# Selling NY car to CA buyers ... many process questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 3, 2025, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660 "2025-08-03T14:12:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/1 "2025-08-03T14:12:48Z")
I may be selling my 2017 car to a relative when they visit later this month. We live in NY, they live in CA. We’ll do the transaction while they’re here and they’ll arrange to have it shipped cross-country. On the [NY side](https://dmv.ny.gov/titles/buy-sell-or-transfer-vehicle-ownership), I know we need the signed title and a bill of sale. If it were a purely in-state sale, we’d also need my relative to register the sale with the local DMV and pay sales tax. But since it’s immediately going to be headed out of state … do we still register it with NYS? If not, how does NYS get its sales tax? (Which I’m sure they want.) And what about the plates? On the CA side, the state has [huge warnings](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-education-and-safety/educational-materials/fast-facts/buying-a-vehicle-from-out-of-state-can-you-register-it-in-california-ffvr-29/) about buying **new** cars from out of state and making sure they are smog compliant … but nothing about buying **used** cars from out of state. Do we have to worry about that on a car this old? Also, will my relative need to pay sales tax again in CA when they register it there? Sorry for the zillion questions, but Google is not what it used to be… ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/2 "2025-08-03T15:24:31Z")
The buyer does all the paperwork in CA and pays CA sales tax. They do nothing in NY. The only thing you do as seller is sign over the title and notify NY of the fact the car is sold. NY will have a form for that purpose. If the car was being driven across the country you’d want to leave the NY plates on the car for show, then do the right thing with them later. Since you’re shipping it, then do whatever is normally done with plates in NY for an in-state sale. If they’d normally stay with the car and go to the buyer, well you or they now have some souvenir NY plates. If the plates would normally stay with you the seller, you turn the plates in to the NY agency or transfer them onto your replacement car once you get it. I’m pretty sure the latter is the case in NY. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/3 "2025-08-03T15:34:04Z")
There should be a Vehicle Emissions Control Information sticker under the car’s hood. This should tell you whether its emissions also meet California’s standard: > **[amccvecilbls.pdf](https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/air_pdf/amccvecilbls.pdf)** > > 347.21 KB It’s probable that your NY car _does_ meet CA emissions standards: > **[What Are CARB Emission States? - CarsDirect](https://www.carsdirect.com/deals-articles/what-are-carb-emission-states)** > > CARB stands for California Air Resources Board. It's a clean air agency that enforces stricter emission standards than the Environmental Protection Agency. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/4 "2025-08-03T17:58:10Z")
Ah! Interesting. My label includes the text, “Conforms to regulations: 2017MY US EPA: T3B70 LDV/LDT2 California: SULEV30 PC/LDT2” So it looks like the SULEV certification is about as low-emission as you can go for a gasoline engine, which I’m assuming is OK by California. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/5 "2025-08-03T18:00:38Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > The buyer does all the paperwork in CA and pays CA sales tax. They do nothing in NY. Really? Even though the location of the sale is in NY? I know both states are very aggressive about claiming all the taxes they can… ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/6 "2025-08-03T18:08:30Z")
Yes - the tax is paid where the car is going. I bought a car from a dealer in NJ, registered it in NY and paid the sales tax to NY, not to NJ. Just like if I buy something online, I pay tax based on where it’s being shipped to , not where I live or where the seller is located. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > The only thing you do as seller is sign over the title and notify NY of the fact the car is sold. NY will have a form for that purpose. You don’t even notify NY that the car is sold- the only paperwork is regarding the plates. You either surrender them or transfer them to another vehicle - but you can surrender plates without selling the vehicle ( for example, if you want to store it on private property until your kid gets a license) ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/7 "2025-08-03T18:16:35Z")
Yeah. It looks like @doreen and @LSLGuy are both right about the sales tax: > **[How Does New York Handle Sales Tax on Private Party Vehicle Sales?](https://www.nycaccountingconsulting.com/sales-tax-on-private-party-vehicle/)** > > Buyers of privately sold vehicles must pay sales tax when registering the vehicle at the DMV. The tax is based on the purchase price. [Incidentally, the preview box seemed to be losing its ever-lovin’ mind as I created this post] ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/8 "2025-08-03T18:53:22Z")
Ah, got it. So the sales tax is incurred when the car is re-registered, not when it changes hands. Excellent. Thanks for the help, everyone. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/9 "2025-08-03T20:04:36Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > [Incidentally, the preview box seemed to be losing its ever-lovin’ mind as I created this post] Did you get caught up in this (with many of the rest of us)? > [@Changes to post composition window in Discourse](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changes-to-post-composition-window-in-discourse/1021474): > > While making some replies today, I noticed two changes in Discourse formatting for the post-composition window. One is that there is no longer a preview being automatically shown on the right-hand side of the composition window. The second one is that, when you quote another post in your reply, the quote formatting looks different (quoting one of my own posts, for illustrative purposes): [[Imgur] ](https://imgur.com/UV7FYrl) As you can see in the image above, when you… ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/10 "2025-08-03T20:47:25Z")
I’m sure it _was_ that, but it was actually changing in real-time in the midst of me creating my post. Freaked me _right_ out. I’m _still_ not 100% okay 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/11 "2025-08-03T21:41:28Z")
> [@toadspittle](#): > > So it looks like the SULEV certification is about as low-emission as you can go for a gasoline engine, which I’m assuming is OK by California. When I brought my car from Washington to California, it passed the emissions by the numbers, but because the sticker did not **say** it met California emissions I was penalized. It wasn’t long after that that manufacturers started labeling all of their cars as 50 state emissions compliant. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/12 "2025-08-04T15:01:49Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > changing in real-time in the midst of me creating my post I also noticed something weird is occurring. Last night, on a reliable Win desktop, there was a funny lag in the editor window that was kind of disorienting. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/13 "2025-08-12T13:02:23Z")
Note: in New York State, you cannot cancel your car insurance unless you show proof the license plates were surrendered to the DMV. No “free” NYS license plate souvenirs. When my parents moved to FL from NY they drove their car and once established in FL, they mailed me the NY plates which I handed in to the DMV and was given the form which I then sent to their NY insurance agent who then cancelled their insurance. Same procedure when I moved to MD. Fate had me going back to NY for a work assignment shortly after moving, so I took the NY plates with me and did it all myself. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/14 "2025-08-12T14:50:19Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Note: in New York State, you cannot cancel your car insurance unless you show proof the license plates were surrendered to the DMV. No “free” NYS license plate souvenirs I just surrendered my plates and removed the car from my insurance yeatersy. Surprisingly, even though the recept for the plates says I will need to submit it to the insurance company, the vehicle was removed without sending the receipt to the insurance company. They must have enough access to DMV records to confirm that the plates were surrendered. There are some circumstances where a person can end up with souvenir NY plates - NY is on its fourth or fifth plate design since I began driving and once or twice all cars had to get the new plates and the old ones did not have to be surrendered. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/15 "2025-08-12T17:47:39Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Note: in New York State, you cannot cancel your car insurance unless you show proof the license plates were surrendered to the DMV. No “free” NYS license plate souvenirs. Not true. She just moved from NY to another state & updated her insurance a couple of weeks ago (kept same national car insurance co). Old plates are still in her trunk, only because I haven’t grabbed them yet for my garage wall. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/16 "2025-08-12T18:30:30Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Note: in New York State, you cannot cancel your car insurance unless you show proof the license plates were surrendered to the DMV. It doesn’t seem right that the insurance company gets involved with State issues plates (other than you must have valid ones, etc). Usually involuntarily getting dropped is the problem, not insurance coverage against your will (?). No. Please. Not free insurance, anything but that. How do I switch to Geico if I wanted to save 15% or more and I want to keep my plates? ---
**Author:** ![Dandan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/17 "2025-08-12T18:54:38Z")
Many years ago, I bought a car when I had moved to NY. No registration form, as I knew it, involved, just some argle-bargle on the smallish registration card. Moved back to Baltimore and tried to register there - no go, Maryland was a title state, and I needed a separate bill of sale, which I had no hope of getting. Clerk side-eyed left and right to see who might be listening, and advised me to go to such-and-such a counter down the hall and gift the car to my wife, so that she could register it, no prob. Dan ---
**Author:** ![andrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/18 "2025-08-13T13:11:00Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > It doesn’t seem right that the insurance company gets involved with State issues plates (other than you must have valid ones, etc) It’s not the insurance company getting involved, it’s purely a matter of state law. The insurance companies don’t care if you cancel a policy. The state says you may not have an active registration without insurance coverage. Therefore, the order of operations when you want to un-register a vehicle is: turn in plates, cancel registration, cancel insurance. The idea is this keeps un-registered plates out of circulation, to make it more difficult for people who don’t want to register/insure their vehicle to obtain old plates to put on their vehicle illicitly, to try to fly under the radar. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/19 "2025-08-13T16:33:38Z")
> [@andrewm](#): > > Therefore, the order of operations when you want to un-register a vehicle is: turn in plates, cancel registration, cancel insurance. That’s a little more understandable, though that’s not what was described. I’ve never surrendered plates to the State (but have left old ones with a trade-in to a dealer, I forgot), we don’t do that here. I just take them off cars I’ve sold, bend in half back and forth till hot & brittle, snap, and discard. Lots of people have them lined up for display in their garages, basement bar, muffler patches, etc. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660/20 "2025-08-14T03:57:34Z")
To change insurance companies, you first arrange the new policy with Geico, then you cancel the old policy and the insurance companies notify DMV. You don’t have to turn in the plates if you are changing companies, only if you are canceling insurance altogether. But you have to make sure there isn’t a lapse because there is a daily fine for every day that you have the plates and no insurance. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-ny-car-to-ca-buyers-many-process-questions/1021660.md?page=2)