Selling or junking a car in Missouri, step by step
- Find your title (or replace it). If the title is lost or damaged, request a duplicate from the Missouri Department of Revenue (Motor Vehicle Bureau) using Application for Missouri Title and License (Form 108).
- 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 hands over a properly assigned title with every seller's printed name and signature, the odometer reading and the sale date, plus a lien release if needed and recent safety/emissions inspections where required. The seller removes the plates before the buyer takes the vehicle and reports the sale to the Department of Revenue within 30 days.
- Deal with your plates. The seller removes the plates, valid or expired, before the buyer takes the vehicle, and can destroy and recycle them or turn them in at a license office.
- File the Notice of Sale. Anyone who sells or transfers a vehicle must report it to the Department of Revenue within 30 days. The page offers the forms through license offices and the forms page but describes no online option for individual sellers.
How to sign over a title in Missouri
The seller hands over a properly assigned title with every seller's printed name and signature, the odometer reading and the sale date, plus a lien release if needed and recent safety/emissions inspections where required. The seller removes the plates before the buyer takes the vehicle and reports the sale to the Department of Revenue within 30 days.
Official page: dor.mo.gov. For general tips on avoiding mistakes, see how to sign over a car title.
Lost title? Getting a duplicate in Missouri
Fill out Form 108 with the DUPLICATE box checked and a reason given, have it signed and notarized, and turn it in at a license office or mail it to the Motor Vehicle Bureau.
- Form: Application for Missouri Title and License (Form 108) — download
- Available online: no
- Official page: dor.mo.gov
More background: how to get a duplicate title before junking.
Notice of Sale
Anyone who sells or transfers a vehicle must report it to the Department of Revenue within 30 days. The page offers the forms through license offices and the forms page but describes no online option for individual sellers.
- Form: Form 5049 (or Form 5049A tear-off, or Bill of Sale Form 1957)
- Can be filed online: no
- Official page: dor.mo.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, valid or expired, before the buyer takes the vehicle, and can destroy and recycle them or turn them in at a license office.
Source: dor.mo.gov
Junk and salvage titles in Missouri
Missouri's standard title application includes checkboxes for salvage and junk title types, including duplicates of each; no separate DOR consumer page on junking certificates could be found.
Official page: dor.mo.gov. Background: salvage vs. rebuilt vs. junk titles.
Selling a car without a title in Missouri
We didn't find an official Missouri 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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Missouri title questions
How do I replace a lost car title in Missouri?
Fill out Form 108 with the DUPLICATE box checked and a reason given, have it signed and notarized, and turn it in at a license office or mail it to the Motor Vehicle Bureau. The form is Application for Missouri Title and License (Form 108).
Do I need to notify Missouri when I sell or junk my car?
Missouri uses the Notice of Sale. Anyone who sells or transfers a vehicle must report it to the Department of Revenue within 30 days. The page offers the forms through license offices and the forms page but describes no online option for individual sellers.
What happens to my license plates when I sell a car in Missouri?
The seller removes the plates, valid or expired, before the buyer takes the vehicle, and can destroy and recycle them or turn them in at a license office.
Can I junk a car without a title in Missouri?
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
- Missouri Department of Revenue (Motor Vehicle Bureau) — homedor.mo.gov
- Selling or transferring a vehicle titledor.mo.gov
- Duplicate or replacement title (Application for Missouri Title and License (Form 108))dor.mo.gov
- Application for Missouri Title and License (Form 108) formdor.mo.gov
- Notice of Saledor.mo.gov
Summarized from official Missouri government websites in October 2026. Fees and procedures change; always confirm with the Missouri Department of Revenue (Motor Vehicle Bureau) before you sell. This guide is general information, not legal advice.