If you’re selling or buying a Virginia-titled vehicle privately from another individual, follow the steps outlined below to sign over the title or to title and register your new vehicle. These directions also apply if you’re donating a vehicle or receiving a vehicle as a gift.
Virginia-titled Vehicles
Selling/Donating
Buying/Receiving
Charitable Organizations
Vehicles which are either sold to or donated to charitable organizations may be exempt from Motor Vehicle Sales & Use Tax. To be exempt, the charitable organization must be registered with the Internal Revenue Service § 501(c)(3) as a non-profit organization and be specifically exempted in the Code of Virginia § 58.1-2403. The charity must also receive the title along with the vehicle.
The vehicle donated to the charity will have to be titled in the charitable organization's name. The titling fee will be collected.
Charitable organizations that transact more than 5 vehicle donations/sales to individuals annually must register with the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board.
Once the vehicle has been titled in the name of the charity and the charity wants to transfer the vehicle to a recipient, the following documents are to be provided to the recipient:
- A statement on the official letterhead stationery of the charity, certifying that the charity is registered with the Internal Revenue Service § 501(c)(3) as a non-profit organization, and has not registered the vehicle driven, nor permitted the vehicle to be driven on the highways.
- The title to the vehicle, with the vehicle reassigned to the individual recipient in Section A, and showing the sale price or, if a donation, the word "GIFT."
State Agencies
Refer to state-owned vehicles for additional information.
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Out of State Vehicles
If you’re selling or buying an out-of-state-titled vehicle privately from another individual, follow the steps outlined below to sign over the title or to title and register your new vehicle in Virginia. These directions also apply if you’re donating a vehicle or receiving a vehicle as a gift.