Private-Party Vehicle Title Transfer Requirements in Maine

At a glance

Requirements one by one

The title assignment and the BMV filing work together

Maine moves ownership through the certificate of title. Under § 662(1) the owner, "at the time of delivery of the vehicle," executes "an assignment and warranty of title to the transferee in the space provided on the certificate," and that warranty "must include the odometer information required by section 752." The owner delivers the certificate and assignment to the buyer or to the BMV, and must hand over a "properly released certificate of lien if one was issued." A lienholder holding the title delivers it on request (§ 662(2)).

The buyer then applies. Section 657 subsection (2) — § 657(2) — has the Secretary of State issue a new title "upon receipt of a properly assigned certificate of title ... with an application for a new certificate, the required fee and any other documents required by law." The title itself carries the assignment and application forms (§ 658(3)).

Title only up to 25 years old

Not every Maine car has a title. Section 652(13) exempts "Vehicles more than 25 years old" from titling. This is a rolling cutoff, so the line moves forward every year. A vehicle 25 model years old or newer needs its title signed over; an older one has no title and transfers on a bill of sale plus the prior registration. Section 651 subsection (1) — § 651(1) — confirms the title rules apply "at first registration or when a change of registration is required by reason of a sale for consideration."

No notarization

Nothing in an ordinary Maine transfer is notarized. Section 662 asks only for the assignment and warranty in the space on the certificate, and the BMV's title application (MVT-2) and bill of sale carry no notary block. There is no notary, witness, or agent-verification step.

The bill of sale is required — but is not the title

Maine requires a signed bill of sale for a private sale, and the BMV provides an official Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale listing the vehicle, the price, and the parties' names, addresses, and signatures. For a titled vehicle it supplements the endorsed certificate; for a vehicle more than 25 years old it pairs with the prior registration. Either way it does not by itself establish ownership — the buyer still registers and, for a newer vehicle, applies for the new title.

The seller keeps the plates and sheds liability

Maine plates belong to the owner, not the car. Under § 406 "a vehicle registration expires on the transfer of ownership except for a transfer to a surviving spouse," so the seller keeps the plates and registration and can move them — with the excise-tax credit — to a replacement vehicle. There is no separate report-of-sale form. Instead, § 662(4) gives the seller a statutory release: an owner "who has delivered possession of the vehicle and has complied with this section and section 665 is not liable thereafter as owner for damages resulting from operation of the vehicle."

The buyer's registration, tax, and fees

Maine sets no fixed day count for an in-state buyer, but § 662(4) makes the transfer ineffective "until the provisions of this section and section 665 have been fulfilled and the required fees have been paid," and the buyer must register to drive. Registration happens at the town office or a BMV branch. Bring the signed title (for a vehicle 25 years old or newer) or the bill of sale plus prior title, a signed bill of sale, proof of insurance, and the MVT-2 title application. The charges are Maine's 5.5% sales tax on the purchase price, a $33 title fee, the annual municipal excise tax paid at the town office, and the registration fee.

Inspection, emissions, and insurance are operating rules

Two requirements govern driving rather than titling. Section 1751 subsection (1) — § 1751(1) — requires a registered Maine vehicle to pass "an annual inspection," and § 1751(2-A) adds an enhanced OBD emissions inspection for 1996-and-newer vehicles registered in Cumberland County — the only emissions area. And unlike some neighbors, Maine does require insurance: § 1601(1) makes the owner and operator "maintain the amounts of motor vehicle financial responsibility," and driving uninsured is a traffic infraction of $100 to $500 (§ 1601(5)) with license and registration suspension.

What trips people up

• Expecting a title on an older car. A vehicle more than 25 years old is title-exempt (§ 652(13)); there is no title to sign — use the bill of sale plus the prior registration. Because the cutoff rolls forward each year, a car that needed a title a decade ago may be exempt now.
• Treating the bill of sale as the transfer. Maine requires it, but the endorsed title (for a titled vehicle) is the ownership instrument. A bill of sale alone does not register or title the car.
• Leaving the plates on the car. They stay with the seller, who keeps the registration and excise credit (§ 406). Hand over the title, not the plates.
• Cross-outs on the title. The BMV rejects a title with errors or white-out; fill it in cleanly in ink.

Common questions

Does my Maine car need a title? Only if it is 25 model years old or newer. A vehicle more than 25 years old is title-exempt and transfers on a bill of sale plus the prior registration (§ 652(13)).

Do the title signatures need to be notarized? No. Section 662 requires only the assignment on the certificate, and Maine's bill of sale and title application are not notarized.

How much tax and fees will the buyer pay? Maine charges 5.5% sales tax on the purchase price, a $33 title fee (for a vehicle 25 years old or newer), the annual municipal excise tax at the town office, and the registration fee.

Do I need insurance and an inspection? Yes. Maine requires liability insurance (§ 1601) and an annual safety inspection (§ 1751); vehicles registered in Cumberland County also need an OBD emissions check.

Statutes and sources

• 29-A M.R.S. § 662 — the owner's assignment and warranty of title with the odometer statement, lien release, the "not effective until" rule, and the seller's post-delivery liability release. https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/29-a/title29-Asec662.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• 29-A M.R.S. §§ 651 and 652 — when a title is required and the exemption for vehicles more than 25 years old. https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/29-a/title29-Asec652.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• 29-A M.R.S. §§ 657 and 658 — issuance of a new title on a properly assigned certificate and the certificate's assignment/application forms. https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/29-a/title29-Asec657.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• 29-A M.R.S. § 406 — vehicle registration expires on transfer of ownership. https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/29-a/title29-Asec406.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• 29-A M.R.S. § 1751 — annual safety inspection and Cumberland County enhanced emissions inspection. https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/29-a/title29-Asec1751.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• 29-A M.R.S. § 1601 — required motor-vehicle financial responsibility (insurance) and the penalty for driving uninsured. https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/29-a/title29-Asec1601.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• Maine BMV — Register A Passenger Vehicle — private-sale documents, signed bill of sale, 5.5% sales tax, $33 title fee, and the 25-year title line. https://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/vehicles/register-a-passenger-vehicle (accessed 2026-07-23)