Selling or junking a car in Delaware, step by step
- Find your title (or replace it). If the title is lost or damaged, request a duplicate from the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles using MV213, Application for Duplicate 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 completes the assignment section on the back of the title with the buyer's name and address, sale date, price and odometer reading, and no notary is needed. Titles joined by AND need all owners to sign. The seller also sends DMV a Seller's Report of Sale.
- Deal with your plates. The plate stays with the seller rather than the buyer: the seller either returns it to a DMV office or brings the title to DMV before the sale to keep the plate in retention for a future vehicle.
- File the Seller's Report of Sale. The report sits at the bottom of newer Delaware titles and is also available as a standalone form (https://dmv.de.gov/forms/veh_serv_forms/pdfs/ros_buyer.pdf); DMV flags the vehicle record as transferred on the reported date. The form is submitted by mail or email.
How to sign over a title in Delaware
The seller completes the assignment section on the back of the title with the buyer's name and address, sale date, price and odometer reading, and no notary is needed. Titles joined by AND need all owners to sign. The seller also sends DMV a Seller's Report of Sale.
Official page: dmv.de.gov. For general tips on avoiding mistakes, see how to sign over a car title.
Lost title? Getting a duplicate in Delaware
All owners sign the MV213 and provide their license numbers, and any lienholder must acknowledge or satisfy the lien on the form. Mail requests need a copy of the owner's ID showing their signature.
- Form: MV213, Application for Duplicate Title — download
- Official page: dmv.de.gov
More background: how to get a duplicate title before junking.
Seller's Report of Sale
The report sits at the bottom of newer Delaware titles and is also available as a standalone form (https://dmv.de.gov/forms/veh_serv_forms/pdfs/ros_buyer.pdf); DMV flags the vehicle record as transferred on the reported date. The form is submitted by mail or email.
- Can be filed online: no
- Official page: dmv.de.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. The plate stays with the seller rather than the buyer: the seller either returns it to a DMV office or brings the title to DMV before the sale to keep the plate in retention for a future vehicle.
Source: dmv.de.gov
Junk and salvage titles in Delaware
Owners who keep a vehicle after an insurance total loss get a salvage certificate, and the plate goes into retention if the registration is current. The vehicle cannot be driven until it passes State Police and DMV inspections and is retitled.
Official page: dmv.de.gov. Background: salvage vs. rebuilt vs. junk titles.
Selling a car without a title in Delaware
We didn't find an official Delaware page describing a no-title option, so the safest route is to request a duplicate first. Our guide to junking a car without a title covers the general options buyers may accept.
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Delaware title questions
How do I replace a lost car title in Delaware?
All owners sign the MV213 and provide their license numbers, and any lienholder must acknowledge or satisfy the lien on the form. Mail requests need a copy of the owner's ID showing their signature. The form is MV213, Application for Duplicate Title.
Do I need to notify Delaware when I sell or junk my car?
Delaware uses the Seller's Report of Sale. The report sits at the bottom of newer Delaware titles and is also available as a standalone form (https://dmv.de.gov/forms/veh_serv_forms/pdfs/ros_buyer.pdf); DMV flags the vehicle record as transferred on the reported date. The form is submitted by mail or email.
What happens to my license plates when I sell a car in Delaware?
The plate stays with the seller rather than the buyer: the seller either returns it to a DMV office or brings the title to DMV before the sale to keep the plate in retention for a future vehicle.
Can I junk a car without a title in Delaware?
It depends on the car and the buyer. The simplest route is usually to request a duplicate title first. Our guide to junking a car without a title explains the general options.
Official sources
- Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles — homedmv.de.gov
- Selling or transferring a vehicle titledmv.de.gov
- Duplicate or replacement title (MV213, Application for Duplicate Title)dmv.de.gov
- MV213, Application for Duplicate Title formdmv.de.gov
- License plates after a saledmv.de.gov
- Junk and salvage vehiclesdmv.de.gov
Summarized from official Delaware government websites in October 2026. Fees and procedures change; always confirm with the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles before you sell. This guide is general information, not legal advice.