Signing over an Indiana title when you sell a junk car
In an Indiana title transfer, the seller's job is short: every owner signs the title over, fills in the buyer, date, price and odometer, states any liens, and hands the title to the buyer at the sale. The buyer then has 45 days to title the car. Here's each part, from the seller's side.
By Cash for Junk Cars NWI. Updated .
What does the seller do in an Indiana title transfer?
In an Indiana title transfer, the seller signs and prints their name in the seller section (every owner on the title does), fills in the odometer reading, date of sale, sale price and the buyer's name and address, states any liens, and gives the signed title to the buyer at the time of sale.
The seller’s checklist
- Every owner signs. If the title shows two names, both of you sign and print in the seller section. The Indiana BMV’s instructions for sellers are explicit that all owners sign.
- Fill in the buyer. Name and address of the buyer. Indiana Code 9-17-3-3.4(a)(3) puts this on the seller, along with the sale price.
- Date and price. The date the car changes hands and what you were paid.
- Odometer. The mileage on the day. The buyer’s title application must carry the odometer reading as of the date of sale (IC 9-17-2-6(a)), and it comes from your entry.
- Liens. The assignment includes “a statement describing all liens or encumbrances on the vehicle” (IC 9-17-3-3.4(a)(1)). If the title still shows a lender, see the lien section below before you sell.
- Hand it over at the sale. The Code says the seller delivers the title to the buyer at the time of the sale.
That’s the seller’s whole side of the transfer.
Reading the law, plainly
Indiana Code 9-17-3-3.4 is the section that governs selling a titled vehicle. In its own words, the seller must “endorse the certificate of title by assigning the certificate of title with warranty of title, in a form approved by the bureau, with a statement describing all liens or encumbrances on the vehicle,” then “deliver or transmit the certificate of title to the purchaser” at the time of the sale, and “complete all information concerning the purchase,” including the buyer’s name and address and the sale price.
“With warranty of title” means you’re telling the buyer the car is yours to sell. “In a form approved by the bureau” means the assignment section printed on your Indiana title.
Liens: clear them before the sale
If you had a loan on the car, the lender may still be on the title. Once the final payment is made, Indiana gives the lienholder 10 business days to note the release on the title and deliver it (IC 9-17-5-1). Wait for that release before you sell. A title with an open lien is a title the buyer can’t use.
Mistakes that cause trouble
- Leaving the buyer blank. An “open” title with only your signature on it is a problem waiting to happen, and the law puts the buyer’s details on you.
- Crossing out and rewriting. Write slowly. If you make a mistake on the assignment, ask the BMV what to do rather than scribbling over it.
- Guessing the mileage. Read the odometer on the day. If the car won’t power up, say so on the bill of sale.
- Keeping the plate on. When ownership transfers, the registration expires and the seller removes the plate and registration (IC 9-18.1-4-6(a)). More in your plate after the car is sold.
What to keep
A photo of the signed title, front and back, before you hand it over. A simple bill of sale with the date, price, VIN and both signatures. And, if you want the BMV’s records to show the sale, the option in IC 9-18.1-4-6(b): within 30 days you may deliver the registration and proof of the transfer to the BMV, which then notes that you’ve transferred ownership.
What the buyer does
The buyer applies for a title in their own name within 45 days of getting the car (IC 9-17-2-14.7(b)); the BMV charges an administrative penalty after that. The buyer, not you, also gets a new registration and plate. Buying a car titled in another state has extra steps, but that’s a buyer’s question, and it doesn’t change what you sign.
Selling to Cash for Junk Cars NWI
We buy junk, wrecked and scrap cars across north Lake County, Indiana. Tell us on the form whether you have the title. If you don’t have it, Indiana needs a duplicate title or a BMV certificate of authority for the sale, and we’ll work out on the call which route suits your car. At pickup you sign the title over as above and you’re paid at pickup, with free towing. That’s cash for junk cars in NWI, with the paperwork done right. If the car was in a crash, our page on selling a wrecked car covers that side.
Sources: Indiana Code 9-17-3-3.4, 9-17-2-6, 9-17-2-14.7, 9-17-5-1 and 9-18.1-4-6 (current as of January 1, 2026); Indiana BMV, "Buying & Selling a Vehicle" and "I'm selling a vehicle. What do I need to fill out the title?". Read September 30, 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Quick answers
- How long does the buyer have to transfer an Indiana title?
- 45 days. Indiana Code 9-17-2-14.7(b) says a person must apply for a certificate of title within 45 days after acquiring the vehicle, and the BMV charges an administrative penalty after that.
- What if two people are on the title?
- Both sign. The BMV's instructions for sellers say all owners sign and print their names in the seller section.
- How much does an Indiana title transfer cost?
- The buyer pays the BMV's fees when they apply. We don't quote them here because they change; check the Indiana BMV for current amounts.
Selling the car, not just reading about it?
Two short steps on the form. Free towing in north Lake County, and you're paid at pickup.