Can I sell a junk car in Indiana without a title?
Only in one case: the car is at least 15 model years old and you hold a BMV certificate of authority. Every other junk car sale to a recycler needs the title or a BMV duplicate. A car under 15 model years old with neither paper cannot be bought; the law makes that a felony for the buyer.
The rule in one paragraph
Indiana law lets a recycler buy a junk vehicle only against a certificate of title or a certificate of authority from the BMV (IC 9-22-5-18, IC 9-32-9-29). The no-title route exists for older cars: at least 15 model years old, with the certificate in hand. For anything newer, the buyer who skips both papers commits a Level 6 felony, so no honest buyer will skip them.
Work out which case you are in
- You have the title. Straightforward. Sign where the title says to sign.
- The title is lost, the car is newer than 15 model years. Apply to the BMV for a duplicate title, then call us.
- The car is 15 or more model years old and you have no title. Ask the BMV about a certificate of authority.
- The car is not in your name. The registered owner, or the estate, has to be the seller. See the guide on a deceased relative’s car if that applies.
What to tell us on the call
Model year, the name on any old paper, and whatever you still have: registration, bill of sale, insurance card. We cannot promise any of those substitutes for the title, but they help us see which of the four cases you are in.
Sources
Questions people ask
- My car is 20 years old and I have no title. Is that fine?
- It can be, with a BMV certificate of authority. Age alone is not enough. Without the certificate, the sale cannot go through.
- What if I only have the registration?
- A registration shows who the car is registered to, but it does not replace the title or the certificate. Tell us what you have and we say on the call which route fits.
- Can you get the certificate for me?
- We do not offer that. The certificate comes from the BMV. The guide linked here explains what the statute says.