Selling or junking a car in Alaska, step by step
- Find your title (or replace it). If the title is lost or damaged, request a duplicate from the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles using Form 809, Affidavit of Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Title.
- Pay off any loan. If a lender is listed on the title, it must release the lien before the car can change hands. See our guide to junking a car with a lien.
- Sign the title over at pickup. The seller fills out the owner's assignment section on the title, taking care to print and sign in the designated spots, and signs the reassignment portion to release their interest. They should also send DMV the Notice of Vehicle Sale for Transfer attached to the title promptly. If the title has been lost, the owner of record has to get a duplicate before the vehicle can change hands.
- Deal with your plates. Sellers remove personalized or specialty plates when they sell, the buyer gets new plates at no extra charge, and standard-issue plates cannot be transferred.
- File the Notice of Vehicle Sale for Transfer. This notice is attached to the bottom of the original title. Sending it in protects the seller from further liability for the vehicle, and it can be mailed, emailed, or submitted through DMV's online vehicle transfer service.
How to sign over a title in Alaska
The seller fills out the owner's assignment section on the title, taking care to print and sign in the designated spots, and signs the reassignment portion to release their interest. They should also send DMV the Notice of Vehicle Sale for Transfer attached to the title promptly. If the title has been lost, the owner of record has to get a duplicate before the vehicle can change hands.
Official page: dmv.alaska.gov. For general tips on avoiding mistakes, see how to sign over a car title.
Lost title? Getting a duplicate in Alaska
Submit a notarized Form 809 (plus a lien release if one applies) at any DMV office or by mail. The page offers no online application.
- Form: Form 809, Affidavit of Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Title — download
- Available online: no
- Official page: dmv.alaska.gov
More background: how to get a duplicate title before junking.
Notice of Vehicle Sale for Transfer
This notice is attached to the bottom of the original title. Sending it in protects the seller from further liability for the vehicle, and it can be mailed, emailed, or submitted through DMV's online vehicle transfer service.
- Can be filed online: yes
- Official page: dmv.alaska.gov
Why it matters: release of liability when selling a car.
License plates after you sell
What happens to plates depends on the plate type and situation. Sellers remove personalized or specialty plates when they sell, the buyer gets new plates at no extra charge, and standard-issue plates cannot be transferred.
Source: dmv.alaska.gov
Junk and salvage titles in Alaska
Since August 1, 2025, DMV can issue a Salvage title (Form 857) for a vehicle that carries a current Junk brand and has not been reconstructed, for example to transfer it to a salvage company or surrender it to an insurer. The vehicle cannot be registered for road use until it gets a reconstructed title.
Official page: dmv.alaska.gov. Background: salvage vs. rebuilt vs. junk titles.
Selling a car without a title in Alaska
Someone who bought a vehicle but never received a title, or lost it, can get a title by posting a surety bond or cash deposit equal to 1.5 times the appraised value (Forms 824 and 825). The vehicle must be physically located in Alaska.
Official page: dmv.alaska.gov
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Alaska title questions
How do I replace a lost car title in Alaska?
Submit a notarized Form 809 (plus a lien release if one applies) at any DMV office or by mail. The page offers no online application. The form is Form 809, Affidavit of Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Title.
Do I need to notify Alaska when I sell or junk my car?
Alaska uses the Notice of Vehicle Sale for Transfer. This notice is attached to the bottom of the original title. Sending it in protects the seller from further liability for the vehicle, and it can be mailed, emailed, or submitted through DMV's online vehicle transfer service.
What happens to my license plates when I sell a car in Alaska?
Sellers remove personalized or specialty plates when they sell, the buyer gets new plates at no extra charge, and standard-issue plates cannot be transferred.
Can I junk a car without a title in Alaska?
Someone who bought a vehicle but never received a title, or lost it, can get a title by posting a surety bond or cash deposit equal to 1.5 times the appraised value (Forms 824 and 825). The vehicle must be physically located in Alaska. Confirm the details with the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles.
Official sources
- Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles — homedmv.alaska.gov
- Selling or transferring a vehicle titledmv.alaska.gov
- Duplicate or replacement title (Form 809, Affidavit of Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Title)dmv.alaska.gov
- Form 809, Affidavit of Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Title formdmv.alaska.gov
- Junk and salvage vehiclesdmv.alaska.gov
- Selling without a titledmv.alaska.gov
Summarized from official Alaska government websites in October 2026. Fees and procedures change; always confirm with the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles before you sell. This guide is general information, not legal advice.