Selling or junking a car in Minnesota, step by step
- Find your title (or replace it). If the title is lost or damaged, request a duplicate from the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) using Application for Duplicate Title, Registration, Cab or Lien Card (PS2067A).
- 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 hand prints and signs their name in the title's assignment area, writes the sale price in the sales tax declaration, enters the sale date and fills in the required disclosures: odometer (for model year 2011 and newer) and damage (for all vehicles). If there is a lien, the seller supplies the lien release, and they may also need to file a report of sale online.
- Deal with your plates. When a vehicle is sold, the plate and the registration taxes go to the new owner, with some exceptions.
- File the Report vehicle sold, donated or removed from state. Sellers can mark a vehicle as sold online, and 'totaled or junked vehicle' is one of the categories. Reporting does not itself move ownership, and DVS suspends the registration if transfer documents are not filed within 30 days.
How to sign over a title in Minnesota
The seller hand prints and signs their name in the title's assignment area, writes the sale price in the sales tax declaration, enters the sale date and fills in the required disclosures: odometer (for model year 2011 and newer) and damage (for all vehicles). If there is a lien, the seller supplies the lien release, and they may also need to file a report of sale online.
Official page: assets.dps.mn.gov. For general tips on avoiding mistakes, see how to sign over a car title.
Lost title? Getting a duplicate in Minnesota
DVS replaces titles that are lost, mutilated, stolen, destroyed or unreadable. Apply in person at a deputy registrar office (many issue it the same day) or by mail; there is no online application.
- Form: Application for Duplicate Title, Registration, Cab or Lien Card (PS2067A) — download
- Available online: no
- Official page: dps.mn.gov
More background: how to get a duplicate title before junking.
Report vehicle sold, donated or removed from state
Sellers can mark a vehicle as sold online, and 'totaled or junked vehicle' is one of the categories. Reporting does not itself move ownership, and DVS suspends the registration if transfer documents are not filed within 30 days.
- Can be filed online: yes
- Official page: dps.mn.gov
Why it matters: release of liability when selling a car.
License plates after you sell
Plates generally stay with the vehicle. When a vehicle is sold, the plate and the registration taxes go to the new owner, with some exceptions.
Source: assets.dps.mn.gov
Junk and salvage titles in Minnesota
A vehicle gets a salvage brand when an insurer declares it a total loss or damage tops 80% of value, among other triggers, and the brand can only be cleared by passing a DVS inspection. The page covers salvage titles only, not scrapping.
Official page: dps.mn.gov. Background: salvage vs. rebuilt vs. junk titles.
Selling a car without a title in Minnesota
We didn't find an official Minnesota 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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Minnesota title questions
How do I replace a lost car title in Minnesota?
DVS replaces titles that are lost, mutilated, stolen, destroyed or unreadable. Apply in person at a deputy registrar office (many issue it the same day) or by mail; there is no online application. The form is Application for Duplicate Title, Registration, Cab or Lien Card (PS2067A).
Do I need to notify Minnesota when I sell or junk my car?
Minnesota uses the Report vehicle sold, donated or removed from state. Sellers can mark a vehicle as sold online, and 'totaled or junked vehicle' is one of the categories. Reporting does not itself move ownership, and DVS suspends the registration if transfer documents are not filed within 30 days.
What happens to my license plates when I sell a car in Minnesota?
When a vehicle is sold, the plate and the registration taxes go to the new owner, with some exceptions.
Can I junk a car without a title in Minnesota?
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
- Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) — homedps.mn.gov
- Selling or transferring a vehicle titleassets.dps.mn.gov
- Duplicate or replacement title (Application for Duplicate Title, Registration, Cab or Lien Card (PS2067A))dps.mn.gov
- Application for Duplicate Title, Registration, Cab or Lien Card (PS2067A) formassets.dps.mn.gov
- Report vehicle sold, donated or removed from statedps.mn.gov
- Junk and salvage vehiclesdps.mn.gov
Summarized from official Minnesota government websites in October 2026. Fees and procedures change; always confirm with the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) before you sell. This guide is general information, not legal advice.