Paperwork When Buying a Car in Wisconsin

When buying a car from a dealer, you'll find that the dealer will take care of the necessary paperwork within seven days of the sale.

With a private sale, though, you and the seller must deal with the paperwork.

Required Paperwork

Before you give the seller any type of payment, be sure that all of the paperwork is in order, which means obtaining:

• A Bill of Sale or other documents showing the purchase price of the vehicle, signed by both you and the seller.

• The Certificate of Title, signed in the proper place by the seller, with the correct odometer reading entered in the available box on the title certificate.

If there is a lien showing on the title and it is not stamped "paid" and signed by the loan company, do not pay the seller until the release can be proven.

In some cases, the title may not have been available at the time it was paid off. In that case, a letter would have been prepared on the loan company letterhead with detailed information about the loan and the vehicle. If the seller cannot produce any information about the finalization of the loan, you will not be permitted to transfer the title or register the vehicle.

Buying a Car Without a Title

You cannot legally buy a vehicle without a title; the responsibility falls on the seller for obtaining a copy of the title.

So, before initiating a sale, the seller must complete a Wisconsin Title & License Plate Application and pay a $20 fee to replace a lost title or $45 to title the vehicle in the seller's name for the first time. The seller can then sign over this title document to you.

Buying a Car Without Registration

A vehicle does not have to be registered to be sold. As the buyer, you will need to obtain either temporary or permanent license plates within two days of purchasing the car. You can do this at any DMV office. Temporary plates cost $3.

Bill of Sale

Though a bill of sale is not required, it's an important document to own for your records. It serves as your proof of purchase and protects your position should any discrepancies arise over wheel and/or local tax rates. You can easily download this form from our Bill of Sale page.

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