Sold my car, am I still liable?

[heynup]

What is the name of your state? Hawaii


Aloha, any help would be appreciated. I sold my car for cash. The new owner never registered the car, and then left the island. I have no idea where the car is, and I just got a notice for registration renewal. I never sent in the transfer of ownership paper as the buyer said they would do that for me.. (dummy).

What are my options? I have been to the DMV and was told I need his address to complete the transfer. The police were notified and said they could not help as the car was not stolen.

What do I do? How do I get from under this vehicle?

Mahalo,

 

[outonbail]

I'm not familiar with the registration renewal forms utilized by the state of Hawaii, but most states have a section on the renewal notice where you would notify them that you have sold the vehicle. I would certainly believe that Hawaii would also have something on the form you can fill in and return, or at least instructions on what you need to do if you no longer own the vehicle.

Do you have any information whatsoever regarding the sale? Like the date you sold it, the name, address and phone number of the party you sold the vehicle to, the selling price, the odometer reading at the time of the sale?

All of these details are pretty much the standard information required whenever you report the sale of your vehicle to DMV. If you have any or all of this information, there is probably an area on the renewal form that you can provide this information and mail the form back to them so they can note it in their computer system. If there is not, then request the form you need to report the sale from the DMV.

If you don't have all of the information, report whatever you do have. If the party has moved, use the address you have. Even if the party no longer resides there, it is their responsibility to notify the DMV of any change in address so just give them what you have from the date of the sale.

Whatever you do, give the DMV something to make them aware of the fact that you no longer have any ties to the vehicle and are no longer responsible for the fees, insurance or any other costs associated with the operation of the vehicle and provide them with the date you sold all interest in the vehicle. If you haven't done this already, you will be the person who is held responsible for any damages which result from the operation of the vehicle as well as for any citations written for illegal parking, towing, impound and storage charges etc.

I don't know how old you are or how many vehicles you've bought or sold, but reporting the sale of every vehicle to the DMV as soon as possible subsequent to the sale, is really a no brainer in this day and age.

 

[teflon_jones]

Do a search on the internet to try and find the buyer's address. If you can't find it, just use some real address for an apartment building. It doesn't have to be the person's real address, the DMV just needs some address.