The seller of the vehicle will need to fill out Section A of their current title, and the buyer will need to bring the title into the DMV. After the title has been accepted, the buyer then needs to register the vehicle with the DMV.

If the buyer is trading in their old car or has sold their old car, they need to contact their insurance company to transfer their existing coverage to their new car. You’ll need to have liability insurance before you can register a vehicle with the DMV. You’ll also want to take the plates off your old car and get them formally transferred to your new vehicle, or you’ll need to purchase new plates for your new vehicle.

The cost of vehicle registration and renewal in Virginia has gone down in recent years. As of July 1, 2020 the cost of registering a passenger vehicle that weighs 4,000 lbs. or less dropped from $40.75 to $30.75. The registration fee for vehicles weighing 4,001 lbs. or more went from $45.75 to $35.75.

You’ll also need to have any lapsed safety or emissions certificates renewed or revalidated before you can register your vehicle. If you’re buying from a dealership or authorized car seller this shouldn’t be an issue, but private sellers might not be up to date on their testing.

This is an especially relevant step if you live in a city or county that requires emissions testing, but the vehicle you’re buying isn’t registered in a jurisdiction that’s subject to emissions requirements.

The fee for transferring license plates from an old vehicle to a new vehicle is only $2.00 if both vehicles are of similar type and weight. There’s an additional $2.00 fee if the vehicle is in a new weight class.

It’s important to note that license plates cannot be transferred from one owner to another, so you cannot sell your vehicle and plates to a buyer.

If you forgot to take your plates off your old vehicle or they’ve been otherwise lost or damaged, you’ll need to pay a $10.00 reissue fee.

Safety Inspections in Virginia

Every vehicle registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia is required to undergo a yearly safety inspection. Whether you need to get a safety inspection performed on a new vehicle you buy depends on the date of its last safety inspection.

There’s no temporary waiver available for safety inspections – all vehicles, even new ones, must have a valid safety inspection sticker in the window.

If for whatever reason the private seller you’re buying a vehicle from hasn’t kept up with safety inspections, you should request they get one performed before you purchase the vehicle and have the title transferred.

Safety inspections cost $20 for cars, trucks and SUVs.

Emissions Testing in Virginia  

As long as you bought your new vehicle in Virginia or Maryland, and it has a valid emissions certificate issued within the past 12 months, you won’t need to get your emissions tested right away. If it was bought in a state or county without emissions testing or it’s been longer than a year since the last emissions inspection, you’ll likely need to get a new one performed.

Virginia Counties that Require Emissions Testing:

• Arlington
• Fairfax
• Loudoun
• Prince William
• Stafford

Virginia Cities that Require Emissions Testing:

• Alexandria
• Fairfax
• Falls Church
• Manassas
• Manassas Park

If you want to save some money and time by registering or renewing your vehicle for two years or three years, you’ll need to make sure there’s still adequate time left on the validity of your emissions certificate.

To register a vehicle for two years your emissions certificate must have at least 15 months left, or 27 months if you’re going to register for three years.

Many new vehicles and pre-owned vehicles that are less than four years old are exempt from emissions testing.

You can find an emissions inspection station near you on the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality website.

If You Sell a Vehicle Privately in Virginia, Do You Have to Pay Sales Tax?

Yes – you’re not exempt from the motor vehicle sales tax even if you sell your vehicle privately. The tax is either 4.15 percent or $75, whichever is greater.

You’ll need to pay the sales tax when you visit the DMV to transfer the title. You’ll need to base the vehicle’s valuation on the NADA Official Used Car Guide.

If the vehicle is five years old or newer, you’ll also need to file an Affidavit of Procurement Title. If the vehicle is more than five years old, you’ll need to file a Bill of Sale to the DMV (the sale price you put on the title counts as a Bill of Sale for this purpose).

Do Things the Easy Way – Sell Your Car in Virginia to DirectCarBuying.com

One of the benefits of selling your vehicle to DirectCarBuying.com is the simplicity of the process. You can do most of it online and just bring in your vehicle for one final inspection and to sign over the title.

We make it exceptionally easy to buy or sell your car for a fair price. Let us do the legwork – call DirectCarBuying.com at 877-927-6093 or click the Buy My Car button on our website.