Paperwork When Selling a Car in Georgia

Paperwork Required to Sell a Car in Georgia

So, you've got a car you want to sell in Georgia. How exactly do you go about the process? We'll boil down some of the essentials right here!

Selling a Vehicle in Georgia

Here we'll be focusing on the state regulations for selling a car in Georgia, but obviously there's a lot of groundwork to be laid before you actually transfer ownership. After you've assessed your vehicle's market value and condition, you'll decide how you want to go about advertising it to potential buyers. You've never had more options in terms of the channels you can use, from online marketplaces to time-tested classifieds.

If you'd like to review some basic tips for selling a car, browse through our helpful Guide to Selling Your Car.

Once you've identified a buyer, the official title transfer is a matter of paperwork. Once the required documents are complete, your car will have a new owner.

Required Documents for GA Car Sellers

To successfully sell your car in Georgia, you and the buyer will need to sign off on several documents:

The vehicle title, unless your car's exempt from holding a title. You can find out more about Georgia's title requirements at the state's Department of Revenue website.
- If your car doesn't need a title, you can provide its certificate of origin or the bill of sale (see below).
A Georgia bill of sale. The Georgia Department of Revenue's Motor Vehicle Division provides a downloadable Bill of Sale (Form T-7) that you can use for this document, but you can also craft your own. If you do, remember to include the following information:
- The date of the transfer of ownership.
- The agreed-upon cost of the vehicle.
- Your name and address, as well as those of the buyer, as it appears on a GA driver's license or ID card.
- Your car's year, make, model, vehicle identification number (VIN), and odometer reading (see below).
- A list of any liens presently on the car.
- Buyer's and seller's signature. If the vehicle has more than one seller and/or more than one buyer each must provide their information and signatures.

Georgia's odometer disclosure requirements exempt certain vehicles from mileage declarations during a title transfer. For more information, see our Title Transfers in Georgia page.

If you're not presently in Georgia and are directing a member of your family to sell your car for you, you'll give them limited power of attorney so they can oversee the title transfer. The Georgia DOR's Motor Vehicle Division offers a Limited Power of Attorney/Motor Vehicle Transactions (Form T-8) at its website.

Duplicate Georgia Title

If your car title is damaged or missing, you can obtain a duplicate title by submitting the following paperwork to the Georgia DOR:

The Motor Vehicle Title/Tag Application (Form MV-1).
A Lien or Security Interest Release (Form T-4), if applicable.
Your damaged title, if you have it.
Payment for the $8 replacement title fee.

You can find out more about duplicate titles (including the protocol for cases where the original title was assigned to you rather than issued in your name) on our Replacing a Lost Title in Georgia page.

Salvage Titles

Applying for a title for a car that's been wrecked and rebuilt requires its own special process in Georgia. Along with the standard Motor Vehicle Title/Tag Application (Form MV-1), additional documentation such as the Request for Inspection of a Rebuilt Motor Vehicle (Form T-22R) and a Labor and Parts Certification (Form T-129) must be completed and submitted.

Vehicle History Reports

The savvy purchaser of a used car will obtain a vehicle history report to learn more about the car's background, including details on past accidents, damage, and theft.

You can also order your own vehicle history report in order to gain the trust of potential buyers and hopefully sell your car faster.

Forms for Easy Download

Bill of Sale (Form T-7)

Limited Power of Attorney/Motor Vehicle Transactions (Form T-8)

Motor Vehicle Title/Tag Application (Form MV-1)

Lien or Security Interest Release (Form T-4)

Request for Inspection of a Rebuilt Motor Vehicle(Form T-22R)

Labor and Parts Certification(Form T-129)

Optional helpful links:

Forms

MV-1: Motor Vehicle Title/Tag Application; Application to title AND register your car with the Georgia MVD.

T-22R: Request for an Inspection of a Rebuilt Motor Vehicle; Submit this form to the GA MVD to have a rebuilt vehicle inspected as part of getting it titled.

T-8: Limited Power of Attorney - Motor Vehicle Transactions; Submit this form to allow someone else to act on your behalf when buying OR selling a vehicle in Georgia.

T-4: Notice of Satisfaction of Security Interest or Lien Holder's Affidavit; Use this form to notify the MVD of a release a lien on a vehicle you're replacing OR transferring the title on.

T-129: Labor and Parts Certification; Submit this form to the GA Motor Vehicle Division when transferring the title of a rebuilt or restored vehicle.

T-7: Bill of Sale; Complete as a proof of purchase when buying or selling a vehicle in Georgia.