How to Sell a Car in West Virginia

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 West Virginia.

Whether you live in the Mid-Ohio Valley, Metro Valley, Mountain Lakes, Potomac Highlands, or New River/Greenbrier region of West Virginia, if you are thinking about privately selling your used car or truck, you’ve come to the right place. With an estimated 700,000 registered trucks and cars in the state of West Virginia, it’s no wonder that thousands of private vehicle sellers from the Mountain State have used Autotrader to sell their car. Below, we’ve outlined the five steps and required forms for how to sell a car in the state of West Virginia 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. West Virginia 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 the lienholder providing a letter of lien release. If you can’t pay off the car, then a lien release statement from your lienholder that specifies the vehicle’s VIN must be submitted to the DMV.

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Step 3: Bill of Sale

West Virginia requires a bill of sale to be filled out by the buyer and the seller for private vehicle purchases. The official form for this is form DMV-7-TR which records information like the purchase price, the odometer reading, and the VIN of the vehicle in question. This document needs to be signed by both the buyer and the seller in the presence of a notary. After it’s filled out and signed, it’s a good idea for the seller to make a copy and hold onto it as proof that the car has legally changed hands.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) odometer disclosure requirements were updated in December 2020 impacting certain private vehicle sales in West Virginia: 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. The West Virginia DMV has this odometer disclosure form (DMV-TM-1) on their website.

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Step 4: Transfer the title

If the vehicle’s title has been lost, stolen or badly damaged, you can get a replacement/duplicate West Virginia title by filling out an Affidavit of Duplicate Title for a Vehicle, form DMV-4-TR. With that form filled out plus a $15 fee you can get a duplicate title by filing the form with the DMV.

When selling a car privately in West Virginia, 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, the odometer reading, and the purchase price. If there is more than one seller named on the title and their names are separated by “and” then both the sellers needs to sign vehicle title in order to transfer it to the buyer. If there is more than one seller named on the title and their names are separated by “or” or “and/or” then either seller can sign the title before it is transferred to the buyer. If nothing separates the owner names, both must sign. The same applies to multiple buyers.

If you’re wondering about gifting a car to a relative, you’ll need to complete the Affidavit of Transfer of Ownership Without Consideration (form DMV-5-TR), unless the vehicle is being gifted by a parent to a child or a child to a parent or a spouse to a spouse. Without the affidavit, the seller will pay tax on the blue book value, no matter the relationship. For inheriting a car, you’ll need to file a Legal Heir Affidavit (form DMV-185-TR). In the case of a vehicle owner’s death, a survivor should remove the name of the deceased registrant from the vehicle's title. See the section of “When A Registrant Dies” at the bottom of this page for more details.

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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. After the sale is complete, you can file a Sold Vehicle Notice with the state via form DMV-1-S, but it is not mandatory. 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.

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For more information, visit the West Virginia DMV website

Questions about selling your car in West Virginia? We have answers.

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

Is a Bill of Sale required for selling a car in West Virginia?

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

Does a bill of sale have to be notarized in West Virginia?

Does a vehicle title have to be notarized in West Virginia?