We sold a truck and RV to my brother-in-law’s neighbor, who lives about 600 miles away. We did our part and sent the forms to the DMV to notify them of the sale, but now I’m wondering… how can we check if the buyer actually registered them in their name? I’m nervous about being stuck with any liability. It’s a bit of a weird deal because the payment wasn’t money—it was wood logs for my brother-in-law, who uses them to heat his home. Any advice?
Did you send in the NRL form to the DMV? That should cover you legally, even if the buyer hasn’t registered yet.
Alexander said:
Did you send in the NRL form to the DMV? That should cover you legally, even if the buyer hasn’t registered yet.
Yeah, we sent the NRL form right after the sale. Just wondering if there’s any way to confirm the buyer did their part.
Alexander said:
Did you send in the NRL form to the DMV? That should cover you legally, even if the buyer hasn’t registered yet.
FYI, the DMV usually won’t tell you if the buyer registered it due to privacy laws. You just have to keep an eye out for anything like tickets in your name.
Wait, payment in wood logs? That’s unique lol. Do you have any kind of written agreement?
Marley said:
Wait, payment in wood logs? That’s unique lol. Do you have any kind of written agreement?
Not really… just the DMV forms we filled out and submitted. Do you think we need something more?
Marley said:
Wait, payment in wood logs? That’s unique lol. Do you have any kind of written agreement?
Yeah, even a simple document signed by the buyer could help, just to say they got the vehicles and agree to register them.
Marley said:
Wait, payment in wood logs? That’s unique lol. Do you have any kind of written agreement?
Agreed. Even if it’s informal, it’s good to have something in writing in case anything comes up.
What does NRL stand for? I’m out of the loop here.
Pax said:
What does NRL stand for? I’m out of the loop here.
It’s the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability. You send it to the DMV to let them know you sold the vehicle.
Pax said:
What does NRL stand for? I’m out of the loop here.
Got it, thanks! So it’s basically to protect you from issues after the sale?
Pax said:
What does NRL stand for? I’m out of the loop here.
Exactly. It tells the DMV you’re no longer responsible for the vehicle.
Just keep an eye on your mail. If you get a parking ticket or something, it could mean the buyer didn’t register the vehicles yet.
esleystanley said:
Just keep an eye on your mail. If you get a parking ticket or something, it could mean the buyer didn’t register the vehicles yet.
Good point. We’ll definitely be watching for anything like that.
esleystanley said:
Just keep an eye on your mail. If you get a parking ticket or something, it could mean the buyer didn’t register the vehicles yet.
If something does show up, you can send proof of the sale to the issuing agency. They’ll take you off the hook.
Kind of random, but does your brother-in-law have any way to get the neighbor to confirm they’ll register the vehicles? Like, maybe just a quick note?
Laken said:
Kind of random, but does your brother-in-law have any way to get the neighbor to confirm they’ll register the vehicles? Like, maybe just a quick note?
We’re thinking about it. He doesn’t have internet or anything, so it might have to be a handwritten thing. Fingers crossed.
Laken said:
Kind of random, but does your brother-in-law have any way to get the neighbor to confirm they’ll register the vehicles? Like, maybe just a quick note?
Handwritten works! As long as it’s signed by both, it’ll help if there are any future issues.