Fill the California DMV's REG 135 in about four minutes, with the as-is condition addendum the one-page form leaves out. Type the VIN, we pull year, make and model from NHTSA, both parties sign on screen, and the PDF is emailed to both of you. $9.99 once — no account, no subscription.
No — and anyone telling you otherwise is selling something. The pink slip, your California Certificate of Title, is the legal instrument of transfer, and DMV will process a cleanly signed title on its own. REG 135 is the DMV's official one-page Bill of Sale, and it is recommendedrather than mandatory. Recommended turns into effectively required in three situations: the title is missing or in someone else's name, you are gifting the car and want a declared value on record, or the buyer is registering in another state whose DMV wants the sale documented on paper. Full breakdown in our REG 135 explainer.
This is the mistake that costs California sellers actual money. REG 135 is the bill of sale: price, VIN, odometer, signatures. REG 138, the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability, is a separate filing the seller makes with DMV within 5 calendar days of the sale. It is free, takes about three minutes online at dmv.ca.gov, and it is the only thing that takes your name off the car in DMV records. Until it is filed, the buyer's parking tickets, bridge tolls, red-light cameras and civil claims are addressed to you. We generate REG 135. REG 138 has to come from you — file it the same day you hand over the keys, and save the confirmation email. Details in our REG 138 guide.
California does not require notarization of REG 135, the pink slip, or REG 138. Typed and canvas-captured signatures are binding under the federal E-SIGN Act (15 U.S.C. § 7001).
Unlike most states, California puts the smog certificate on the seller — Vehicle Code § 24007 — and it must be dated within 90 days of the sale. Exempt: gasoline vehicles from 1975 or older, diesel vehicles from 1997 or older or over 14,000 lbs GVWR, electric vehicles, motorcycles and trailers, and transfers between immediate family members (claimed on REG 256). Everything else needs a current check from a STAR-certified station, $40–$90 depending on county. Get it before you list — if the car fails, you want to know that before a buyer is standing in your driveway. Out-of-state buyers do not need a California certificate.
California charges no sales tax on a private-party vehicle sale. The buyer owes use tax instead, at their own county rate — typically 7.25% to 10.75% — paid at DMV when they register. DMV calculates it from the price written on REG 135 or from its own fair-market valuation, whichever is higher. Writing a lower number to help the buyer is tax fraud, California audits for it, and if a buyer asks you to, that is the moment to walk away.
California gives the buyer 10 days from the date of sale to transfer title and registration, after which late-transfer penalties escalate quickly. Their deadline and your 5-day REG 138 deadline are independent: a buyer who drags their feet does not extend your exposure, as long as you filed on time.
The wizard at the top of this page completes the official REG 135 template, adds the federal odometer disclosure required by 49 CFR Part 580 for anything model year 2011 or newer, and appends an as-is condition addendum — the part REG 135 omits entirely, where the seller lists known defects and the buyer acknowledges them. Both signatures are captured on screen and the finished PDF goes to both parties. The chronological version of the whole sale, from smog check to insurance cancellation, is in how to sell a car privately in California.
Plain-English answers to the paperwork questions we hear from private sellers in California. If yours isn't here, email giurgiur99@gmail.com.
Not strictly — California DMV accepts the signed title alone for most private transfers. But REG 135 is the official Bill of Sale and strongly recommended. It protects both parties, documents the sale price for use-tax purposes, and is the form the DMV clerk is trained to recognize at the counter.
No. California does not require notarization of REG 135, the pink slip, or REG 138 Release of Liability. Electronic signatures under the federal E-SIGN Act are valid.
REG 138 is the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability. You must file it with the California DMV within 5 calendar days of the sale — online at dmv.ca.gov is fastest. Filing it is what frees you from legal responsibility for the buyer's tickets, tolls, and civil claims on the vehicle.
Seller. California law puts the smog-certification obligation on the seller (California Vehicle Code § 24007) — you must provide a valid smog certificate at the time of sale. Exceptions: diesel vehicles model year 1997 and older, gasoline vehicles 1975 and older, vehicles transferred between certain family members, and natural-gas vehicles over 14,000 lbs GVWR.
California doesn't charge sales tax on private-party sales, but the buyer owes use tax at their local DMV when registering the vehicle. The rate matches the sales-tax rate for the buyer's county (typically 7.25–10.75%). The DMV calculates this from the price reported on REG 135.
Ten days from the date of sale. After that the buyer pays late-transfer penalties. Your REG 138 filing and the buyer's title transfer are independent — the buyer's lateness doesn't affect your liability release if you filed REG 138 within your own 5-day window.
Request a duplicate title on Form REG 227 — $26 filing fee, 10–14 business days by mail. Do this before listing the car. You cannot sign over a car without the pink slip or a valid duplicate; the buyer will be stopped at the DMV.
Yes. Typed and canvas-captured signatures are legally binding under the federal E-SIGN Act, and California DMV accepts the signed digital PDF for most private-party transfers. For gifts and business transfers, consult the DMV directly — a few niche forms still require ink.