How to Sell a Car Privately in Massachusetts

Sources checked October 9, 2026 · Every rule below links to the official page it came from

Selling your car yourself in Massachusetts comes down to a signed title, the right paperwork, and a few steps people often miss. This guide summarizes what the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles and state law say, so you and the buyer can finish the transfer cleanly.

Transferring the title

• Both the seller and the buyer must sign the Massachusetts title, hand-print their names and date the transfer. mass.gov
• The seller must record the vehicle's mileage on the title at the time of transfer. mass.gov
• The sale price must be written on the title if it has a space for it. mass.gov
• The buyer must apply for a title within 10 days of buying the vehicle. mass.gov
• The new title is typically mailed in about 6 to 8 weeks, or goes straight to the lender if the buyer has a loan. mass.gov

Bill of sale

• A bill of sale showing the price is needed only if the title has no space to record the sale price. mass.gov
• For vehicles too old to need a title, the buyer registers with the previous registration plus a bill of sale instead of a title. mass.gov
• Passenger vehicles of model year 1980 or older that were bought before November 26, 1990 are exempt from titling. mass.gov

License plates

• When ownership of a Massachusetts vehicle changes, its registration expires, so the plates do not pass to the buyer with the car. malegislature.gov
• A seller can move the registration and plates to a replacement vehicle they own by filing a new application and paying a substitution fee. malegislature.gov
• A seller who is 18 or older and has a replacement vehicle of the same type has until 5 p.m. on the seventh calendar day after the sale to register it with the carried-over plates. malegislature.gov
• During that seven-day window the seller must carry the transfer paperwork in the new vehicle, and the RMV does not issue temporary plates. mass.gov
• A seller who does not reuse the plates can cancel the registration online for free and must then destroy or recycle the plates. mass.gov

Inspections and emissions

• A buyer must get the vehicle inspected within seven days of its registration date. mass.gov
• Annual emissions testing applies to vehicles with onboard diagnostics that are under 15 years old. mass.gov
• Inspection stickers cannot be transferred, so the buyer should remove the seller's old sticker. mass.gov
• A buyer whose private-sale car fails inspection within seven days may be entitled to a refund or repair agreement if safety repairs would cost more than 10 percent of the price. mass.gov

Telling the state you sold the car

• The registered owner must return the registration certificate to the RMV with written notice of the sale date and the new owner's name and address. malegislature.gov
• Cancelling a registration is free and can be done online through myRMV, and two-owner vehicles need a signed affidavit sent by mail. mass.gov
• The seller should keep the cancellation receipt and give a copy to the insurance company. mass.gov

Taxes and fees the buyer pays

• A private-party buyer pays 6.25 percent sales tax on the greater of the price paid or the vehicle's book trade-in value. mass.gov
• The tax is due by the 20th of the month after purchase, and is normally paid to the RMV when the buyer registers. mass.gov
• The title fee is $75, and the registration fee depends on the plate type. mass.gov
• Gifts and transfers to a parent, spouse, child or sibling may be exempt from the tax with a signed exemption form. mass.gov

Loans and liens

• When a loan is paid off, the lender must release its lien and send the title packet within three days of a demand and no later than ten days. malegislature.gov
• Lien releases in Massachusetts are processed electronically, and the title is printed and mailed to the owner the next business day. mass.gov
• A buyer who needs to add a lender to a title must show a released title or an original lien release letter on the previous lender's letterhead. mass.gov
• If the buyer has a loan, the lender's information goes on the registration and title application and the title is mailed to the lender. mass.gov

Easy-to-miss rules in this state

• The buyer needs an active Massachusetts insurance policy, and the insurance agent must stamp and sign the registration and title application before the RMV visit. mass.gov
• The registration and title application must be on plain white paper with no erasures, white-out or alterations. mass.gov
• The family or gift sales-tax exemption forms (MVU-26 for family, MVU-24 for gifts) are completed by the previous owner. mass.gov
• Massachusetts has no temporary plates, so a buyer without an existing registration must register before driving. mass.gov

Official Massachusetts resources

• RMV: Register and title a vehicle bought from an individual
• RMV: Apply for a certificate of title
• Mass.gov: Motor vehicle sales and use tax guide
• RMV: Cancel your vehicle registration
• RMV: Transfer your registration to a vehicle bought from an individual
• RMV: Vehicle inspections
• Mass.gov: Individual purchase checklist (PDF)
• M.G.L. c.90 section 2

Next steps

Once you know the rules, create a free listing and print a QR code sign for the car window. For the general process, see our step-by-step private sale guide, the paperwork checklist, and how to get paid safely. Need paperwork? Use our free bill of sale generator.

More state guides

• Selling a car in Michigan
• Selling a car in Minnesota
• Selling a car in Mississippi
• Selling a car in Missouri
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