PHOENIX – Selling your car to the guy down the street, online or to a family member is a concept that probably goes back as far as Henry Ford himself. But the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division reminds you that reporting a private sale makes good sense and may keep you out of court.

Filling out a Sold Notice is simple and there is no fee. It should be completed within 10 calendar days of selling your vehicle and it can be done anytime online at ServiceArizona.com.

“A Sold Notice protects consumers,” said MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser-Richards. “If the vehicle is sold and is later in a crash or used in a crime, or if it’s simply abandoned, the MVD will have a record of the sale. That means a former owner won’t be responsible for abandoned vehicle fees, or worse called into court to explain why the vehicle was used in a crime or crash they had nothing do to with.”

MVD also keeps an eye out for unscrupulous unlicensed or licensed dealers that may attempt to sell a vehicle as though they were actually a private seller. When a vehicle is sold by a private owner to a dealer, a Sold Notice will alert MVD if that dealer attempts to re-sell the vehicle privately and ADOT Enforcement will initiate an investigation.

For more information about Sold Notices, visit azdot.gov/mvd.