Vehicle Sellers Report
Did you know, that in Washington state, you can't mail in a seller's report anymore? A seller's report is what the registered owner of a vehicle must somehow advise the state that they have sold their vehicle. It has to be done within five, (5) days, and if you are selling an older vehicle, the seller's report is attached to the bottom of the title. When you read it, it has the address to mail it too. But guess what? The state does not accept them by mail.My husband and I own a towing company, and we see people on a regular basis that honestly thought they did what they were supposed to by law. Mail in the report. If the seller's report is not complete, including the buyer's full address, and the buyer doesn't transfer the title, the responsibility of that vehicle falls back on the person who sold the vehicle!The reason the state stopped accepting them by mail, is because they would get lost in the mail, or the person who was supposed to put the buyer's information on the title, didn't do their job. Now the ways that you can report the sale are to:Take the buyer's information to the courthouse and report it. This is usually free, but you do have to make the trip.Go to a Department of Licensing Dealer and report it. This may be closer, but you do still have to make the trip, and it costs a small fee.Go to https://fortress.wa.gov/dol/rosprod/ and report it online. This doesn't involve going anywhere, and is completely free! Check with your own state's Department of Licensing to see if they have a place to do a seller's report online.The information you will need is the seller's name, (your name), your address, the year, make and model of the vehicle, the VIN number, the license number, (all of which can be found on the title), and then the buyer's information. Make sure you get their name, a complete address, (a partial address voids the seller's report), and their driver's license number or ID number if they have one. You will also need to report how much you sold it for.I cannot stress enough how important this is! You can sell a vehicle, and if the buyer never transferred the title, years later you could get a notice from a towing company that your old vehicle has been impounded. Trust me on this one...friends and family are the worst for transferring the title! It will cost you hundreds of dollars to get this vehicle out. If you don't, it will be auctioned, sent to collections, and it can keep you from getting your driver's license renewed if you don't pay it!It only takes a moment to do a seller's report. It's the law, and it will save you a lot of heartache and money. It very well could be a couple of the best minutes you spent on yourself!Tweet
Did you know, that in Washington state, you can't mail in a seller's report anymore? A seller's report is what the registered owner of a vehicle must somehow advise the state that they have sold their vehicle. It has to be done within five, (5) days, and if you are selling an older vehicle, the seller's report is attached to the bottom of the title. When you read it, it has the address to mail it too. But guess what? The state does not accept them by mail.
My husband and I own a towing company, and we see people on a regular basis that honestly thought they did what they were supposed to by law. Mail in the report. If the seller's report is not complete, including the buyer's full address, and the buyer doesn't transfer the title, the responsibility of that vehicle falls back on the person who sold the vehicle!
The reason the state stopped accepting them by mail, is because they would get lost in the mail, or the person who was supposed to put the buyer's information on the title, didn't do their job. Now the ways that you can report the sale are to:
Take the buyer's information to the courthouse and report it. This is usually free, but you do have to make the trip.
Go to a Department of Licensing Dealer and report it. This may be closer, but you do still have to make the trip, and it costs a small fee.
Go to https://fortress.wa.gov/dol/rosprod/ and report it online. This doesn't involve going anywhere, and is completely free! Check with your own state's Department of Licensing to see if they have a place to do a seller's report online.
The information you will need is the seller's name, (your name), your address, the year, make and model of the vehicle, the VIN number, the license number, (all of which can be found on the title), and then the buyer's information. Make sure you get their name, a complete address, (a partial address voids the seller's report), and their driver's license number or ID number if they have one. You will also need to report how much you sold it for.
I cannot stress enough how important this is! You can sell a vehicle, and if the buyer never transferred the title, years later you could get a notice from a towing company that your old vehicle has been impounded. Trust me on this one...friends and family are the worst for transferring the title! It will cost you hundreds of dollars to get this vehicle out. If you don't, it will be auctioned, sent to collections, and it can keep you from getting your driver's license renewed if you don't pay it!
It only takes a moment to do a seller's report. It's the law, and it will save you a lot of heartache and money. It very well could be a couple of the best minutes you spent on yourself!
