You need three things to sell a junk car in Michigan: a clean Michigan title in your name (or one of the legal alternatives below), a photo ID matching the title, and the vehicle accessible for our flatbed at pickup. The rest of this guide walks every situation we see at Junk Car Scrappers Detroit, including lost titles, inherited vehicles, joint ownership, open liens, and the Michigan Secretary of State forms each one requires.
The short answer
For most junk car sales in Metro Detroit, here is what you actually need in hand at pickup. Have these and the sale moves fast.
- A Michigan title in your name. The single most important document. If you don't have it, see the "selling without a title" section below.
- Photo ID matching the title. Driver's license or Michigan state ID. The name must match what's on the title.
- Vehicle accessible to the flatbed. Driveway, street, lot, or garage with the door open. We do drive-up or drag-and-load.
- You, or an authorized adult, on-site at pickup. To verify ID, sign the title, and receive the cash.
That covers most Detroit junk car sales. The rest of this page is for the cases where the title is missing, the registered owner is deceased, there's a lien, or the vehicle is jointly owned. We've handled all of these.
The Michigan title is your main document
Why a clean Michigan title matters
The Michigan Secretary of State requires a title transfer on every legal vehicle sale. A clean title in your name proves you have the right to sell the car, satisfies the legal transfer requirement, and gets you the highest cash offer. Junk Car Scrappers Detroit pays top dollar on clean-title sales because the paperwork is straightforward and the legal risk is the lowest of any sale type.
Can I sell a junk car without a title in Michigan?
Yes, in specific cases. Michigan allows certain junk car sales with current vehicle registration and a matching photo ID instead of a title, when the car is going to scrap rather than back on the road. We can buy these vehicles at a reduced offer. Call us first with the details before assuming the sale won't work. Most no-title situations have a path.
What if I lost the title?
Apply for a duplicate Michigan title using Form TR-11L through the Secretary of State. The application fee is around $20 and processing runs 3 to 5 business days. You can request the duplicate online at Michigan.gov, by mail, or at any SOS branch office. Most Detroit sellers apply for the duplicate before pickup, because the higher offer for a clean-title sale more than covers the small fee. If a duplicate is not an option (lien on the title, inherited car with no record of the title, or other complications), see how to sell a junk car without a title in Michigan for the four legal paths around it.
What is a "jumped" title and why won't a buyer accept it?
A jumped title is one that a previous owner signed over to you, but you never officially transferred into your name at the Michigan SOS. It is not a legal title for resale. Complete the title transfer at any SOS branch first, where the fee is around $15 plus 6% sales tax on the declared value. We can't accept a jumped title because the chain of ownership is broken in the state's record.
Does a salvage or rebuilt title still work?
Yes. We buy salvage and rebuilt vehicles every week in Metro Detroit. A salvage title reduces the offer by about $50 to $150 compared to a clean title on the same vehicle, because the legal resale market is limited. A rebuilt title (a salvage vehicle that has been repaired and re-inspected by the Michigan SOS) pays closer to a clean-title offer, depending on condition. For more on totaled cars, see our guide on selling a wrecked or totaled car in Detroit.
What if there's an open lien on the title?
The lien has to be released before the sale can close. Contact the lienholder (usually a bank or credit union), request a lien release letter, and submit it to the Michigan SOS so a clean title can be issued. If you still owe more than the junk car is worth, the loan has to be paid down or settled with the lienholder before we can buy the vehicle. Negative-equity situations are common, but the sale can't legally complete with the lien open.
What identification you need
Your photo ID must match the title
The name on your driver's license or Michigan state ID must match the name on the title. Maiden-name or married-name mismatches need either an updated title or supporting documentation (marriage certificate, court order). The Michigan SOS doesn't issue same-day name changes on titles, so handle this before pickup if it applies to you.
Selling on behalf of someone else
You can sell a junk car for another person if they sign a Michigan Limited Power of Attorney for Vehicle Transactions (Form TR-128) naming you as the authorized agent. Bring the signed form (notarized where required) and your photo ID to pickup. Without a POA, the title-holder has to be present in person to sign the title over.
Selling an inherited or estate vehicle
If the title-holder is deceased, the sale moves through the estate. The executor named in probate paperwork signs the title with a copy of the Letter of Authority issued by the court. For small Michigan estates valued under $24,000 (the small-estate threshold in 2025), an heir can sign using Form TR-29 (Certification from the Heir to a Vehicle) without formal probate. Call us first if this is your situation. We can tell you which path fits before you make a trip to the SOS.
What you need from the car itself
Does the car need to run?
No. We buy non-running, won't-start, seized-engine, blown-transmission, and totally dead cars every day in Metro Detroit. Our flatbed loads any vehicle, drivable or not. The offer adjusts for missing function, but a non-runner is still worth real cash. For more, see our page on selling a car that won't start.
Do I need the keys?
No. Keys are helpful but not required to complete a sale. Without keys, we drag-and-load the car onto the flatbed using a winch. The offer doesn't change for missing keys. Bring them if you have them. Don't worry if you don't.
Does the catalytic converter have to be on the car?
We prefer it. The catalytic converter is the single most valuable removable component on most cars, worth $80 to $400 in scrap on a typical sedan and up to $900 on hybrid vehicles like the Prius or Insight. A missing or cut cat reduces the offer by its full market value. Don't remove the cat before selling. You will always net less, not more, selling it separately.
What about the license plates?
Michigan plates stay with you, not the car. After the sale, keep your plate and either transfer it to a new vehicle at the Michigan SOS or return it for a partial refund of unused registration. Removing the plate before pickup is a small thing that speeds the visit. This is different from many other states, where the plate goes with the car. In Michigan, the registration is yours, not the vehicle's.
Optional items that help
None of the items below are required to complete a sale. They speed pickup and, in some cases, push the offer to the top of its range.
- Vehicle keys (if you have them)
- Service records (can affect parts value on a complete car)
- Original alloy wheels still on the car (not swapped for steel)
- License plate already removed
- Personal belongings already cleared out (glove box, console, trunk, under seats)
- The car positioned for easy flatbed loading (not parked behind another vehicle)
What happens at pickup
Our driver arrives in the window we agreed on. Most Metro Detroit pickups are same-day if you call before 2 PM during business hours. The driver verifies the car matches what you described, checks the title and your photo ID, hands you the agreed cash, watches you sign the title over to Junk Car Scrappers Detroit, and loads the car onto the flatbed. Total time on-site is 10 to 15 minutes. We file the title transfer with the Michigan Secretary of State on our end. You walk away with cash, a signed bill of sale for your records, and a cancelled obligation on the vehicle.
Common Michigan situations and what to do
The title is in my deceased parent's name
Inheritance sales go through the estate. If a probate case has been opened, the executor signs the title with a copy of the Letter of Authority from the court. For Michigan estates under $24,000, the heir signs using Form TR-29 (Certification from the Heir to a Vehicle) without involving probate court. Call us first, we'll tell you which path matches your case before you make any trips.
The title has two names on it (joint ownership)
Both owners need to sign the title at transfer, or one owner needs a signed Power of Attorney from the other. If the joint owner is deceased, you need a certified death certificate along with the title. The surviving owner can then sign as the sole transferor. Bring both photo IDs (or the survivor's photo ID and the death certificate) to pickup.
I owe more on the loan than the junk car is worth
A car with negative equity (loan balance higher than the junk car offer) can't be sold without paying the lien off first. You have three real options: pay the difference yourself and clear the lien, ask the lienholder to accept a short payoff for less than the full balance, or wait until the loan is paid down past the car's value. We can't legally complete a sale with an open lien.
The car is on property I don't own
The vehicle can be picked up from a friend's driveway, an apartment complex lot (with management's permission), a storage facility, or a legally parked spot on a public street. Private property pickups need the property owner's verbal okay before the flatbed arrives. For public street pickups, the city's parking rules apply. We coordinate the location at booking and follow up the morning of pickup.
The car has been declared a total loss by my insurance
Michigan declares a vehicle totaled when repair costs exceed 75% of actual cash value. Your insurance company issues a check for the pre-loss value and either takes the salvage or pays you the salvage-retention amount and leaves the car with you. If you kept the car, we buy it on its salvage title. The choice between taking the insurance check and keeping the car for resale is its own decision. Most sellers take the larger of the two numbers after we've quoted the car.
Quick checklist before pickup
Print or screenshot this. Have all of these ready and the sale moves fast.
Required at pickup:
- Michigan title in your name, or an approved alternative (TR-11L duplicate, TR-128 power of attorney, TR-29 heir certification, or current registration if the vehicle is going to scrap)
- Photo ID matching the title
- Vehicle accessible to the flatbed
- You or an authorized adult on-site
Have on hand if available:
- Vehicle keys
- Lien release letter (if there was a previous loan)
- Power of Attorney (Form TR-128) or Letter of Authority (if selling for someone else)
- License plate already removed (return to SOS for partial refund of unused registration)
Want a real cash offer right now?
The fastest way to know what your specific junk car is worth is to call us with the year, make, model, condition, and ZIP code. We give you a real number in two minutes by phone. For details on how the offer is calculated, see our pricing worksheet on what junk cars are worth. For the full selling process step by step, see our guide on how to sell a junk car. Junk Car Scrappers Detroit answers the phone at (313) 889-7717 seven days a week.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a duplicate Michigan title cost?
Around $20 plus a small processing fee. Apply with Form TR-11L through the Michigan Secretary of State online at Michigan.gov, by mail, or at any branch office. Processing runs 3 to 5 business days for mail and online applications. Same-day processing is available at most branch offices for an extra fee.
Can someone else pick up the cash for me?
Yes, with a notarized Michigan Power of Attorney (Form TR-128) signed by you and a photo ID for the person you've authorized. We pay the cash to the authorized person, who signs the title on your behalf. The car still has to be accessible to our flatbed at the pickup location.
Do I have to cancel registration after the sale?
You don't have to, because Michigan registration follows the plate, not the car, and your plate goes with you. But if you're not transferring the plate to a new vehicle, return it to the Michigan SOS for a partial refund of unused months on the registration. Most sellers return the plate within a few weeks of the sale.
Do I need to cancel my insurance after the sale?
Yes, cancel the policy or remove the vehicle from your policy as soon as we've taken possession. You can call your insurer the same day after pickup. Most carriers refund the unused premium prorated. Keeping insurance on a car you no longer own is wasted money.
How fast can I sell a junk car in Detroit if I have all my paperwork?
Same day for most Metro Detroit pickups when you call before 2 PM during business hours. The full process, from your first call to cash in your hand, runs 2 to 4 hours on a typical day. Outside the immediate area or for late-afternoon calls, next-day pickup is standard.
What if my car doesn't have a VIN plate?
A missing or unreadable VIN is a problem. Federal law requires every vehicle to have a VIN, and Michigan won't process a title transfer without one. Check the dashboard near the windshield, the driver-side door jamb, and the title itself. If the VIN is genuinely missing or has been removed, we can't legally buy the car. The Michigan SOS has a VIN inspection process for restored or rebuilt vehicles that may apply.