Utah car title transfer

At a glance

Seller's signature

No. The DMV says no notary is needed to sign off on a title.

Bill of sale

The DMV says to write up a bill of sale; handwritten or typed is fine.

Odometer

Form TC-891 is filled out and signed by the owner and the buyer.

Plates

The seller removes the plates unless they're being sold with the vehicle.

Seller's report

The seller reports the vehicle as sold to the DMV.

Agency

Utah DMV (State Tax Commission)

If you're selling

1. Find the title and clear any lien. Have the original title in hand. If a lender is listed, get the lien release or the lender's sign-off before the sale; the buyer can't title the car over an open lien.
2. Sign the title over. No. The DMV says no notary is needed to sign off on a title. Don't sign until the buyer is ready, and write in the buyer's name and the sale date exactly.
3. Write down the mileage. Form TC-891 is filled out and signed by the owner and the buyer.
4. Give the buyer a bill of sale. The DMV says to write up a bill of sale; handwritten or typed is fine.
5. Deal with the plates. The seller removes the plates unless they're being sold with the vehicle.
6. Report the sale. The seller reports the vehicle as sold to the DMV.
7. Cancel insurance and keep copies. Once the car is gone and the plates are off, call your insurer. Keep a photo of the signed title, the bill of sale and any sale report.

If you're buying

1. Check the title against the car and the seller. The VIN on the title should match the car, and the seller's ID should match the owner's name on the title. Ask about any lien listed on it.
2. Watch the title get signed. Seller: No. The DMV says no notary is needed to sign off on a title. Buyer: the pages we read don't say whether your signature needs a notary.
3. Get a bill of sale. The DMV says to write up a bill of sale; handwritten or typed is fine.
4. Check the mileage entry. Form TC-891 is filled out and signed by the owner and the buyer.
5. Insure the car before you drive it. Most states require insurance to register. Arrange it before driving away.
6. Plates and fees. The seller removes the plates unless they're being sold with the vehicle.

Your own checklist, marked step by step: seller · buyer.

In the agency's words

Seller

"No notary is needed to sign off on a title."

Bill of sale

"It is important to write up a bill of sale when selling an automobile."

Plates

"Unless the plates are being sold with the vehicle, please remove your license plate from the vehicle."

Report of sale

"Report the vehicle as sold to the Division of Motor Vehicles."

Worth knowing

Utah law has the seller provide the title within 48 hours of the sale.

Not stated on the pages we read: the buyer's notary rule, the buyer's deadline, the title fee.

Official sources

• Utah DMV: Responsibilities of Buyer and Seller (checked November 2026)

General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Checked November 2026 against the official pages listed above. Forms, fees and deadlines change, a county office can add its own steps, and gifts, estates, liens and out-of-state titles follow other rules; the agency or an attorney can tell you how a rule applies to your sale. MCC Solutions is not affiliated with any motor vehicle agency.

Common questions

All states: car title notarization by state · Pennsylvania · Virginia