How to Title a Private Car Sale in Arizona
Last verified: October 2026 against Arizona DOR and Arizona Revised Statutes sources
Arizona does not charge sales or use tax on a casual sale between individuals. You pay the title and registration fees and the yearly vehicle license tax.
Here is the order to do it in and what it costs.
Step by step
- 1
Get the signed title
The seller signs the title over to you with the assignment and warranty of title, including the odometer disclosure, and gives it to you when you take the car.
- 2
Leave the plate with the seller
The seller’s registration ends at the sale. The seller moves the plate to another vehicle or turns it in within 30 days, so you register the car yourself.
- 3
Apply within 15 days
Apply for the title and registration within 15 days after the seller signs the title over to you, at MVD or an authorized third party provider.
- 4
Check emissions testing
Vehicles registered in the Phoenix (area A) and Tucson (area B) areas need an emissions inspection.
- 5
Pay the fees and vehicle license tax
There is no sales tax on the sale. The title is $4, registration is $8 ($9 for a motorcycle), and the air quality fee is $1.50.
The vehicle license tax is paid every year. The first year it is $2.80 per $100 of 60% of the manufacturer’s base retail price. Each later year the value drops 16.25% and the rate is $2.89 per $100, with a $10 minimum.
What to bring
- The title, signed over to you with the assignment and warranty
- The odometer disclosure
- MVD’s title and registration application
- Your identification
- An emissions inspection, if you live in the Phoenix or Tucson area
- Payment for the title, registration, air quality fee, and vehicle license tax