When a car is sold in California, the seller must notify the DMV within 5 days with a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL), and the buyer has 10 days to transfer ownership into their name. The NRL protects the seller from tickets and liability after the sale, but it is not the transfer itself.
If you are selling
Sign the title in the right place, write down the odometer reading, and file the NRL within 5 days, online or with form REG 138. Keep a copy of the bill of sale. In most sales of a gasoline vehicle more than four model years old, the seller is responsible for providing a valid smog certification.
If you are buying
Get the signed title from the seller, check that the name on it matches the seller's ID, and complete the transfer within 10 days. If there was ever a loan on the car, you need the lien release. Family transfers and gifts use different paperwork, so ask before anything is signed.
The insurance step people forget
The car has to be insured before you drive it home. A new policy, or a vehicle change on the policy you have, is usually the first call to make, and the transfer paperwork goes faster when the insurance is already in place.
How to transfer a car title in California
- Check the titleThe seller's name and ID must match, and the right signature lines must be signed.
- Record the odometer readingIt goes on the title or the transfer form.
- Seller files the NRL within 5 daysOnline or with REG 138.
- Buyer insures the carBefore driving it, under the buyer's own policy.
- Buyer transfers ownership within 10 daysWith the signed title, smog certification if required, ID and fees.
Get it handled in one stop
Monge quotes auto insurance across multiple carriers and handles the vehicle paperwork at the same Bloomington counter. Start with the online quote form, call (909) 440-5999, or see California Title Transfers. Help is available in English and español.
Sources
- California DMV: Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability
- California DMV: Title transfers and changes
- California DMV: Smog inspections
General information, not legal advice. DMV rules and fees change; the DMV and your policy are the final word. Updated 2026-10-08.
Questions people ask
How long do I have to transfer a title in California?
The buyer has 10 days from the purchase to transfer ownership.
How long does the seller have to notify the DMV?
5 days, with a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability.
Does the NRL transfer the car?
No. It tells the DMV you sold it. The buyer still has to complete the transfer.
Who pays for the smog check when a car is sold?
In most sales of a gasoline vehicle more than four model years old, the seller provides the smog certification.
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