Selling or junking a car in Idaho, step by step
- Find your title (or replace it). If the title is lost or damaged, request a duplicate from the Idaho Transportation Department (DMV) using Duplicate Idaho Title Application (ITD 3367).
- 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 must sign the existing title to release ownership to the buyer. ITD also tells sellers to file a release of liability within 5 days of delivering the vehicle, so they are not held responsible for what the new owner does with it.
- Deal with your plates. The seller removes the plates when the vehicle is sold and may transfer them to another vehicle they own through a DMV office.
- File the Release of Liability. Sellers file a Release of Liability within 5 days of delivering the vehicle to the buyer. It can be filed online through DMV Online or mailed to the county assessor's motor vehicle office.
How to sign over a title in Idaho
The seller must sign the existing title to release ownership to the buyer. ITD also tells sellers to file a release of liability within 5 days of delivering the vehicle, so they are not held responsible for what the new owner does with it.
Official page: itd.idaho.gov. For general tips on avoiding mistakes, see how to sign over a car title.
Lost title? Getting a duplicate in Idaho
A duplicate title replaces one that is lost, damaged or unreadable. The options are a straight duplicate, a duplicate issued together with a transfer (odometer-exempt vehicles only), or an affidavit of lost title that allows changes.
- Form: Duplicate Idaho Title Application (ITD 3367) — download
- Official page: itd.idaho.gov
More background: how to get a duplicate title before junking.
Release of Liability
Sellers file a Release of Liability within 5 days of delivering the vehicle to the buyer. It can be filed online through DMV Online or mailed to the county assessor's motor vehicle office.
- Form: ITD 3858
- Can be filed online: yes
- Official page: itd.idaho.gov
Why it matters: release of liability when selling a car.
License plates after you sell
Plates stay with you, the seller, not the car. The seller removes the plates when the vehicle is sold and may transfer them to another vehicle they own through a DMV office.
Source: itd.idaho.gov
Junk and salvage titles in Idaho
A vehicle that meets Idaho's definition of a salvage vehicle gets a salvage certificate in place of its title (Application for Salvage Certificate, ITD 3312). An owner who keeps a salvage vehicle must surrender the title and get the certificate before selling it, and not doing so is a misdemeanor.
Official page: itd.idaho.gov. Background: salvage vs. rebuilt vs. junk titles.
Selling a car without a title in Idaho
We didn't find an official Idaho 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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Idaho title questions
How do I replace a lost car title in Idaho?
A duplicate title replaces one that is lost, damaged or unreadable. The options are a straight duplicate, a duplicate issued together with a transfer (odometer-exempt vehicles only), or an affidavit of lost title that allows changes. The form is Duplicate Idaho Title Application (ITD 3367).
Do I need to notify Idaho when I sell or junk my car?
Idaho uses the Release of Liability. Sellers file a Release of Liability within 5 days of delivering the vehicle to the buyer. It can be filed online through DMV Online or mailed to the county assessor's motor vehicle office.
What happens to my license plates when I sell a car in Idaho?
The seller removes the plates when the vehicle is sold and may transfer them to another vehicle they own through a DMV office.
Can I junk a car without a title in Idaho?
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
- Idaho Transportation Department (DMV) — homeitd.idaho.gov
- Selling or transferring a vehicle titleitd.idaho.gov
- Duplicate Idaho Title Application (ITD 3367) formitd.idaho.gov
- License plates after a saleitd.idaho.gov
- Junk and salvage vehiclesitd.idaho.gov
Summarized from official Idaho government websites in October 2026. Fees and procedures change; always confirm with the Idaho Transportation Department (DMV) before you sell. This guide is general information, not legal advice.