Private-Party Vehicle Title Transfer Requirements in Delaware

At a glance

Requirements one by one

The title endorsement and the DMV filing

Delaware moves ownership through the certificate of title. Under § 2510(b) the seller "shall endorse an assignment and warranty of title upon the certificate of title ... with a statement, as certified by the owner under penalty of perjury, of all liens or encumbrances thereon," and "deliver the certificate of title to the purchaser ... at the time of delivering the vehicle." The title itself carries the owner-signature, assignment/warranty, and lien-notation spaces (§ 2306(b)). On the back the seller fills in the buyer's name and address, the date of sale, the price, and the odometer disclosure; if the front shows ownership as "AND," all owners sign, and if "AND/OR," only one need sign (DMV).

The buyer completes the Purchaser's Application on the title and signs, then "present[s] such certificate endorsed and assigned to the Department, accompanied by a transfer fee of $35" and applies for a new title (§ 2510(c)). A recorded lien must be released before the transfer.

No notary on the title — but a notarized bill of sale for the fee

Two different documents, two different rules. The title assignment needs no notary: Delaware titles "do not require notary" (DMV), and § 2510(b) relies on a penalty-of-perjury certification. The notarization that does matter is for tax: 30 Del. C. § 3002(b) says "the amount of the purchase price shall be evidenced by a notarized bill of sale." Without one, the DMV computes the document fee on the vehicle's NADA book value instead of your price.

The bill of sale proves the price

Delaware does not require a bill of sale to move the title, but it is what establishes the price for the document fee. If the buyer "has no Bill of Sale or the reverse side of the Delaware title does not indicate the purchase price, the document fee is to be based on the current average trade-in value as listed in the current N.A.D.A Guide" (DMV). A notarized bill of sale showing the true price is therefore worth having whenever the actual price is below book value.

Odometer disclosure on the title

The seller records the odometer reading in the Assignment of Certificate of Title on the back of the title (DMV), as part of the § 2510(b) assignment and warranty and under the federal 49 CFR 580 overlay. Vehicles from model year 2011 disclose for the first 20 years; most 2010-and-older vehicles are now beyond the older window. There is no separate ordinary damage form; salvage and rebuilt vehicles use a separate process.

The seller reports the sale and pulls the plates

Delaware, unlike some states, gives the seller an affirmative report-of-sale duty. The registration "shall expire" on transfer (§ 2501), and § 2502 requires the owner to "endorse the name and address of the transferee and the date of transfer upon the registration card ... and ... immediately give or send such card to the Department." The DMV provides a Seller's Report of Sale — detachable at the bottom of the new title, or a separate form — that notifies the DMV and protects the seller from later liability. The plate stays with the owner: remove it and return it to a DMV office, or retain or transfer it to another vehicle.

The buyer's 30 days, no sales tax, and the document fee

The buyer must apply for a new title "immediately following purchase, but in no case more than 30 days after purchase" (§ 2503(a)), and before driving must apply for the title transfer, register, "submit the vehicle to inspection," and get new plates. Delaware charges no sales tax. In its place is the motor-vehicle document fee, which § 3002(c) sets at $5.25 per each $100 of price — about 5.25% — charged on the greater of the purchase price or the NADA average trade-in value. Add the $35 title transfer fee (§ 2510(c)) and the annual registration fee. Bring the endorsed title, the Purchaser's Application, proof of liability insurance, and a Delaware license or two proofs of residency.

Inspection and insurance before you drive

Section 2503(a) folds inspection into the transfer: the buyer must "submit the vehicle to inspection" before operating, and Delaware's DMV lanes run safety and, in New Castle and Kent Counties, emissions checks. Liability insurance is required — the DMV asks for proof of Delaware insurance to title and register, and driving uninsured triggers the uninsured-motorist penalty. Practically, "the vehicle may not be operated until a new title is issued in the buyer's name" (DMV), consistent with § 2301(b).

What trips people up

• Thinking the title needs notarizing. It does not (DMV). The notary that matters is on the bill of sale used to prove your price for the document fee (§ 3002(b)).
• Selling before you hold the title. Selling or transferring without first obtaining a certificate of title is a crime — a fine of $25 to $500 or 30 days to 1 year (§ 2510(a)).
• Missing the 30-day window. Apply for the new title within 30 days of purchase or pay a late fee (§ 2503(a)).
• Leaving the plate on the car. Plates belong to the owner; remove and return the plate, or the seller can face violations tied to the vehicle after the sale.

Common questions

Does the Delaware title need to be notarized? No. The title assignment uses a penalty-of-perjury certification, not a notary. A notary is only needed on the bill of sale used to prove the purchase price for the document fee.

Is there sales tax on a private car sale? No sales tax. Delaware instead charges a motor-vehicle document fee of about 5.25% (§ 3002(c)) on the greater of the price or the vehicle's NADA book value, plus a $35 title transfer fee.

How long does the buyer have to transfer the title? Within 30 days of purchase (§ 2503(a)); a later application brings a late fee.

Can the buyer drive the car right away? Not until it is titled, registered, inspected, and on new plates. The car "may not be operated until a new title is issued in the buyer's name" (DMV).

Statutes and sources

• 21 Del. C. § 2510 — endorsement and delivery of the assignment and warranty of title, the $35 transfer fee, and the sell-without-a-title penalty. https://delcode.delaware.gov/title21/c025/index.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• 21 Del. C. § 2301 — certificate of title required; no registration or operation without a title; the document fee. https://delcode.delaware.gov/title21/c023/sc01/index.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• 21 Del. C. § 2306 — the title's owner-signature, assignment/warranty, and lien-notation spaces. https://delcode.delaware.gov/title21/c023/sc01/index.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• 21 Del. C. §§ 2501–2503 — registration expires on transfer; the seller's registration-card report of sale; the buyer's 30-day title, registration, inspection, and new-plate duty. https://delcode.delaware.gov/title21/c025/index.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• 30 Del. C. § 3002 — the motor-vehicle document fee: the notarized-bill-of-sale price rule and the $5.25-per-$100 (about 5.25%) computation. https://delcode.delaware.gov/title30/c030/index.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• Delaware DMV — Vehicle Services, Titling — the assignment steps, no-notary title, Seller's Report of Sale, insurance, 30-day late fee, and 5.25% document fee. https://dmv.de.gov/VehicleServices/titles/index.shtml?dc=ve_title_transfer (accessed 2026-07-23)
• Delaware DMV — Tips for Privately Selling a Delaware Titled Vehicle — plate removal and return. https://dmv.de.gov/VehicleServices/titles/pdfs/TipsforPrivatelySellingaDelawareTitledVehicle.pdf (accessed 2026-07-23)