What the California Release of Liability Form Is
The California Release of Liability form, officially called the Notice of Release of Liability, is a document you file with the Department of Motor Vehicles to tell them you no longer own a vehicle. It protects you from liability for accidents, parking tickets, and other violations that happen after you sell or transfer the car — but only if you file it correctly and on time.
When you sell a car in California, the buyer is responsible for registering it in their name. Until they do, the vehicle is still registered to you. If the new owner gets into an accident, racks up parking tickets, or commits a traffic violation, you could be held liable unless you have proof you released ownership. This form creates that proof.
You do not need this form if you trade the car in at a dealership — the dealer handles the paperwork. You do need it if you sell to a private buyer, donate the vehicle, or transfer it to a family member.
Key Takeaways
- File the Release of Liability form within 5 days of selling or transferring your vehicle to protect yourself from liability for accidents and violations.
- You can file online through the DMV website, by mail, or in person at a DMV office — online is fastest and requires only your vehicle information and the buyer's name.
- Keep a copy of your filed form for your records, because the DMV may not send you a confirmation and you may need proof later.
- If you sell the car but the buyer does not register it for weeks or months, you remain liable during that gap unless you have filed this form.
- Dealers handle release of liability automatically when you trade in a vehicle, so you only file this form for private sales and transfers.
When You Must File the Release of Liability
You must file within 5 days of the sale or transfer. This important date is strict — waiting longer leaves you exposed to liability for anything that happens to the vehicle in the meantime. If the new owner gets into an accident on day 6, you could still be held responsible.
File when ready if you sell the car to someone you do not know well or have concerns about. If you are selling to a family member or close friend, you still need to file, but the urgency is lower because you likely know whether they will register the vehicle promptly.
You do not need to file if you trade the car in at a dealership, donate it to a charity that handles the paperwork, or turn it in to the DMV for a Certificate of Destruction. In those cases, the receiving organization files the paperwork or the DMV processes it automatically.
How to File Online, by Mail, or In Person
The fastest way is to file online through the California DMV website. Go to dmv.ca.gov, find the Release of Liability section, and enter your vehicle identification number (VIN), license plate number, and the buyer's name. You do not need to upload documents or pay a fee. The form is processed when ready, though the DMV does not always send a confirmation email.
If you prefer to file by mail, read the Notice of Release of Liability form (REG 138) from the DMV website, fill it out by hand or print it, and mail it to the address listed on the form. Include your vehicle information, the date of sale, and the buyer's name and address if you have it. Mail takes 1 to 2 weeks to reach the DMV and be processed.
You can also file in person at any DMV office. Bring your vehicle registration and a photo ID. The staff will help you fill out the form if needed. Processing is when ready, and you receive a stamped copy on the spot.
Do not rely on the buyer to file their registration paperwork on time. You are responsible for filing the Release of Liability, not them. Even if they promise to register the car when ready, file your form within 5 days.
What Information You Need to File
Gather these details before you start:
- Your vehicle identification number (VIN) — found on your registration or the driver's side of the windshield
- Your license plate number
- The date you sold or transferred the vehicle
- The buyer's name (required for online filing)
- The buyer's address (optional but helpful)
You do not need the buyer's driver's license number, phone number, or signature. The DMV only needs enough information to match the vehicle to your account and note that you released it.
If you do not have the buyer's name — for example, if you sold the car to someone at a used car lot and they did not give you their information — you can still file. Enter what you know and file as soon as possible. The form still protects you even if it is incomplete.
What Happens After You File
The DMV updates its records to show that you released liability for the vehicle. If the new owner registers the car in their name within a few weeks, the transfer is complete and you are no longer connected to the vehicle in any way.
If the new owner never registers the car, you remain the registered owner on paper, but the Release of Liability form protects you from liability for accidents and violations. If you are sued or contacted by law enforcement about something that happened after you filed the form, you have proof that you released the vehicle and are not responsible.
The DMV does not send you a confirmation letter or email in most cases. If you filed online, take a screenshot of the confirmation page. If you filed by mail or in person, keep the stamped copy. You may need this proof later if there is a dispute.
Scams and Safety Alerts
Do not pay anyone to file this form for you. The form is free and takes 5 minutes to file online. Websites that charge $20 to $50 to "handle" your Release of Liability are taking your money for something you can do yourself at dmv.ca.gov.
Do not sign a blank form and hand it to the buyer. If you sign a form without filling in the date and your information, the buyer could alter it or file it incorrectly, and you would have no proof of when you actually released the vehicle.
If you sell the car and the buyer contacts you weeks later saying they never registered it and got into an accident, do not panic. File the Release of Liability when ready. The form is still valid even if filed late, and it protects you from that point forward. However, you may still be liable for anything that happened before you filed.
Be cautious if a buyer asks you to hold onto the registration paperwork or says they will "take care of it later." This is a red flag. File your Release of Liability within 5 days regardless of what the buyer says they will do.
What to Do If You Lose Your Registration or Cannot Find the VIN
If you have lost your vehicle registration, you can still file the Release of Liability. The VIN is printed on your registration, but it is also on the vehicle itself (driver's side windshield, driver's side door jamb, or engine block). Write down the VIN from the car before you hand over the keys.
If you cannot locate the VIN and have already sold the car, call the DMV at 1-800-777-0133 and provide your name and the vehicle's license plate number. The DMV can look up the VIN in their system and help you file the form over the phone or by mail.
If you have already lost contact with the buyer and do not have their name, file what you can. The form still protects you even if incomplete.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I sold the car but the buyer has not registered it yet?
File the Release of Liability when ready. You remain liable for the vehicle until the buyer registers it in their name, but the form protects you from that point forward. If something happens before the buyer registers it, you may still be liable, so do not delay filing.
Can I file the Release of Liability if I sold the car to a dealer?
No. Dealers handle their own paperwork and file with the DMV automatically. You do not need to file anything. If you traded in the car, the dealer manages the entire process.
What if I filed the form but the DMV says they have no record of it?
If you filed online, the form was processed when ready. If you filed by mail, it may still be in the queue — mail takes 1 to 2 weeks. If you filed in person, you received a stamped copy. Bring that copy to the DMV and ask them to verify it in their system. If it is truly missing, file again.
Do I need the buyer's signature on the Release of Liability form?
No. You file this form unilaterally to protect yourself. The buyer does not sign it or need to know about it. You are straightforward notifying the DMV that you no longer own the vehicle.
What if I sold the car to someone out of state?
File the California Release of Liability form anyway. It protects you in California's system. The buyer will register the vehicle in their home state, and that state's DMV will handle their paperwork. You only need to file in California.