How to Title a Private Car Sale in Oregon
Last verified: November 2026 against Oregon DMV sources
Oregon has no sales tax on a private vehicle sale. You apply for the title at Oregon DMV within 30 days of the sale and pay a title fee set by the vehicle’s MPG rating.
Here is the order to do it in, what it costs, and what to bring.
Step by step
- 1
Collect the documents from the seller
Get the original title signed over to you, any lien releases from earlier lenders, and an odometer disclosure if one is required.
- 2
Complete the title application
For a car, pickup, or SUV, use the guided DMV2U application, which also works out your fees.
- 3
Apply within 30 days
Mail the documents or bring them to a DMV office. A title application filed 31 to 60 days after the sale costs a $25 late fee, and after 60 days $50.
- 4
Pay the title fee
The fee follows the combined MPG rating: $101 for 0 to 19 MPG, $106 for 20 to 39 MPG, $116 for 40 MPG or more, and $192 for an all-electric vehicle.
- 5
Register if the plates are not current
Registration is due when the vehicle has no Oregon plates or its registration has expired. Two years costs $126, $136, or $216 by MPG tier, or $376 for an electric vehicle, plus county fees in Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties. In the Portland and Medford areas most vehicles must pass a DEQ emissions test first.
What to bring
- A completed Title Application (DMV2U for a passenger vehicle)
- The original title, signed over to you
- Lien releases from any earlier lenders
- An odometer disclosure, if required
- Payment for the title fee and any registration and plate fees