Overhaulin'

Is it okay to sell car and not fill out title?

I have a car for sale...One potential buyer asked me if I could leave the title blank when I sell it to him...I will have a bill of sale completed with both our names on it, but I wanted to know if there is any trouble i would face by not filling out the title...It says on the title that you must fill it out.thanks

Public Comments

1. I'm not actually sure of the answer, but here's a potential situation: the buyer filling it out with your name again and going on a hit-and-run spree over the most populated sidewalks of the city. That's just what I get from it, though. Maybe it's not quite as easy as it sounds.
2. I think he want to put his own price on it(to pay less tax on it). You have to sign it though, I believe...to get it out of your face. What he does with the registration is his problem.
3. No fill it It as it says. Hes probably is going to sell it and he don't want to have to register it and pay sales tax on it. That's called title jumping and illegal........md
4. FILL OUT THE TITLE! Also be sure to mail it in.If not you will still be the legal & liable owner if the car has an accident or is used in criminal purposes. Could get expensive for you.
5. If the instructions say to properly fill in and completer the title, then tell the jerk buyer that you will not do it his way. Here in the state of Texas, it is AGAINST THE LAW to not properly execute the title, and anyone failing to do so can get into big trouble when caught. It sounds like this guy is some kind of scam artist, and planning to do something illegal. That's another thing about here in Texas, the last registered owner is responsible for bad things done with a motor vehicle. For example, IF the car remains registered to you, and is involved in a bank robbery, the FBI is going to come visit YOU!!!! Years ago that happened to me. In that case, I did fill out the title, but he sold the car to a second guy without ever registering the title, and the second guy also, and then two or three more guys before the bank robbers got it. The license plate and registration were STILL in my name when witnesses saw it escaping the bank robbery. Luckily, the FBI guys checked me and my story out, and cleared me, but it was a long, drawn-out pain in the a**. Don't do it.
6. Its not illegal, but the car would still legally belong to you, and you would be liable for anything that happens with it, i.e. if it strikes a pedestrian, if its used in a robbery, if its part of a hit and run, if its found abandoned, if it accrues parking tickets, etc. Now you will have the bill of sale to say you sold it, but you are going to have to tell that to a judge and explain why you didn't transfer title, and even then you still might be responsible because you never transferred it. This guy is up to something shady, lose his phone number.
7. no this is illegal and you could be fined from the state and the IRS. If the person runs illegal tags on it or commits a crime with it and the police confiscate the car they will come looking for you as you are still the last registered owner. A bill of sale is worthless anyway unless it is notarized. The reason a person don't want the title filled in is for many reasons such as they don't plan on titling the vehicle for awhile ( some states charge a penalty for titling a vehicle over 30 days after purchase), or they plan on reselling the car for more money. If they resell the car they can make all kinds of guarantees or even offer a full warranty for which you the last registered owner will and can be held liable for. Their name is not on any paperwork so they get the money and get to walk away so fill out the title.
8. It's very common to do that, but it's not necessarily legal. In fact, I don't suppose I've ever seen ANY seller want the buyer's info filled in on a title. Then again, I'm not a low-life. The trick is not to scare people by looking like some kind of nut.