How to Sell a Vehicle in an Estate Sale

When someone close to you passes away, the last thing that you are probably thinking about is what to do with their belongings. Unfortunately, this is a task that must be completed. For those of you that are wondering how to sell a vehicle in an estate sale, the process is actually similar to what you would do if you were selling your own vehicle, with just a few added steps.

Receive Court Clearance

Before you can sell a deceased person’s vehicle, you must first go to probate court and get permission to do so. This will come in the form of a Letter of Testamentary. Basically, what the Letter of Testamentary does is it gives you the right to sell the deceased’s vehicle. If they owned more than one vehicle, you should request several letters, one for each vehicle you plan to sell.

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Make Sure the Vehicle is Paid Off

The last thing that you want to do is sell a vehicle and then get a letter in the mail the next month from the bank asking why a payment hasn’t been received for the previous month. Check with the deceased’s bank or financing company to make sure that all payments have been received. Once you have done this they should provide you with a clean title for the vehicle.

Free to Sell the Vehicle

Once you have received the Letter of Testamentary and you have a clean title, you are then free to sell the vehicle. There is still one condition left. When you are signing the title over to its new owner, do not forge the signature of deceased person. Simply sign your own name, and then next to it write “executor for the estate of (insert deceased person’s name here)”.

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If You Have Questions, Ask!

We understand that this can be a very uneasy and difficult time for people. Selling items that belonged to people you cared about is never easy. If you ever have any questions on how to sell a vehicle in an estate sale, do not hesitate to give us a call! Another useful source is your local DMV, as they will be able to answer the more technical questions.