Buying from a private seller is simple if you get the paperwork right on the day of the sale. Oklahoma added new deadlines in September 2024, so here's the current process from start to finish.
At the sale: get these from the seller
- The title, signed over to you, with the seller's signature notarized. If the car has an electronic title, the seller gives you Form 718, the Bill of Sale of an Electronic Title, instead.
- The price you paid, written on the title. A standard Oklahoma title has a spot for it, so a bill of sale is optional. If the price isn't on the title or a bill of sale, Form 722-1, the Declaration of Vehicle Purchase Price, declares it; that form has to be notarized.
- A lien release, if a lien in the seller's name is still on the title.
- The odometer reading. An odometer disclosure is required for 2011 and newer vehicles. It's usually part of the title; if not, use Form 729.
The seller keeps their license plate. In Oklahoma, plates belong to people, not cars.
Within 2 business days: pre-register
Every vehicle bought in Oklahoma since September 1, 2024 has to be pre-registered within two business days of the sale. In a private sale, you or the seller can do it online on Navigate, or you can do it in person at a Licensed Operator. Pre-register with us in person and you'll leave with your pre-registration decals, and a plate if you need one, the same day.
You'll need:
- The VIN
- The vehicle's year, make, model and type
- The date of sale
- Your name, address, email and phone number
- Your plate number, if you're moving a plate from another vehicle
Within 10 days: plate and decals on the car
Within ten days of the sale, the car needs a metal license plate with the two pre-registration decals. The month decal goes in the top left corner of the plate and the "TEMPORARY" decal goes in the top right. If you have a plate from a car you sold, you can put it on this one and just add the new decals.
Within 2 months: title and register
You have two months from the date of sale to finish. Bring:
- The signed, notarized title (or Form 718)
- A bill of sale or Form 722-1, only if the price isn't on the title
- Your driver license
- Proof of Oklahoma insurance
- Form 729, if the odometer disclosure isn't on the title
You'll pay the $11 title fee, the $17 transfer fee, excise tax based on the vehicle's value, and registration. We'll give you standard decals to cover the temporary ones. If you financed the car, your lender holds the title.
Mistakes to avoid
- An unsigned or un-notarized title. Check it before you hand over the money.
- Missing the deadlines. Two business days to pre-register, ten days for the plate, and two months to register. After two months, penalties start adding up.
- No proof of the price. The State asks what you paid, so make sure the price is written on the title, or get a bill of sale.
Questions before you buy?
Call us at (918) 438-2198. We'll tell you exactly what to bring so you only make one trip. Every form above is on our forms page, and we can usually print them here for you.