How to sign your car title in Washington, D.C.
Step-by-step. Where to sign, what fields to fill, how to handle a missing title, and what we’ll need at pickup.
What’s different in Washington, D.C.
D.C. DMV title transfer is ~$26 (excise tax on transfer applies). Replacement titles run about $26.50 with proof of identity. The District accepts a Bill of Sale + signed registration when the title isn't available — we handle the paperwork.
- D.C. street parking restrictions and rush-hour tow zones change pickup windows. We schedule around them — typically off-peak weekday or weekend.
- Many D.C.-area sellers have cars titled in MD or VA but parked in the District. We handle the home-state DMV paperwork on our end.
Signing your title in Washington, D.C., step by step
The same five steps work in most states; this page calls out anything specific to a junk-car sale.
- 01Locate the title
If you have it: skip to step 2. If not, request a duplicate from your state DMV — typically $5-$50 and 1-2 weeks for the replacement to arrive.
- 02Sign the title as the seller
On the back of the title, sign in the field labeled 'Seller's Signature' or 'Transferor.' Print your name where indicated. Use blue or black ink. Don't sign more than once.
- 03Fill in the buyer information
When selling to us, we'll send you the legal name and address to write in the buyer fields. Don't leave them blank — an open title can be considered void in some states.
- 04Record the odometer reading
Required on most titles for vehicles under 10 years old. Read the odometer accurately — falsifying it is a federal offense, and we verify at pickup.
- 05Hand the signed title to the tow driver
We collect the signed title at pickup. Don't mail it ahead, don't give it to anyone but our authorized tow driver, and keep a photo of it for your records.
No title? You still have options.
Most states issue duplicate titles for $5-$50 and 1-2 weeks. We can wait. Tell us your situation up front.
If the title is genuinely lost and you can’t recover it, some states allow a bonded title — you post a surety bond covering the vehicle’s value, and the state issues a clean title. We’ve worked with this in multiple states.
For very old vehicles in some states, a notarized bill of sale plus your registration is sometimes accepted. Submit an offer and tell us what paperwork you have — we’ll let you know if it works in Washington, D.C..
Ready to sell in Washington, D.C.?
Real offer in 90 seconds. We handle the paperwork side of the DC title transfer.