Where to meet a buyer
Meet in a busy, well-lit public place during the day, such as a police station lobby or parking lot where the department allows it. Call the non-emergency line to confirm before you go.
FOR DETROIT PRIVATE CAR SELLERS
Sell your car
in Detroit, MI.
Give your car its own listing, find a strong selling price and talk directly with buyers. Below: what applies in Wayne County, where to meet buyers and the Michigan paperwork.
Free until sold. No automatic renewal. CarTruvo does not buy cars or make instant cash offers.
WAYNE COUNTY
Selling a car in Detroit: local details
Emissions and inspections
No. Michigan has no emissions or safety inspection program in effect, in Wayne County or anywhere else, so nothing extra applies to a private seller. (A Detroit-area emissions program ran in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties from 1986 to 1995, according to the state.)
Official source ↗Before the handoff
Agree on an independent inspection, verify payment with your bank before signing anything, and keep your home address out of photos and messages.
Plan a safe sale ↗START WITH THREE DETAILS
What car are you selling?
Start with your year, make and model. We’ll carry these details into your listing after you create an account or sign in.
Save a draft and finish when you’re ready. Free publication, photos, messages and offers. See features & pricing.
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MICHIGAN PAPERWORK
The Michigan steps for a private sale
Signing over the title
Complete the seller's portion of the original title: the accurate odometer reading, your name, address and signature, and the buyer's name and address. Photocopies are not accepted, and if more than one owner is on the title, all owners must sign. Do not cross out or change anything on the title, since changes invalidate it. If you will not go with the buyer to a Secretary of State office, you must sign the seller's portion before handing over the title. The buyer has 15 days from the sale date to transfer the title.
Official source ↗License plates
The plate stays with you, not the car. Remove it before the buyer takes possession. By law you keep it for transfer to another vehicle (fees apply). The one exception: the plate may stay on the vehicle if you transfer ownership to an immediate family member (spouse, mother, father, sister, brother or child). Destroy an unused plate by cutting or bending it, or take it to a recycler.
Official source ↗Official sources checked October 30, 2026. This is a planning guide for an ordinary private sale, not legal advice or an official form. Follow the current instructions from the Michigan Department of State for your vehicle, especially for lost titles, several owners, out-of-state buyers or a car that is not fully paid off.
See every Michigan requirement, including liens and bills of sale ↗
Questions from Detroit sellers
Do I need an emissions or safety inspection to sell a car in Detroit?
No. Michigan has no emissions or safety inspection program in effect, in Wayne County or anywhere else, so nothing extra applies to a private seller. (A Detroit-area emissions program ran in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties from 1986 to 1995, according to the state.)
Can I list a car outside Detroit city limits?
Yes. Enter the city where the car is actually available, along with the correct ZIP code. Do not label a car as being in Detroit if it is in a nearby town.
Selling near Detroit?
Use the city where your car is actually available when you list it.