USAChange market
Legal Center
Legal, treated like product.
Below is general guidance on how selling a vehicle works across our markets. Our binding agreements are drafted with counsel and appear here the day each one is final — we publish real agreements or nothing, never boilerplate stand-ins.
Ownership & finance
- What proves you can sell the car?
- In the United States, the certificate of title names the legal owner; selling means signing the title over and clearing any lien. Title rules and transfer paperwork vary by state, so check your state's requirements — a seller confirms they are entitled to sell and settles any outstanding finance before the transfer completes.
- Money still owed on the car
- If there is money owed on the car, it must be settled as part of the sale. In the US this is a lien recorded against the title, released when the loan is paid off. A car can still be sold with a loan on it — the balance is simply paid off as part of completing the sale.
- Roadworthiness
- Many US states require a valid safety and/or emissions inspection for a car in use; requirements vary by state. A current inspection certificate is not a warranty of condition — it is a point-in-time check.
Your responsibilities & rights
- Selling privately vs. to a trade buyer
- Consumer-protection rules that cover a business selling TO a consumer generally do not apply the same way when a private individual sells to a dealer. A private seller's core obligation is honesty: the car must be described accurately and not misrepresented. Deliberately hiding a known fault can leave a seller liable.
- Describe the car accurately
- Declare what you genuinely know — mileage, accident history, known faults, and whether the car matches its paperwork. An honest declaration protects you: it is the record the transaction is built on, and it is what a structured collection check is measured against.
- Your data and privacy
- Selling a car involves personal data (your identity, contact details, the vehicle's identifiers). Reputable platforms collect only what a sale needs, keep your exact location and contact details private until you accept an offer, and let you ask what is held about you. Never share full bank details, passwords, or one-time codes with a buyer.
This is general information to help you understand how selling a vehicle works. It is not legal advice, it is not specific to your situation, and it is not an agreement with AutoHouseIQ or anyone else. For advice on your circumstances, consult a qualified professional in your country.
Marketplace agreements
These are the binding documents. Each publishes here once counsel has finalized it for the market.
- Terms of Service
- The agreement governing use of the platform.
- In counsel drafting
- Privacy Policy
- What we collect, why, and how it's protected.
- In counsel drafting
- Seller Terms
- The terms that apply when you list and sell a vehicle.
- In counsel drafting
- Dealer Agreement
- Verification, bidding, fees, and conduct for dealers.
- In counsel drafting
- Fee, Cancellation & Refund Policy
- How the marketplace fee, credits, and refunds work.
- In counsel drafting