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PREPARE YOUR PRIVATE CAR SALE

Free car seller toolkit

Compare what you keep, create a factual listing and organize the handoff. No account required.

An original CarTruvo planning resource. The calculator uses your inputs, the description is a draft for you to review, and the checklist points you back to the official transfer requirements.

1. Compare the money you keep

Enter your own expected sale price or written offer, lender-confirmed payoff and seller-paid costs. Enter zero when a cost does not apply. A negative result is a shortfall to address.

Private sale

Enter the price, payoff and costs to compare this route.

Dealer sale

Enter the price, payoff and costs to compare this route.

Formula: price minus payoff minus seller-paid costs. This is not a vehicle valuation. It excludes trade-in tax treatment, replacement-car financing and unentered costs. Compare those separately in the trade-in calculator.

2. Build an accurate listing description

Use facts about your own car. Keep identification, full title documents and account numbers out of the description. Review every placeholder and claim before posting.

Selling my [year, make, model and trim] with [current mileage] miles. Asking [asking price], located in [city].

Ownership paperwork: [confirmed title and lender status].
Documented service: [items and dates, or state what records are available].
Known issues: [specific condition issues; do not leave this unreviewed].
Includes: [keys and accessories].

Available for an in-person viewing and an independent inspection by arrangement. Please message with a preferred viewing time and questions about the condition.

3. Work through your closing checklist

This is a planning checklist, not an official transfer form. Use the current instructions for your state and vehicle.

0 of 15 checks completed

Before the appointment
At closing
After handoff

Your entries and checklist stay in this open page. They are not uploaded, stored in an account or saved after you refresh or leave. Copy or print your work before leaving.

Download and share the planning worksheets

Download the editable listing worksheet or download the closing checklist. Share this page with someone preparing a car sale; the link contains no entered vehicle details.

Read the guide for your situation

Confirm the official requirements

Use your state motor vehicle agency for the actual forms, signatures, inspection and reporting requirements. Start with TxDMV's selling instructions or California DMV's title-transfer instructions where applicable. For payment precautions, read the FTC's warning about fake checks targeting car sellers.

Prepared with AI-assisted research and drafting. Read our editorial approach.

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