How to sell a car in Mississippi privately

Complete the buyer information before release

Mississippi Revenue says the seller completes the title-assignment sections other than the buyer's printed name and signature. The buyer must complete their part. The department explicitly warns against delivering an incomplete assignment or leaving the buyer's name blank to fill in later. See Mississippi Revenue's title-transfer instructions.

The previous owner removes the license plate once the title is assigned and the vehicle is handed to the new owner. Family transfers may need an Affidavit of Relationship. Keep an ordinary sale, a genuine family transfer and a lien-release situation separate when asking the county tax collector which documents apply. Follow Mississippi's vehicle FAQ.

Plan the Mississippi closing appointment

Review the entire assignment with the buyer before either party leaves. Match the VIN, actual price, names and date across your records. If a buyer asks to leave their identity off the paperwork, stop and resolve the assignment rather than accepting a promise to complete it later.

If a lender still has an interest in the car, ask it for the payoff amount, payment instructions and release timing before accepting a closing date. Use our selling a car with a loan guide to prepare those questions. For inherited, leased or branded-title vehicles, obtain the instructions for that situation before using an ordinary private-sale checklist.

Set a price and prepare a useful listing

Compare vehicles with the same trim, similar mileage, condition and title history. Keep private asking prices separate from confirmed dealer offers, then subtract your payoff and selling costs to compare what you could keep. Our private-sale pricing guide explains the comparison.

Use current photographs of your own car. Include the odometer, interior and known damage, and describe maintenance you can document. State the actual city, mileage, asking price and known faults. Keep identification, title photos and financial documents out of the public ad. Use the car-sale photo checklist before posting.

Agree on payment and lawful collection

Ask your own financial institution how to verify the proposed payment before releasing the car. A screenshot or message saying money was sent is not verification. Use the private-sale payment guide to prepare the appointment.

If the buyer lives elsewhere, have them confirm destination-state title, registration, insurance and transport requirements. Follow your own seller steps as well. Our out-of-state buyer handoff guide helps keep the two responsibilities separate.

Mississippi private-sale checklist

• Complete the seller fields and have the buyer complete their own fields.
• Deliver a fully assigned title with the actual buyer identified.
• Remove your Mississippi plate at handoff and retain sale records.
• Verify payment through your own bank before the agreed release.
• Remove belongings, toll devices and saved connected-car information.
• Keep the completed transaction records and mark the listing sold afterward.

Start your Mississippi listing

When your photos, condition description and ownership plan are ready, start a CarTruvo listing. You set the asking price and speak directly with interested buyers. Arrange payment, ownership transfer and collection with the buyer using the official requirements above.