Sell your vehicle

Learn how to sell your vehicle and transfer vehicle ownership

Sell your vehicle

Learn how to sell your vehicle and transfer vehicle ownership

Selling your vehicle in Connecticut

There are certain things you should know before selling a vehicle, especially how to transfer a title. The information here helps you understand the seller’s responsibilities and highlights additional relevant resources.
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  • How to

How to

  • Complete and sign the reverse side of the certificate of title and give it to the new owner along with a bill of sale (Form H-31). You may draft your own bill of sale, because there is no special form required. If you draft your own bill of sale, it must contain the following information - name and address of purchaser; name and address of seller; description of vehicle (make, model, year, color, and vehicle identification number); sales price; date of sale; signature of seller.
  • Keep a copy of the completed title and bill of sale for your records.
  • Remove your plates from the vehicle and cancel your registration with DMV. If canceling online, be sure to print out your receipt.
  • NOTE: Until you cancel your registration with DMV, the vehicle is subject to property tax assessment in the town of record for that vehicle. If you receive an additional property tax bill for the vehicle you should check with your local property tax assessor for a prorated bill showing your cancelled plate receipt and a copy of the bill of sale for the vehicle.
  • You are expected to maintain liability insurance on the registration as long as it is active. Don’t cancel the insurance on the vehicle until the registration has been canceled with DMV.

The new owner will then be required to register the vehicle  and apply for a new certificate of title.

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  • How to

How to

Owners of Self-Service Storage Facilities (SSSF) are allowed to sell at a public sale motor vehicles that are left in storage by defaulting renters/occupants as specified in Connecticut General Statutes sections 42-159 thru 42-168, as amended by PA 09-187 sections 45 and 46.

 

Below are steps that owners of SSSF need take in order to dispose of these vehicles by selling:


Filing of business Information:

This filing is required only once—but is an important first step to dispose of any motor vehicle. To file your business information with the DMV, you must:

  • Complete a self-service storage facility filing of business information (Form H-123). Sales and use tax permit number must be provided.
  • Attach sample rental agreement.
  • Mail original form to the address listed on the form.

Upon receipt, the DMV will notify you of approval or denial via regular mail or email. (You’ll get a speedier response by providing your email address on Form H-123). Any changes in the information required by this form should be made in writing and submitted to the DMV within 10 days.


Getting vehicle Information:

After the initial filing has been approved, contact the DMV Dealers & Repairers Unit at 860-263-5056 to obtain the name and address of any lienholder and name and address of the owner of the motor vehicle. This information will be provided by mail only to the approved business address.

  • You’ll need to provide your business information along with the make, model, and vehicle identification number (VIN) of the vehicle.
    • Note: If the DMV does not have a record of the vehicle, a notice of intent to transfer can’t be filed.
  • The SSSF owner then has 10 days to send certified letters to the owner and lienholder of the vehicle. These letters must contain the information required in section 42-160 as amended by PA 09-187 section 46 and should indicate the facility intends to sell the vehicle at a public sale.

Filing notice of intent to transfer:

At least 60 days after date of default of the occupant, the SSSF owner must:

Mail original form with a check or money order made payable to “DMV” for $10 (this fee must accompany each form).

Mail to:


DMV Dealers & Repairers Unit
60 State Street, Room 322
Wethersfield, CT 06161


Sale of vehicle:

Once approved by the DMV and at least 10 days after publication in newspaper (see below for details) and notice to owner/lienholder, the SSSF owner can hold a public sale. The sale must be advertised at least twice in a newspaper having a circulation in the town where the facility is located.

 

Notice of the date, time, and place of the sale must be sent by certified mail to the owner (if the owner is not the storage facility occupant) and any lienholder.


Transfer vehicle to the purchaser:

Once the vehicle is sold at a public sale, the SSSF owner must provide the following documents to the purchaser:

The vehicle purchaser needs to get a VIN verification at a DMV location and meet any other requirements to register the vehicle, including possible emissions tests.