How to Sell a Car Privately in Missouri

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

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

Transferring the title

• The seller prints their name and signs the assignment on the back of the title, and every owner listed on the front must sign exactly as named. dor.mo.gov
• The seller records the odometer reading and sale date, and correction fluid or erasures are not allowed. dor.mo.gov
• The seller must hand the assigned title to the buyer at delivery, and signing a title with the buyer's name left blank is not allowed. dor.mo.gov
• Selling a registered vehicle without passing the assigned title is presumed fraudulent and void. revisor.mo.gov
• The buyer has 30 days from purchase to title the vehicle and pay sales tax. dor.mo.gov

Notarization

• The seller's and buyer's signatures on the back of the title do not need to be notarized. dor.mo.gov
• A lien release (Form 4809) must be notarized. dor.mo.gov
• A duplicate title application (Form 108) must be notarized, and so must the Secure Power of Attorney when used. dor.mo.gov

Odometer disclosure

• The seller writes the actual mileage on the title, without tenths. dor.mo.gov
• Mileage disclosure is not required for model year 2010 or older vehicles that are at least ten years old at transfer. dor.mo.gov
• Model year 2011 and newer vehicles need a mileage disclosure at transfer until they reach 20 years old. dor.mo.gov
• A rolled-over five-digit odometer must be marked as mileage in excess of mechanical limits, and a not-actual reading needs a written explanation. dor.mo.gov

License plates

• The seller must remove the plates before the buyer takes the vehicle, whether valid or expired. dor.mo.gov
• When ownership changes, the registration expires and the plates stay with the original owner rather than the vehicle. revisor.mo.gov
• The seller can move the plates to another vehicle for a $2 fee if its horsepower, weight or seating is not greater, or pay a prorated difference if greater. revisor.mo.gov
• A seller who will not reuse the plates can surrender them at any Missouri license office or mail them in, and unexpired registration fees are not refunded. dor.mo.gov
• A buyer cannot use the seller's plates and can get a temporary permit valid 30 days for up to $5, plus a $9 processing fee at a license office. dor.mo.gov

Inspections and emissions

• The seller is directed to provide a safety inspection certificate less than 60 days old. dor.mo.gov
• A seller in St. Louis City or Jefferson, St. Charles or St. Louis County must also provide an emissions inspection no more than 60 days old. dor.mo.gov
• Vehicles under 11 years old with fewer than 150,000 miles are exempt from the safety inspection. dor.mo.gov
• The buyer's inspection generally must be no more than 60 days old when titling, and out-of-state buyers should check their own state's rules. dor.mo.gov

Telling the state you sold the car

• The seller must report the sale to the Department within 30 days using the Notice of Sale (Form 5049) or a Bill of Sale (Form 1957). dor.mo.gov
• Form 5049 is signed by both seller and purchaser, mailed to the Motor Vehicle Bureau in Jefferson City, and processed only if all required fields are filled in. dor.mo.gov
• Until the buyer titles the vehicle, the seller remains the last titled owner of record. dor.mo.gov
• Failing to submit the notice is an infraction, and doing so to help a buyer avoid titling or fees is a class C misdemeanor. dor.mo.gov

Taxes and fees the buyer pays

• The buyer pays 4.225 percent state sales tax plus local sales tax on the price, less any trade-in allowance. dor.mo.gov
• The title fee is $8.50, with a $9 title processing fee and a $9 registration processing fee for one year ($18 for two). dor.mo.gov
• Registration fees depend on taxable horsepower or vehicle weight, and a $2 plate transfer fee applies if moving plates. dor.mo.gov
• A late buyer pays a $25 penalty on the 31st day, growing by $25 for each additional 30 days, up to $200. dor.mo.gov
• A buyer getting new plates also needs a paid personal property tax receipt or non-assessment statement from the prior year. dor.mo.gov

Loans and liens

• The seller must list all liens or encumbrances on the title assignment. revisor.mo.gov
• If a lien applies, the seller provides a notarized Lien Release (Form 4809). dor.mo.gov
• After a loan is paid off, the owner can get a lien-free title at a license office with the notarized release, $8.50 title fee and $9 processing fee. dor.mo.gov
• Buyers can check a vehicle for liens using the Department's Lien Search tool. dor.mo.gov

Easy-to-miss rules in this state

• The seller must notify the Department immediately if the vehicle is sold to a resident of another state or country, or is destroyed or dismantled. revisor.mo.gov
• The Notice of Sale can replace a bill of sale for the buyer to claim a 180-day sales tax credit on a replacement vehicle. dor.mo.gov
• Backdating is checked: if the sale date is before the title issue date, the transaction is rejected unless a statement gives a later purchase date. dor.mo.gov
• Buyers are warned about curbstoning, so they should buy only from the person named on the title. dor.mo.gov

Official Missouri resources

• Missouri DOR: Selling a vehicle
• Missouri DOR: Buying a vehicle
• Buying a Vehicle guide (Form 5687)
• Instructions for completing the title assignment
• Notice of Sale or Transfer (Form 5049)
• RSMo 301.210 (sale and transfer of vehicles)
• RSMo 301.140 (plates and temporary permits)

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.

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