Sell a Car When the Owner Is Out of the Country (2026)

On this page

Who can sell a car when the owner is out of the country
Route 1: the title holder overseas signs and mails the title
Route 2: power of attorney to sell a car (state forms)
How to get it notarized from abroad
Getting the signed papers back to the US
If the title is lost, there’s a loan, or there’s a co-owner
If the car was towed after an ICE arrest
What Peddle, CarBrain and local yards accept
What the car is worth, and who gets the money
What to do this week

You can sell a car when the owner is out of the country, but only the owner can give you the right to do it. Either the owner signs the title as seller from wherever they live now and mails it to you, or they sign your state’s vehicle power of attorney form naming you as their agent. Nobody else’s signature, including yours, works on its own.

Quick answer

Yesif the owner signs the title or names you as agent

The two legal routes are a title signed by the owner abroad, or a state power of attorney form such as Texas VTR-271, California REG 260, Florida HSMV 82053 or Georgia T-8. A US embassy or consulate can notarize for $50 per seal. Forms and rules below were read in October 2026.

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Who can sell a car when the owner is out of the country

This is the call a lot of families get: someone was deported, moved back home or is working overseas, and the car is sitting in your driveway collecting tickets. The owner still owns it. Leaving the country doesn’t change the name on the title.

That leaves three people who can legally sign the car away:

The owner, by signing the title as seller and sending it to you.
An agent the owner names on a power of attorney (in Spanish, poder notarial). For cars, the safest version is the state DMV’s own one-page form, because the title clerk already knows it.
A co-owner, if the title is written so either owner can sign. More on that below.

If the owner has died, this page isn’t the right one. Read how to junk a car when the owner has died instead.

Route 1: the title holder overseas signs and mails the title

This is the simplest route if the owner has the original title, or can get it.

The owner signs the seller line and prints their name exactly as it appears on the front. Our guide to signing over a car title shows where.
If the car is a 2011 model or newer, they fill in the odometer reading too. Federal rules exempt 2010 and older cars, and newer ones once they turn 20.
If your state wants the seller’s signature notarized, the owner signs in front of a notary abroad (see the notary section).
They leave the buyer’s name blank only until you know it, and you fill it in with the buyer at the handoff. Never pass around a signed title with no buyer on it for weeks (see “open titles” below).

Peddle says the owner doesn’t need to be at pickup “as long as the title is signed in advance,” if the carrier allows unattended pickups. Its help center describes exactly this case: a spouse, parent or relative handling the sale for the registered owner.

Route 2: power of attorney to sell a car (state forms)

If the title is lost, needs fixing or has to be replaced, a power of attorney is better, because your agent can handle the DMV side too. Use the state where the car is titled. We read each form in October 2026.

State	Form	What the form says
Texas	VTR-271	Lets the agent transfer and assign title. Can’t be used in a dealer deal on a car that needs an odometer statement; Texas points you to the secure VTR-271-A then. Copies of both IDs if used to apply for title.
California	REG 260	Owner signs in ink under penalty of perjury; no notary section. DMV accepts a photocopy or fax. The agent can’t disclose odometer mileage.
Florida	HSMV 82053	Not a “secure” power of attorney. Usable when the odometer is exempt; otherwise you need a separate odometer form (HSMV 82993) or the secure HSMV 82995.
Georgia	T-8	Must be notarized and the original (no photocopies). One agent only. Expires 12 months after signing. Send a copy of the agent’s license or ID.

Other states have their own forms. Search your DMV’s site for “power of attorney” plus “vehicle,” and check whether it needs a notary before the owner signs.

Fill it in completely before the owner signs

Georgia’s T-8 makes the owner certify the form was completely filled in when it was signed, and says any alteration voids it. Treat every state’s form that way. Write the VIN, year, make and model, and the agent’s full legal name before the form leaves your hands.

Mind the odometer rule on newer cars

All four forms put some limit on how an agent handles the mileage statement. For a junk car that is 2010 or older, it doesn’t matter. For a 2011 or newer car, ask the DMV or your buyer which form covers the odometer before you mail anything abroad.

How to get it notarized from abroad

There are two ways, and both start with the owner not signing anything yet.

At a US embassy or consulate. The State Department says notarial appointments are “available for customers of all nationalities,” you must appear in person, and it charges $50 for each consular seal. It also says not to sign the document before the appointment. Book through the embassy or consulate’s own website.
With a local notary plus an apostille. In countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention, the State Department says you can use a local notary and then have the document authenticated for use in the US. Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic are all members, per the Hague Conference’s status table.

The consulate route is usually easier for a DMV clerk to accept, because the form stays in English and the seal is American. Before the owner pays a foreign notary, call the DMV or county tag office and ask whether it takes a foreign notarization with an apostille.

Getting the signed papers back to the US

Mail the originals. Georgia’s T-8 says photocopies are not acceptable, and a buyer’s tow driver needs the original signed title in hand.

Use a courier with tracking, not regular mail.
Before sealing the envelope, photograph every signed page, front and back.
Send the title and the power of attorney together, with a copy of the owner’s photo ID if your state’s form asks for one.

If the title is lost, there’s a loan, or there’s a co-owner

Lost title

The owner can usually request a replacement from abroad. In Texas, the VTR-34 application for a certified copy can be mailed with a $2 fee; all recorded owners sign it and include a copy of their photo ID. Texas’s VTR-271 also lets an agent apply for a certified copy, with photocopies of both people’s IDs. Georgia’s T-8 lets the agent apply for a replacement title. If the original can’t be found at all, our guide to selling a junk car without a title covers the exceptions.

A loan on the car

The lender has to release its lien before anyone can take clean title. Peddle says liens are settled with the lender before the sale, and CarBrain says it can help get the title released. An attorney interviewed by Univision Austin warned that car payments keep running after a detention, and that the debt can survive a repossession. Call the lender before you do anything else.

A co-owner in the US

If a second owner lives here, check how the names are joined on the front of the title. Our title-signing guide explains when one signature is enough and when both owners have to sign.

If the car was towed after an ICE arrest

In Texas, an immigration attorney told Univision Austin that ICE doesn’t decide what happens to the car: the same local towing rules apply as for any other vehicle. Enlace Latino NC reports that lots usually want proof that you are authorized to act for the owner, that an informal signed note may be rejected, and that a notarized limited power of attorney is the usual fix. It also notes that a power of attorney written only to pick up the car does not let you sell it.

Move fast, because storage is charged daily. As one example, Illinois Legal Aid Online lists Chicago’s city pound at $25 a day (capped at $1,000) plus a $150 tow for a standard car. Find out which agency towed it, ask the lot what paperwork it accepts, and if it gets complicated, contact a local legal aid group or the owner’s consulate. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Two shortcuts that turn into fraud

Don’t sign the owner’s name yourself, even if they say it’s fine on the phone. Texas’s VTR-271 says falsifying information is a third-degree felony, and Georgia’s T-8 calls false information a felony. And don’t buy, sell or pass along an “open title” with the buyer line left blank. Georgia’s DOR makes handing over a title without the buyer’s name a misdemeanor.

What Peddle, CarBrain and local yards accept

Peddle

Peddle says the titled owner has to complete the ownership paperwork and someone else can’t do it for them, but the owner can skip pickup if the title is signed ahead of time. Its help center also explains a “letter of authorization” for an agent signing sale paperwork, which Peddle may request, and which may need a notary depending on the state. If you’re the stand-in at pickup, you must be 18 or older to receive payment. Ask Peddle before you accept whether your carrier will take your papers.

CarBrain

CarBrain’s FAQ says it requires a title in the seller’s name, signed by the registered owner, and it sometimes asks for a scan of the signed title and the owner’s driver’s license first. We couldn’t find a CarBrain page on powers of attorney, so ask before you accept. CarBrain offers Spanish-speaking support. More in our CarBrain review.

The yard down the street

Every yard sets its own rules. Call, explain that the owner is abroad, and ask exactly which papers it wants before the owner spends money on a notary.

What the car is worth, and who gets the money

The car is worth the same as if the owner were standing next to it. As of October 23, 2026, iScrap’s yard reports put a complete junk car near $184 a ton, so a 3,300-pound sedan is worth about $303 by weight alone. CarBrain says a junk car averages $250–$750. Run the numbers in our junk car value calculator.

The money belongs to the owner. Agree up front how you’ll send it, and keep the offer email and the receipt.

What to do this week

Ask the owner whether they have the title, and whether there’s a loan.
Download your state’s power of attorney form, fill it in completely and send it to the owner.
The owner books a notary at the US embassy or consulate (or a local notary plus apostille), signs and couriers the originals back.
Request offers, tell the buyer the owner is abroad, and get the number in writing before the tow. The full process is in how to junk a car.

Get a free offer for the car

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FAQ

Can I sell my relative's car if they were deported?

Yes, if they give you the legal authority to do it. Either they sign the title as seller from where they live now and mail it to you, or they sign your state's vehicle power of attorney form naming you as their agent. Texas uses VTR-271, California REG 260, Florida HSMV 82053 and Georgia T-8. You cannot sign their name yourself, even with their permission over the phone.

Does a power of attorney to sell a car need to be notarized?

It depends on the state form. Georgia's T-8 must be signed and notarized, and it must be the original. California's REG 260 is signed under penalty of perjury and has no notary section. From abroad, a US embassy or consulate can notarize for $50 per seal, by appointment, for people of any nationality, per the State Department.

Can the title holder overseas sign the title and mail it to me?

Usually yes. The owner signs the seller line and prints their name exactly as it appears on the front, then mails the original by a trackable courier. Peddle says the owner does not need to be at pickup if the title is signed in advance and the carrier allows it. If your state requires a notarized title signature, the owner needs a notary abroad too.

What if the car was towed after an ICE arrest?

Find out which agency or company towed it and call the lot fast, because storage is charged by the day. Enlace Latino NC reports that lots usually want proof you can act for the owner, and that an informal signed note may be rejected. A notarized limited power of attorney is the usual fix. A local legal aid group or the owner's consulate can help with the details.

Will Peddle or CarBrain buy a car if the owner is not in the US?

Peddle says the titled owner must complete the ownership paperwork, though they don't have to be present if the title is signed ahead of time, and it may ask for a letter of authorization for an agent. CarBrain's FAQ says it requires a title in the seller's name, signed by the registered owner. Tell both companies the situation before you accept an offer.

Sources we checked

TxDMV Form VTR-271: Limited Power of Attorney for Eligible Motor Vehicle Transactions
California DMV: Signature by Power of Attorney (REG 260), registration procedures manual
Georgia DOR: T-8 Limited Power of Attorney/Motor Vehicle Transactions
Pasco County Tax Collector (FL): POA and Secure POA (HSMV 82053, 82995)
US State Department: Notarial and authentication services at US embassies and consulates
HCCH: Apostille Convention status table
TxDMV: Get a copy of your title (VTR-34)
Peddle help center: Do I need to be there when you pick up my car?
Enlace Latino NC: What happens to your car if ICE stops you while you're driving
Univision Austin: What happens to your car if ICE detains you in Texas (Spanish)
Illinois Legal Aid Online: Costs and storage of impounded cars in Chicago

Written and fact-checked by the Junk Car Worth team. Prices and buyer policies checked October 2026. How we estimate value.

How to Sell a Car When the Owner Is Out of the Country

Who can sell a car when the owner is out of the country

Route 1: the title holder overseas signs and mails the title

Route 2: power of attorney to sell a car (state forms)