In a Virginia private-party sale, the seller fills Section A on the front of the title (all owners sign, odometer, sale date and price), removes the plates and notifies DMV that the car is sold. The buyer finishes the buyer sections, pays a $15 titling fee plus 4.15% sales and use tax (or a $75 minimum), and titles at a customer service center, a DMV Select or by mail. Eligible Virginia-titled passenger cars can also move online through e-titling.
I re-read DMV's Buying/Selling and Sales and Use Tax pages on the morning of October 16, 2026. Virginia is picky about odometer accuracy and about sale prices that look too low on newer cars. Under-reporting the price to shave tax is the kind of move that triggers a second bill of sale demand, so write the real number.
What the seller has to finish on the title
DMV's Buying/Selling a Vehicle page walks sellers through Section A. Print and sign as seller -- every owner listed on the title must sign. Put the buyer's name and address on the top line, fill the odometer from the car (do not guess), enter the sale date and either the sales price or the word "gift." Gift deals only work when they match the rules on the back of the Purchaser's Statement of Tax Exemption (SUT-3). Otherwise bring a buyer's order, a handwritten bill of sale signed by both parties or a Vehicle Price Certification.
Take the plates off before the buyer drives away. You can transfer them to another vehicle you own, or turn them in or inactivate them online or at a customer service center / DMV Select. Notify DMV that you sold, traded or donated the car, and tell your insurer the same day. If the insurer cancels liability while DMV still shows the car registered to you, you can land in uninsured-vehicle trouble.
What the buyer brings, and the tax math
Buyers check that Section A is complete and accurate, then sign as buyer, finish Section E (Personal Property Tax Relief), Section F if there is a lien, Section G if registering at the same time and Section H (Certification of Buyer) on the back. Out-of-state titles use the Virginia Application for Certificate of Title and Registration (VSA 17A) instead of those VA-title sections. Titling costs $15 plus Sales and Use Tax.
Virginia's Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax is 4.15% of gross sales price, or $75, whichever is greater. On a private sale the price the seller wrote on the title is the bill of sale. If the car is more than five years old and the price is missing or wrong, DMV accepts a Vehicle Price Certification (SUT 1) or a handwritten bill of sale with year, make, model, VIN, price and date. If the car is less than five years old and the price sits outside a $1,500 window of NADA trade-in value, you need Affidavit for Procurement of Title (SUT-1A).
Before you hand over cash, match the VIN on the dash and door jamb to the title. Our VIN verification for title transfer guide shows where to look. Cross-border deals also benefit from the notes in out-of-state title transfers and CARFAX.
E-titling, trip permits and safety inspection
If the car already has a clean Virginia title, both parties are Virginia residents with myDMV accounts, neither is a business and the car has no liens, beneficiaries or holds, you can finish the transfer online. DMV's E-Titling Guide (DMV-313) also says the vehicle must be a passenger car, SUV or truck, and it cannot have been marked sold more than 15 days before the electronic transfer. When payment clears, the buyer can print a temporary registration card and plates. The PDF is on DMV's site at dmv313.pdf.
Need to move the car before plates are ready? A Prospective Purchaser's Trip Permit costs $5, lasts three consecutive days from the bill-of-sale date and must display with the original bill of sale in the window. Details are on DMV's Trip Permit page. Separately, Virginia requires a valid safety inspection sticker before you operate the car on public roads -- Virginia State Police runs that program.
Salvage brands and the report you should pull
A clean-looking assignment does not mean a clean history. If the car ever carried a salvage or rebuilt brand, read our Virginia salvage and rebuilt title rules before you sign. DMV itself points buyers to NMVTIS for title and insurance-loss flags. Seller screenshots of a "fresh CARFAX" PDF are easy to fake; pull the VIN yourself. Private-party report habits are covered in CARFAX for private-party sales.
CarVins resells CARFAX and AutoCheck under license and is not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian. As of mid October 2026 a guest CARFAX through us is usually about $5.50, members closer to $4.50 and the AutoCheck bundle about $6.75, against retail often near $39.99 to $44.99 -- check the cart before you rely on any of those figures. CARFAX's report overview shows what each section covers.
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