Selling or junking a car in Kentucky, step by step
- Find your title (or replace it). If the title is lost or damaged, request a duplicate from the your County Clerk's office (Kentucky vehicle titles) using TC 96-182 (Application for Kentucky Title/Registration).
- 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. For a sale between Kentucky residents, the seller signs the back of the title in front of a notary, and the buyer takes it to the County Clerk to transfer it. Titles issued before 2000 may also need Form TC 96-182.
- Deal with your plates. Starting in 2024, Kentucky sellers keep their plate when they sell or trade a vehicle and can move it to another vehicle of the same class.
- File the Affidavit of Incomplete Transfer (out-of-state buyers only). When selling to someone out of state, the seller tells the County Clerk the buyer's name and state. If the vehicle is not transferred within 15 days, the seller files TC 96-3. No general notice of sale for in-state sales was found.
How to sign over a title in Kentucky
For a sale between Kentucky residents, the seller signs the back of the title in front of a notary, and the buyer takes it to the County Clerk to transfer it. Titles issued before 2000 may also need Form TC 96-182.
Official page: drive.ky.gov. For general tips on avoiding mistakes, see how to sign over a car title.
Lost title? Getting a duplicate in Kentucky
Bring a completed TC 96-182, the title or plate number, and photo ID to your County Clerk's office to get a duplicate title.
- Form: TC 96-182 (Application for Kentucky Title/Registration) — download
- Official page: drive.ky.gov
More background: how to get a duplicate title before junking.
Affidavit of Incomplete Transfer (out-of-state buyers only)
When selling to someone out of state, the seller tells the County Clerk the buyer's name and state. If the vehicle is not transferred within 15 days, the seller files TC 96-3. No general notice of sale for in-state sales was found.
- Form: TC 96-3
- Official page: drive.ky.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. Starting in 2024, Kentucky sellers keep their plate when they sell or trade a vehicle and can move it to another vehicle of the same class.
Source: scottcountyclerk.ky.gov
Junk and salvage titles in Kentucky
Owners use the Application to Junk a Vehicle Title (TC 96-351) to take a title permanently out of circulation when the vehicle is going to a junkyard to be crushed or kept for parts. Kentucky law (KRS 186A.295) also requires the title of a destroyed vehicle to be surrendered to the County Clerk within 10 working days.
Official page: transportation.ky.gov. Background: salvage vs. rebuilt vs. junk titles.
Selling a car without a title in Kentucky
We didn't find an official Kentucky 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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Kentucky title questions
How do I replace a lost car title in Kentucky?
Bring a completed TC 96-182, the title or plate number, and photo ID to your County Clerk's office to get a duplicate title. The form is TC 96-182 (Application for Kentucky Title/Registration).
Do I need to notify Kentucky when I sell or junk my car?
Kentucky uses the Affidavit of Incomplete Transfer (out-of-state buyers only). When selling to someone out of state, the seller tells the County Clerk the buyer's name and state. If the vehicle is not transferred within 15 days, the seller files TC 96-3. No general notice of sale for in-state sales was found.
What happens to my license plates when I sell a car in Kentucky?
Starting in 2024, Kentucky sellers keep their plate when they sell or trade a vehicle and can move it to another vehicle of the same class.
Can I junk a car without a title in Kentucky?
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
- your County Clerk's office (Kentucky vehicle titles) — homedrive.ky.gov
- Selling or transferring a vehicle titledrive.ky.gov
- TC 96-182 (Application for Kentucky Title/Registration) formtransportation.ky.gov
- License plates after a salescottcountyclerk.ky.gov
- Junk and salvage vehiclestransportation.ky.gov
Summarized from official Kentucky government websites in October 2026. Fees and procedures change; always confirm with the your County Clerk's office (Kentucky vehicle titles) before you sell. This guide is general information, not legal advice.