Do I have to return my license plates when I sell my car?

It depends on the state. In Massachusetts and Connecticut you don't return plates to the agency, but you must cancel the registration and destroy or recycle the plates. In New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine you keep the plates to transfer to another vehicle you own. Rhode Island wants them mailed in or the registration canceled online. Always confirm with your state.

Will I keep getting an excise or car tax bill if I don't cancel?

Usually yes. In most New England states the excise or motor vehicle tax follows the active registration, not the car in your driveway. Until you cancel and, where required, show your town assessor the cancellation receipt and bill of sale, the bill can keep coming. Canceling promptly is how you stop it and get the tax prorated.

Can I give my plates to the person who bought my car?

No. In New England your plates belong to you, not the vehicle. You cannot hand an active plate to the buyer. Take the plates off before the buyer leaves. You can transfer them to your next car or cancel the registration, but the buyer must register the car and get plates in their own name.

What proof should I keep after canceling my registration?

Keep the cancellation receipt your state's RMV, DMV, or BMV gives you, and keep your bill of sale. Together they prove you canceled and no longer own the car. You'll often need both to clear your excise or property tax with your town assessor and to protect yourself if the town or your insurer has stale records.

Do I need to cancel my insurance too?

Yes, once the sale is done and the registration is handled, contact your insurance company to cancel or move the policy to another vehicle. Leaving coverage on a car you sold means paying for nothing. In some states an active registration without insurance can also trigger a lapse fine, so line up the timing and confirm the order with your insurer.

I sold a junk car with no keys and it won't start. Do these steps still apply?

Yes. Even for a wrecked, flooded, or dead car, the registration is still in your name until you cancel it, so the tax, insurance, and liability clock keeps running. Cancel the registration, keep the receipt and bill of sale, and handle the plates per your state. New England Auto Buyers can walk you through it at (888) 419-2274.

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How to Cancel Your Registration and Return Plates After Selling

After you sell, cancel your registration with your state and keep the receipt, then handle your plates. In MA, RI, and CT you cancel and recycle or return the plate. In NH, VT, and ME you keep the plate to transfer or return it. This stops your tax and insurance and clears your liability.

Last updated July 2026

Selling your car is only half the job. The other half is paperwork, and skipping it can cost you real money. Until you cancel the registration and deal with the plates, your state and town still think you own the car. That means the tax bill keeps coming, your insurance keeps running, and you can stay on the hook if the new owner does something dumb before they register it.

Here at New England Auto Buyers we hand you a bill of sale and a cash payment, but we can't cancel your registration for you. That part is on you, and it's quick. Here's how to close it out clean in all six New England states.

Why This Matters More Than People Think

Three things keep charging you when a car is still registered in your name.

First, the tax. Most New England states bill an annual excise or motor vehicle tax through your town. That bill follows the registration, not the car in your driveway. If the plate is still active, the bill still comes.

Second, the insurance. Your policy stays tied to that registration until you cancel or adjust it. You could be paying for coverage on a car you don't own.

Third, and this is the big one, liability. If your name is on an active registration and the buyer gets a ticket, causes a crash, or abandons the car before registering it themselves, that can land back on you. Canceling the registration and holding a receipt is your proof that you were done with it.

Massachusetts (RMV)

In Massachusetts you cancel the registration through the RMV. You can do it online, by mail, or in person, and it's free. The RMV gives you a cancellation receipt, so save it.

You don't have to hand the plate back to the RMV, but you can't just toss it whole. Cut it or destroy it, or recycle it if your town takes plates. To fix the excise tax, bring your plate cancellation receipt and your bill of sale to your local Board of Assessors and file for an abatement. That's how you get the bill prorated down to the months you actually owned the car.

Rhode Island (DMV)

Rhode Island now handles most cancellations online, and the DMV no longer accepts plates dropped off in person. You cancel the registration through the DMV site, or you mail the plates in by certified mail to the Plate Office in Cranston with a copy of your ID or registration.

If you mail them, include a stamped self-addressed envelope so they can send your cancellation receipt back. Keep that receipt. It's what protects you if your city or town forgets to pull the car off its excise list, and it helps you avoid an insurance lapse fine.

Connecticut (DMV)

Connecticut lets you cancel registration and plates online, by mail, or in person, and it's free. The fastest way is the online service, where you'll enter your license, plate number, and date of birth and get a cancellation receipt right away.

You don't need to return the plates to the DMV. Destroy or recycle them once the registration is canceled. Then take a copy of your cancellation receipt and your bill of sale to your town assessor so they take the car off the local property tax list. Skip that step and the town keeps billing you.

New Hampshire (DMV)

New Hampshire works a little differently, and there's no state sales tax or state excise here. Your plates belong to you, the first person listed on the registration, not to the car. So take them off before the buyer drives away. Never leave them on for the buyer.

You keep the plate to move it to your next vehicle. To do that, bring your current registration and proof of ownership for the new car to your town or city clerk. The clerk handles the transfer and applies the unused portion of your permit fees toward the new registration. You cannot transfer a plate to the person who bought your car.

Vermont (DMV)

In Vermont the plates stay with you, the seller, not the car. Pull them before you hand over the keys. From there you have choices. You can transfer them to another vehicle you own, mail them back to the DMV, or cancel the registration.

To cancel, fill out the Registration and Plate Cancellation Request (Form VD-170) and mail it to the DMV's central office in Montpelier with the required documents. Depending on timing, you may be eligible for a partial refund of the registration fee, so it's worth asking.

Maine (BMV)

In Maine, remove your plates before you turn over the car so you're not tied to anything the buyer does. You keep the plates, and it's usually smart to hold onto them and the excise credit to transfer to your next vehicle at your town office.

If you're not replacing the car, know that the unused excise tax generally is not refundable in Maine. For extra protection you can file a plate cancellation request with the BMV, though that form typically needs to be notarized. Your town office is the right first stop for excise questions.

One Last Word

Rules and forms change, and towns handle things a little differently across New England. Treat this as a map, not the final word, and confirm the details with your state's RMV, DMV, or BMV before you rely on them. When you sell to New England Auto Buyers, we make sure you leave with a signed bill of sale, which is the document your state and town will ask for. Questions on any of this? Call us at (888) 419-2274 and we'll point you the right way.

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