Selling or junking a car in Tennessee, 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 (Tennessee vehicle titles) using Multi-purpose, Noting of Lien, and Duplicate Title Application (F1315201).
- 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 used-vehicle transfer, the buyer needs a valid certificate of title from the seller and, where applicable, an odometer disclosure statement. Gifts, family transfers and low-price sales also require an Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers; the paperwork is processed at the county clerk's office.
- Deal with your plates. Ask the your County Clerk's office (Tennessee vehicle titles) whether you keep, transfer or return your plates.
- Tell the state and your insurer. Tennessee has no separate seller notice that we could confirm. Keep a copy of the signed title and receipt, then cancel your insurance and registration.
How to sign over a title in Tennessee
For a used-vehicle transfer, the buyer needs a valid certificate of title from the seller and, where applicable, an odometer disclosure statement. Gifts, family transfers and low-price sales also require an Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers; the paperwork is processed at the county clerk's office.
Official page: tn.gov. For general tips on avoiding mistakes, see how to sign over a car title.
Lost title? Getting a duplicate in Tennessee
Owners apply in person or by mail through their county clerk with the completed application and proof that any liens have been released; if a lien remains, the lienholder must request it.
- Form: Multi-purpose, Noting of Lien, and Duplicate Title Application (F1315201) — download
- Available online: no
- Official page: tn.gov
More background: how to get a duplicate title before junking.
License plates after you sell
We couldn't confirm Tennessee's plate rule on an official page. Ask the your County Clerk's office (Tennessee vehicle titles) before pickup, and see plates and insurance when junking a car.
Junk and salvage titles in Tennessee
Tennessee issues salvage certificates for total-loss vehicles and non-repairable certificates for vehicles that can never be titled or registered again; applications (Form F1311801) go by mail with the original title to Vehicle Services in Nashville.
Official page: tn.gov. Background: salvage vs. rebuilt vs. junk titles.
Selling a car without a title in Tennessee
When an owner lacks proof of ownership, an approved surety bond can support a title application for vehicles worth more than $3,000 and less than 30 years old; the state also offers a certification-of-ownership route.
Official page: revenue.support.tn.gov
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Tennessee title questions
How do I replace a lost car title in Tennessee?
Owners apply in person or by mail through their county clerk with the completed application and proof that any liens have been released; if a lien remains, the lienholder must request it. The form is Multi-purpose, Noting of Lien, and Duplicate Title Application (F1315201).
Do I need to notify Tennessee when I sell my car?
We couldn't confirm a separate notice-of-sale form for Tennessee. Keep a copy of the signed title and bill of sale, cancel your registration if required, and check with the your County Clerk's office (Tennessee vehicle titles).
What happens to my license plates when I sell a car in Tennessee?
Check with the your County Clerk's office (Tennessee vehicle titles); plate rules vary by state.
Can I junk a car without a title in Tennessee?
When an owner lacks proof of ownership, an approved surety bond can support a title application for vehicles worth more than $3,000 and less than 30 years old; the state also offers a certification-of-ownership route. Confirm the details with the your County Clerk's office (Tennessee vehicle titles).
Official sources
- your County Clerk's office (Tennessee vehicle titles) — hometn.gov
- Selling or transferring a vehicle titletn.gov
- Duplicate or replacement title (Multi-purpose, Noting of Lien, and Duplicate Title Application (F1315201))tn.gov
- Multi-purpose, Noting of Lien, and Duplicate Title Application (F1315201) formtn.gov
- Junk and salvage vehiclestn.gov
- Selling without a titlerevenue.support.tn.gov
Summarized from official Tennessee government websites in October 2026. Fees and procedures change; always confirm with the your County Clerk's office (Tennessee vehicle titles) before you sell. This guide is general information, not legal advice.