Sell your car in Indiana — fill in the title, pull the plate, get paid
Indiana asks almost nothing of a car seller: the whole transaction happens on the back of the title, nobody needs a notary, and there's no follow-up form to remember three weeks later. Fill in both the seller and purchaser sections, take your plate off the car, and you're finished — the BMV even makes the bill of sale optional. Below, the rulebook in plain terms, then a real cash number for whatever you're selling.
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Five markets, five different stories: Indianapolis sells on sheer depth, Fort Wayne prices everything like a truck, South Bend fights the snow belt, Evansville plays three states at once, and Gary comes with an emissions asterisk. Pick yours for the local playbook.
What Indiana requires when you sell
| Notary | Not required — anywhere in the state. The BMV's selling instructions ask that the seller and purchaser sections on the certificate of title be completed in their entirety, and that's it: no notarization step exists. Even Indiana's optional bill of sale (State Form 44237) states it is not required to be notarized. |
|---|---|
| The title form | The sale is documented on the certificate of title itself — you complete both the seller and purchaser sections of the assignment, in full. Your buyer then applies for a new title on State Form 205 within 45 days; the title fee is $15, a speed (expedited) title is $25, and a late application draws a $30 administrative penalty. When a separate odometer disclosure is needed, that's State Form 43230. |
| Lost your title? | A duplicate for a lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed title costs $15 ($25 for a speed title) using the same State Form 205 — order it online at myBMV.com, at a branch or BMV Connect kiosk, or by mail. Two catches: a duplicate can't change owners or liens, and every lienholder must release its interest before the vehicle can be sold. |
| Protect yourself after the sale | Indiana has no notice-of-sale or release-of-liability filing for private sellers — there's nothing to mail in afterward. The protection is procedural: complete both assignment sections in full and remove your plate at the transaction. From there the clock runs on your buyer, who owes the BMV a title application within 45 days or pays that $30 penalty. |
| License plates | They're yours, not the car's. The BMV instructs the seller to take the plate off at the time of the transaction; you may transfer it to another vehicle you own, and returning it to the BMV is not required. |
| Sales tax | The buyer pays Indiana's 7% vehicle sales tax, not you. In a private sale the buyer pays it at the BMV branch when applying for the title; a dealer collects it at purchase and issues Form ST-108 (State Form 48842). Sellers collect and remit nothing. |
| Inspections | No routine statewide safety or emissions inspection stands between you and a sale. The single regional exception: vehicles registered in Lake and Porter counties must pass emissions testing under the Clean Air Car Check program, which publishes the model years due each cycle — 1976–2022 are due in 2026. |
Forms, fees, and deadlines above were checked against the Indiana BMV's official buying-and-selling instructions as of August 2026 — rules do change, so the link is there for you to verify before you sign anything.
Asked by Indiana sellers
Do I need a notary to sell my car in Indiana?
No. The BMV's selling instructions never mention one — the requirement is simply that the seller and purchaser sections of the title assignment be completed in their entirety. Indiana's bill of sale, State Form 44237, even says on its face that it doesn't have to be notarized. Fill in every field carefully and you're done; no stamp, no appointment.
Do I have to tell the BMV after I sell my car?
There's no form for that — Indiana has no notice-of-sale or release-of-liability filing for private sellers. Your protection comes from doing the handoff right: complete both assignment sections on the title in full, take your plate off before the car leaves, and keep copies of everything. The buyer is then legally required to apply for a new title within 45 days, with a $30 administrative penalty waiting if they're late.
Who pays the 7% sales tax on a private car sale?
Your buyer. Indiana collects vehicle sales tax from the purchaser — in a private sale they pay it at the BMV branch when they apply for their title, and at a dealership it's collected at purchase and documented on Form ST-108. Nothing about the tax touches the seller's side of the deal, so don't let anyone talk you into netting it out of your price.
I can't find my title. Can I still sell the car?
Yes, once you replace it. A duplicate runs $15 through State Form 205 — ordered at myBMV.com, any branch, a BMV Connect kiosk, or by mail — with a $25 speed option if you're in a hurry. Two things to know: a duplicate can't add or remove owners, and any lienholder must have released its interest before the car can change hands. Order early and line up the rest of the sale while you wait.