Selling a car with two names on the title
Two names on a title is common (spouses, a parent co-signer, an ex) and it usually adds exactly one requirement to a private sale: the right set of signatures. The single most important detail is one word printed between the names.
Get the signature question answered before you list, because a title signed by the wrong set of owners is one of the most common reasons a buyer's transfer gets rejected, after they've paid you and driven home.
'And' means both sign. 'Or' usually means either can.
Most states follow the conjunction on the title: names joined by 'and' (or a slash, in some states) require every listed owner's signature to sell; names joined by 'or' typically allow any one owner to sign alone. Some titles show 'and/or' or nothing at all, and a few states apply their own default regardless of wording. When it isn't obvious, a two-minute call to your titling office beats guessing.
When in doubt, get both signatures anyway. No transfer was ever rejected for having too many of the right signatures.
The co-owner who isn't around
The hard cases are logistical: an ex who won't cooperate, a co-signer in another state, a spouse who has died.
- Deceased co-owner: usually resolvable with a death certificate (survivorship) or the estate paperwork; see our inherited-car guide.
- Divorce: if the decree awards the vehicle to you, most states can retitle it into your name alone using the decree before you sell. Do the retitle first; don't try to explain a decree to a buyer.
- Distant co-owner: many states accept a mailed-in signature on the title or a state power-of-attorney form for vehicle transactions. Confirm which your state allows and whether notarization is required.
- Uncooperative co-owner: you cannot lawfully sell their interest without their signature. That's a negotiation (or court) problem, not a paperwork trick.
Doing the sale itself
Once signatures are sorted, run a normal private sale, with each required owner signing exactly as their name appears on the title, in the right places, in front of a notary if your state requires one. If both owners can't attend the closing, have the absent owner's portions completed (and notarized where applicable) beforehand, and tell the buyer in advance how the signatures are being handled. It's a trust signal, not a complication.
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Start your free beta packetCommon questions
Do both people on a car title have to sign to sell it?
If the names are joined by 'and,' yes: every listed owner signs. If joined by 'or,' one owner alone is usually enough. Wording and defaults vary by state, so confirm with your titling office if the title is ambiguous, and when in doubt get both signatures.
My ex is on the title but the divorce decree gave me the car. Can I sell?
Usually you first retitle the vehicle into your name alone using the decree (your state titling office will have a process), then sell normally. Selling with the ex's name still on an 'and' title requires their signature regardless of what the decree says.
A co-signer on the loan is on my title. Do they need to sign?
If they're on the title (not just the loan) and the names are joined by 'and,' yes. Also check for a lien: a co-signed loan usually means a lender lien that must be released at or before the sale.
Can an out-of-state co-owner sign without being at the sale?
Often yes: by signing the title (and any required forms) in advance, notarized if your state requires it, or via a state-approved power of attorney for vehicle transactions. Confirm the exact method with your titling office before the closing.
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Last reviewed Jul 11, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Titling and tax rules vary by state and change over time, so confirm current requirements with your state motor vehicle agency.