How to Sell a Car in Maine

The steps and process for selling a vehicle online are different in every state. Learn how to sell your used car or truck privately in Maine.

Whether you live in the Maine Highlands, Kennebec Valley, the Aroostook region, Downeast & Acadia, Midcoast, Greater Portland & Casco Bay, Maine Beaches, or the Lakes & Mountains region of Maine, if you are thinking about privately selling your used car or truck, you’ve come to the right place. With an estimated half-million registered trucks and cars in the state of Maine, it’s no wonder that thousands of private vehicle sellers from the Pine Tree State have used Autotrader to sell their car. Below, we’ve outlined the five steps and forms required for how to sell a car in the state of Maine so you can sell your car quickly for the most cash.

Remember, most states consider the vehicle title a legal document, so the legal names (no nicknames) of both parties involved should be used, along with legible handwriting using black or blue ink. Mistakes, errors, and using White-Out may void the document so be careful and take your time filling it out.

Step 1: Allow the buyer to have the car inspected by a third party
Step 2: Organize and gather all related vehicle documentation
Step 3: Bill of Sale
Step 4: Transfer the title
Step 5: Remove your plates and cancel your insurance

Step 1: Allow the buyer to have the car inspected by a third party

Many vehicle shoppers who buy a car privately pay for a pre-purchase vehicle inspection conducted by a qualified and licensed auto mechanic of their choosing. Although the buyer pays for this inspection, the seller and buyer must agree on when and where the inspection is to be held. If the inspection does find any issues with the car, it is a good idea for you as the seller to keep the report for your records. Maine does not require this inspection and doesn’t have any forms that need to be filled out, but it’s a good idea for the buyer to have the inspection performed prior to the purchase.

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Step 2: Organize and gather all related vehicle documentation

Find all maintenance records, the owner’s manual and other paperwork related to the vehicle. If you can provide the buyer with extensive and detailed maintenance records, this will help provide the buyer with confidence that you’ve maintained the car in a proper and regular manner. You may even want to consider including a vehicle history report from a service like CarFax or AutoCheck.

The most important document when selling a car is the certificate of title. If there is a lien on the title, the lienholder must release interest in the vehicle before the car is sold. This can be achieved either by the seller paying off the car or by getting a lien release from the lienholder. There is also a lien release section on the front of the title that needs to be filled out by the lienholder upon release of the lien, if applicable.

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Step 3: Bill of Sale

Maine requires a bill of sale for private car sales. The official Maine bill of sale document can be found here and requires basic information about the vehicle being sold plus the name, address, and signatures of the buyer(s) and seller(s). After this is complete, it’s a good idea for you, the seller, to make a copy of the bill of sale that you can hold on to as evidence that the car has legally changed hands.

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Step 4: Transfer the title

If the vehicle’s title has been lost, stolen or badly damaged, you can apply for a duplicate/replacement title by filing form MVT-8. There’s a $33 fee that must go with this form plus an optional $10 additional fee for a rush request.

The buyer and the seller both need to fill out the relevant sections on the back of the title. This information includes the legal name, address, and signature of the buyer and the seller(s) along with the date of the sale, and the odometer reading. When this is filled out accurately and legibly, it makes it easy for the buyer to transfer registration and acquire a new plate. If for some reason your title does not have an odometer reading section, then a separate document must be filed with this information. Fill out the official Maine Odometer Information form (form MVT-32) if this applies to you.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) odometer disclosure requirements were updated in December 2020 impacting certain private vehicle sales in Maine: For a vehicle transfer that occurs from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2030, any vehicle of model year 2011 or newer (2012, 2013, etc.) will require an odometer disclosure. Starting on January 1, 2031, any vehicle that is less than 20 model years old will require an odometer disclosure. Previously, the NHTSA required disclosure was for only the first 10 years. Cars older than 2010 are exempt from odometer disclosures.

If there is more than one owner showing on the title, the following number of signatures will be required based on the connection between the names: And – All persons listed must sign. Or – Either seller can sign, only one signature required. And/Or - Both sellers must sign. If no connection listed, it will default to ‘and’ and all owners (sellers) must sign.

When gifting a car to a relative, you can follow the same process that is outlined below to transfer the title. For inheriting a car, it’s mostly the same process, but you’ll need to file documentation of the inheritance with the county along with the title of the vehicle in question. Additionally, Maine provides this information about deceased vehicle owners should you need it.

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Step 5: Remove your plates and cancel your insurance

The seller must remove their license plates before handing the vehicle over to the buyer. If you do not do so, you may be liable for any violations after the buyer has taken possession of the vehicle. Make sure to cancel your insurance as soon as possible after you’ve removed your plates so you don’t continue paying to insure a car that you no longer own. An optional extra step you can take is completing a Plate Cancellation Request (form MVR-60) which officially cancels your license plates. This form must be notarized to be valid.

For more information, visit the Maine BMV website.

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Questions about selling your car in Maine? We have answers.

What paperwork do I need to privately sell a car in Maine?

Is a Bill of Sale required for selling a car in Maine?

Do I remove my license plate when I sell a car in Maine?

Does a vehicle Bill of Sale have to be notarized in Maine?

Does a vehicle title have to be notarized in Maine?