Selling a vehicle in Cypress can be a simple process that can lead to disastrous consequences if you do not follow some simple steps along the way.
As a local Cypress law firm, we deal with vehicle sale issues. If you take the time to complete two simple steps, you can greatly reduce the chances of a needless lawsuit.
As always, it all comes down to making sure you get everything in writing.
Step 1 – Bill of Sale
These are the terms you want in a Bill of Sale:
- Date
- Seller Name, Address, and Phone Number
- Buyer Name, Address, and Phone Number
- Sale Amount
- Make, Model, Year, VIN Number, and Mileage
- Note that the vehicle is sold “As Is”
- Signatures of Buyer and Seller
Just doing a Bill of Sale is NOT enough. If the buyer does not register the vehicle in their name then it remains registered in your name! That means if the buyer gets in an accident, gets tickets, or accumulates toll violations, you are going to get a nasty letter from a law firm or the State of Texas. Do NOT let this happen.
Step 2 – Transfer Title Online
You need to let the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles know that you are no longer the vehicle’s owner. Next, you need to go to the following online link and complete the Transfer Notification:
And that is it. If you complete the two simple steps above, this will greatly reduce the likelihood of a lawsuit coming your way after you have sold your vehicle.
We have dealt with horror stories where clients sold a vehicle, the buyer did not register the vehicle in their name, then the buyer went and got in a really bad accident. Next thing our client knows, they have a law firm harassing them to pay on a lawsuit. The most recent case involved a client who did not have insurance on the vehicle because he sold it. Then the buyer got in a really bad accident. A law firm was seeking payment for the injuries that were caused because of the accident and asking that the client personally pay. And his insurance was not going to cover the costs! If the client had completed the above steps, he never would have spoken to the law firm.
See, when someone gets in an accident, they check the VIN number and if the title has not been transferred, then they just got by the listed owner. Get your name off of the vehicle when you sell it to someone. Even if you know that person, you still want to let the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Know that you have sold your truck, car, boat, trailer, or other vehicle.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident, contact an attorney at Oxner Legha Law Firm by calling 346-327-9500.
