Removing your license plates before selling your car through LightSpeedBid is an important step that protects you from future liability and ensures that the buyer is not driving or transporting the vehicle under your registration. In many states, the seller is legally required to remove the plates before the tow truck arrives. LightSpeedBid guides sellers through this process and explains state specific rules so you always know exactly what to do. The general rule is simple. If you want to sell my car fast, sell my junk car, or sell my vehicle for cash, you should remove the plates once the sale is confirmed and before the car leaves your property.
Removing the plates is quick and does not require special tools. Plates are usually held in place by two to four screws. You can use a Phillips screwdriver or the appropriate bit to remove them. If the screws are rusted, spray lubricant helps loosen them. Once the plates are off, place them in a safe spot because most states require you to return the plates to the DMV or transfer them to another vehicle. LightSpeedBid explains which rule applies in your state.
Some states require the seller to surrender the plates immediately after the sale. Others allow you to transfer them to another vehicle you own. A smaller number of states allow you to keep the plates. LightSpeedBid gives the correct instructions so you know exactly where to bring your plates, whether that is your DMV, tax office, tag agency, or online plate return portal.
If your plates are stuck, damaged, or left on accidentally, LightSpeedBid helps you contact the buyer to retrieve them. However, removing them before pickup is always the safest choice. Buyers do not need the plates to tow the vehicle, since they transport it on a flatbed or tow truck that does not require active registration.
If your plates are expired, the rules are the same. Even expired plates contain visible registration numbers that remain associated with your name. Keeping them prevents someone from misusing them. LightSpeedBid education modules built into the pickup scheduling process remind you to remove your plates and place them in your designated return envelope or file.
If your state requires a plate cancellation, LightSpeedBid helps by giving you direct DMV links and instructions for completing the cancellation online. Some states require a brief form that takes less than two minutes. Others require you to return the plates physically. Removing your plates promptly ensures you avoid future registration fees, toll violations, parking tickets, or insurance charges.
Throughout the process, LightSpeedBid ensures your sale is clean, safe, and legally final by walking you through plate removal and next steps for verification with your DMV. Whether you are trying to sell your junk car for cash, junk a car without registration, or sell a non running car, removing the plates is an essential step, and LightSpeedBid makes it effortless.