When selling a car in Michigan, the Secretary of State recommends a best practice of accompany the purchaser of the vehicle to a secretary of state branch office to assure the title is transferred into your purchaser's name. If you cannot do this, the Secretary of State recommends maintaining a record of the sale for not less than 18 months. A record of the sale is a photocopy of the reassigned title or a form or document that includes the year, make, vehicle identification number, name, address, driver license number, and signature of the person to whom the vehicle is sold and the purchase price and date of sale of the vehicle.
Under Michigan law, a seller is not liable for any damages or a violation of law that subsequently results from the use of ownership of the vehicle by the purchaser if the owner maintains proof of sale as noted above.
The Michigan Secretary of State lists the following obligations of a seller in completing your part on the title assignment by entering:
The vehicle mileage
The selling date
The selling price
Your signature
The Secretary of State notes that if there is more than one owner named on the front of the title, all owners must sign.
The Secretary of State recommends examining your title for any liens such as bank loans. If there is a lien it must be released by the lienholder in the appropriate signature space, or you may attach a lien termination statement from the financial institution.
The Secretary of State states to have the buyer enter their name, address, and signature in the buyer's section of the title assignment, and not make any changes on the title. Any alterations will void it. This would include erasing, scratching out, use of white-out, etc.
Source - Michigan Secretary of State
Under Michigan law, a seller is not liable for any damages or a violation of law that subsequently results from the use of ownership of the vehicle by the purchaser if the owner maintains proof of sale as noted above.
The Michigan Secretary of State lists the following obligations of a seller in completing your part on the title assignment by entering:
The vehicle mileage
The selling date
The selling price
Your signature
The Secretary of State notes that if there is more than one owner named on the front of the title, all owners must sign.
The Secretary of State recommends examining your title for any liens such as bank loans. If there is a lien it must be released by the lienholder in the appropriate signature space, or you may attach a lien termination statement from the financial institution.
The Secretary of State states to have the buyer enter their name, address, and signature in the buyer's section of the title assignment, and not make any changes on the title. Any alterations will void it. This would include erasing, scratching out, use of white-out, etc.
Source - Michigan Secretary of State
