Selling a Used Car in Georgia

PrivateAuto is the fastest, most secure, and most convenient platform for selling your used car in Georgia. We tell you everything you need to know.

If you want to sell your car privately, it's important to take note of the state-specific requirements that might apply to the transaction. Georgia has a number of them, and understanding them is essential for any private car owner in the state who's considering selling their car. Here are the five basic steps you'll need to follow.

Take note of the following laws regarding private car sales in Georgia.


Now, let's review the five basic steps of selling a car in Georgia.

Start collecting your car's owner's manual, maintenance records, and all other paperwork associated with the car. You should also collect any paperwork relating to repairs or upgrades you have completed over time. Proof you've completed recall-related repairs is also important.

You will need a valid and current Georgia Vehicle Emissions Inspection Report (VIR) to sell your car assuming you are in Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding or Rockdale. You are required to sell any light-duty truck or gasoline-powered car with a current and valid VIR if you are in one of these counties. Exemptions apply to vehicles over 25 years of age, alternative fuel vehicles, and diesel vehicles.

If you don't have your title, you will need to complete a lost or stolen title application (Form MV-1) and pay the fees associated with recovering it before you sell the car.

The original title will contain an area on the back where the purchaser will fill out their full legal name, date of the sale, current address, and confirm the current odometer reading for the vehicle at the time of sale. Remember that all writing must be in legible handwriting in blue or black ink.

You absolutely cannot make errors when filling out this information, nor can you correct anything with white-out or you will need to contact your DMV and ask them about correcting the title. Also, make sure the purchase date is correct, as a penalty will be assessed if it's altered later.

As long as you remain the registered owner of the vehicle, you could be held liable for any incidents involving the car. For that reason, you should cancel your registration as soon as you sell the car. In Georgia, you can do this by going online and using the Georgia DRIVES e-Service or by completing and signing Form MV-18J, known as the "Application for Voluntary Registration Cancellation".

In either case, you will need the license plate number, the vehicle identification number (VIN), and the number from your Georgia driver's license. The state suggests canceling your registration before canceling your insurance to avoid fines.

Once you have canceled your registration, you can cancel the insurance policy on your car. You may receive a prorated refund for the amount of time left on your policy, especially if you pay every six months instead of monthly. However, you should contact your insurance company to ensure they don't charge any cancelation fees.

You should cancel your policy within 30 days of selling your car.

The final step in completing your private party car sale in Georgia is to file a bill of sale (Form T-7). This is an official document provided by the Georgia Department of Revenue and it's to be used in all private party vehicle transactions. You can download it online and print it out to fill out with the buyer.

Both parties will need to fill out information on the bill of sale and sign it. This document protects both parties in the event that miscommunications occur. You may also choose to have the bill of sale notarized, although this isn't legally required by the state.

You can typically get a higher price for your car in the private market than they do from a Georgia dealership trade-in. That’s because dealerships need to make a spread: they buy low and sell high.

Unfortunately, selling your vehicle on the private market has always been a cumbersome process, in Georgia and throughout the US. Until now.

Now that you know all the steps that go into selling your car in the state of Georgia, it's time to decide where to list. Selling your car with PrivateAuto is simple. Our platform offers all the tools and tips you need to make the sale an easy one, with ready-to-sign state documents, secure messaging, and more.

When you list with PrivateAuto, you'll enjoy:


Ready to get started? Listing your car with PrivateAuto is easy. With our listing template, we'll walk you through all the steps so your listing can shine. Get started today.

Georgia private car sellers love PrivateAuto because we make the process of selling your car so simple.

Here’s how the PrivateAuto selling process works:

1. You register on PrivateAuto and we verify you
2. You list your car model with our easy step-by-step guided process
3. You set your terms and screen would-be buyers
4. You vet incoming offers and choose a buyer
5. You and the buyer e-sign documents from your PrivateAuto phone app
6. You get paid, instantaneously

So easy.

Are you interested in buying a car in Georgia instead? Look through our used cars for sale.