid Vermont sticker must be inspected within 15 days of registration, and you need your insurance card at the station. A private-sale car that will not pass Vermont inspection is an expensive surprise, so I would make a passing inspection, or at least a mechanic's look, part of the deal.
Salvage, missing records and out-of-state cars
VIN verification on form VT-010 is required for any vehicle with salvage documents from any state, vehicles titled under bond, and vehicles registered in a foreign country, including Canada. The title guide says the DMV checks NMVTIS on every title and registration, and if NMVTIS shows an active title elsewhere, you will be asked for that title or sent through the bond process. If NMVTIS has no record at all, you will need a notarized Affidavit of Non-Titled Vehicle (VT-025) plus the VT-010. Our VIN verification for title transfer guide covers where to find the VIN, and our Vermont salvage and rebuilt title rules post explains the brands.
Check the car before the paperwork
Run the VIN through NMVTIS yourself, since the DMV will. Then pull your own history report rather than trusting the seller's printout; our CARFAX for private-party buyers guide explains what to look for. CarVins resells CARFAX and AutoCheck under license and has no affiliation with either company or with Experian. As of mid October 2026, expect about $5.50 per report as a guest, $4.50 as a member, or near $6.75 for both, where retail runs $39.99 to $44.99. Confirm the total at checkout.
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