The procedures and approach for selling a car online vary by state. Discover how to sell your used car or truck in Wisconsin confidentially.
If you reside in Northern, Northeast, West Central, South Central, or Southeast Wisconsin and want to sell your old automobile or truck privately, you've come to the perfect location. With an estimated 2.5 million registered trucks and vehicles in Wisconsin, it's no surprise that cashforcarsinc.com has helped thousands of individual vehicle sellers in the Badger State sell their car. We've explained the five stages and needed documents for how to sell a car in Wisconsin below, so you can sell your automobile fast and for the maximum money.
Remember that most states regard the car title to be a legal document, so use the legal names (no nicknames) of both individuals involved, as well as readable handwriting in black or blue ink. Mistakes, typos, and the use of White-Out may render the document null and worthless, so be cautious and take your time filling it out.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation offers a very useful paper called Instructions for Selling a Vehicle (form MV2928) that walks you through each process. The Buyer's Acknowledgement of Delivery of Vehicle & Title comes at the bottom of the checklist, which the buyer should fill out and sign for you, the seller, to keep. This step is optional, but we encourage it so that you, the seller, have proof of sale and delivery of the car to the buyer.
Step 1: Allow the buyer to have a third party assess the vehicle
Many private automobile buyers pay for a pre-purchase vehicle check performed by a skilled and certified auto technician of their choice. Although the buyer pays for the inspection, the seller and buyer must agree on the date and location of the inspection. If the inspection reveals any problems with the vehicle, you should save the report for your records as the seller. Wisconsin does not require this inspection and there are no documents to fill out, but it is a good idea for the buyer to have it completed prior to the purchase.
Step 2: Organize and collect all vehicle papers
Find all maintenance records, the owner's manual, and other vehicle-related papers. If you can offer the buyer with extensive and thorough maintenance documents, it will give the buyer confidence that the automobile has been properly and regularly maintained. You should also think about providing a car history record from a provider like CarFax or AutoCheck.
The title certificate is the most critical document to have when selling an automobile in Wisconsin. If a lien exists on the title, the lienholder must release interest in the vehicle before it may be sold. This can be accomplished by the selling either paying off the automobile or obtaining a lien release from the lienholder.
A bill of sale is required in several states for private automobile transactions, but Wisconsin is not one of them. However, at the bottom of the Instructions for Selling a Vehicle form, there is a bill of sale that we recommend filling out and producing a duplicate for both the buyer and the seller. This bill of sale is not required to be filed with the DMV, but it is an excellent document to have since it provides legal protection for both the buyer and seller.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) odometer disclosure standards, which affect some private car purchases in Wisconsin, were revised in December 2020: Any vehicle of model year 2011 or newer (2012, 2013, etc.) that is transferred between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2030 will require an odometer disclosure. Beginning January 1, 2031, every vehicle less than 20 model years old will be required to have an odometer disclosure. Previously, the NHTSA only mandated disclosure for the first ten years. Cars manufactured before 2010 are exempt from odometer disclosures.
Step 3: Change the title
If the vehicle's title is lost, stolen, or significantly damaged, you can apply for a replacement/duplicate Wisconsin title online and get your title in the mail within 7-10 business days of completing the online application. Form MV2119 can also be used to apply by mail. There is a $20 cost for both the online and mail-in alternatives to get a duplicate title.
If more than one seller is stated on the title and their names are separated by "or," just one of the sellers is required to sign the car title in order to transfer it to the buyer. If the title lists more than one seller and their names are separated by "and" or "and/or," both sellers must sign the title before it is transferred to the buyer. If nothing separates the names of the owners, both must sign. The same is true for many purchasers.
Both the buyer and the seller must complete the applicable areas on the back of the title. This information contains the buyer's and seller's legal names, addresses, and signatures, as well as the date of the transaction and the odometer reading. If the car is less than ten years old, make sure you fill out the odometer reading. When this is filled out correctly and legibly, the buyer can easily transfer registration and obtain a new plate.
If you want to give an automobile to a relative, you can transfer the title using the identical procedure described here. It's largely the same process for inheriting a car, but you'll need to file paperwork of the inheritance with the county along with the title of the vehicle in issue.
Step 4: Take off your license plates and cancel your insurance
Before passing over the car to the buyer in Wisconsin, the seller must remove their license plates. If you do not, you may be held accountable for any infractions that occur after the buyer takes ownership of the car. Make sure to cancel your insurance as soon as you remove your plates so you don't have to pay to cover a car you no longer own.
Step 5: Submit the sale report
Wisconsin requires sellers to disclose automobile sales within 30 days of the transaction date. You can find instructions on how to record the sale here and start the seller notification process here.
Visit the Wisconsin DMV website for further information. Wisconsin also has a variety of automobile forms that you might find useful.
The Easier Way to Sell Your Car
Now that you've learned everything there is to know about selling a car in Wisconsin, it's time to determine where to list it. Cashforcarsinc.com makes it simple to sell your car. With ready-to-sign state documentation, encrypted chat, and more, our platform provides all the tools and recommendations you need to make the transaction a breeze.
