How to Handle Selling a Car with an Out-of-Town License Plate?
2 Answers
After selling the vehicle, you can complete the out-of-town vehicle transfer procedure. Once the procedure is completed, the transfer of vehicle ownership can be processed. The vehicle will need to be re-registered, a new license plate will need to be selected, and a new vehicle registration certificate will need to be issued. Additionally, the original owner must transfer or cancel the vehicle's insurance.
I previously sold a car with out-of-town license plates, and the whole process was a bit of a hassle but I figured it out. The main thing is to handle the transfer procedures at the location where the license plate was issued—don’t rush to do it in the buyer’s local area, or you might hit a snag. In my case, I was transferring a Beijing-licensed car to sell in Shanghai, so I first had to go to the local DMV to complete the transfer-out process, bringing along the vehicle registration certificate, ID card, and vehicle tax payment proof. The processing time took about a week, with costs amounting to a few hundred yuan, including transfer fees and agency services. Make sure the buyer also goes there to sign the paperwork, or the file transfer won’t proceed. After the sale, the license plate is automatically canceled and can’t be directly reused. This experience taught me that selling the car where it was originally purchased is the easiest option, or you can seek help from professional used-car platforms—they’re experienced and fast. In short, don’t panic; just prepare the required documents and follow the steps, and you’ll be fine.
