Nevada: Private-Party Vehicle Title Transfer Requirements

Requirements one by one

Both parties sign the title — no notary

Nevada transfers a car on the certificate of title. Section 482.400(1) says that
on a transfer "the person or persons whose title or interest is to be
transferred and the transferee shall sign ... the certificate of title issued
for the vehicle, together with the residence address of the transferee, in the
appropriate spaces provided upon the certificate." No notary, witness, or
licensing agent is required. If the title lists two owners joined by "and," both
sign; joined by "or," either may sign alone.

For a 2011-or-newer vehicle the seller must hand over the actual paper title. A
bill of sale plus a duplicate-title application is not accepted, and neither is a
non-secure power of attorney.

The odometer reading rides on the title

The certificate of title carries "a reading of the vehicle's odometer as
provided to the Department by the person making the sale or transfer"
(§ 482.245(2)). Under federal law, that disclosure is required until the vehicle
is 20 years old, and Nevada tells sellers to disclose the mileage even when an
older title shows "Exempt."

The buyer must register — no sales tax, but taxes at the DMV

Section 482.400(4) tells the buyer to "immediately apply for registration ... and
... pay the governmental services taxes due." The DMV gives you up to 30 days
from the purchase date to register. Nevada does not charge sales tax on a
private-party sale, but registration is not free: expect the $28.50
change-of-ownership title fee, the registration fee, and the annual Governmental
Services Tax, which is based on the vehicle's value. Bring the assigned title,
Nevada Evidence of Insurance, and any required smog certificate.

Plates stay with the seller

When the car is sold, "the registration expires" (§ 482.399(1)). Nevada plates
belong to the owner, not the vehicle: the seller keeps the plates and either
moves them (with the unused registration) to another vehicle they own or
surrenders them to the DMV (§ 482.399(2)). The buyer registers the car in their
own name and gets plates or transfers plates from a vehicle they already own.

Driving the car home

Liability insurance from a Nevada-licensed carrier, in the buyer's name, must be
in place before the buyer takes the wheel. The buyer may drive a just-purchased
car for three days on proof of ownership and insurance; after that, a DMV
movement permit ($8) is needed until the car is registered.

What trips people up

• No sales tax, but not free. People hear "no sales tax on private sales" and
  forget the Governmental Services Tax and fees collected at registration. Get a
  fee estimate before you go.
• The plates are not on the car you bought. The seller keeps them. The buyer
  needs their own plates — transferred from another vehicle or newly issued — and
  cannot legally drive on the seller's plates.
• Three days, then a permit. The three-day grace to drive is short. Past it,
  you need a movement permit until the vehicle is registered.
• A bill of sale is not a title. For a 2011-or-newer car especially, the DMV
  will not process a transfer without the actual paper title signed over to you.
• Smog first in Las Vegas and Reno. In Clark and Washoe counties, a current
  smog check (under 90 days old) is part of registering the car.

Common questions

Do I pay sales tax when I buy a car from a private party in Nevada?
No. Nevada does not charge sales tax on private-party sales, family sales, or
gifts. You still pay title and registration fees and the annual Governmental
Services Tax.

Does the title need to be notarized?
No. The seller and buyer sign the certificate of title, and the buyer adds their
address; no notarization is required (§ 482.400(1)).

How long do I have to register?
The statute says apply immediately; the DMV allows up to 30 days from purchase.
You can drive for three days on proof of ownership and insurance, then need a
movement permit.

Does the seller's plate come with the car?
No. The registration expires on sale and the seller keeps the plates
(§ 482.399). The buyer gets their own plates at registration.

Statutes and sources

• Nev. Rev. Stat. § 482.400 — both parties sign the certificate of title and
  the buyer adds a residence address; the transferor may give a 5-day electronic
  notice; the buyer must immediately apply for registration and pay the
  governmental services taxes.
  https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-482.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• Nev. Rev. Stat. § 482.399 — registration expires on transfer of ownership;
  the seller may move the plates and remaining registration to another vehicle or
  surrender them. https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-482.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• Nev. Rev. Stat. § 482.245 — the certificate of title carries the odometer
  reading and the transfer and registration forms.
  https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-482.html (accessed 2026-07-23)
• Nevada DMV — Registration: Private Party, Family Sales & Gifts — the 30-day
  registration window, the three-day drive rule and $8 movement permit, no sales
  tax on private sales, insurance and smog requirements, the paper-title rule for
  2011-and-newer vehicles, and plate handling.
  https://dmv.nv.gov/regprivate.htm (accessed 2026-07-23)