Can I sell a car if I'm only one of two owners on the Washington title?

It depends on whether the title says AND or OR. If it says OR, yes — you can sign and sell without the other owner. If it says AND, no — you need both signatures. There is no workaround to transfer an AND title with only one signature; both parties must appear on the transfer paperwork.

What happens if a co-owner refuses to sign the title in Washington State?

If the title says AND and one co-owner refuses to sign, you cannot sell or transfer the vehicle without legal intervention. Options include: negotiating a buyout so one owner takes sole ownership, petitioning Superior Court for a partition order (which can force a sale), or reaching a compromise where the refusing party receives a share of proceeds. There is no administrative shortcut at WA DOL — a refusal on an AND title requires either consent or a court order.

How do I sell a car in Washington if a co-owner is deceased?

If the title says OR, the surviving owner can sign and transfer the title alone — no probate required. If it says AND, the deceased owner's interest passes to their estate. If the estate is under $100,000, a Small Estate Affidavit (RCW 11.62.010) lets a surviving family member act without full probate. For larger estates, the executor must sign the title as part of probate proceedings.

How do I transfer a car title with two names in Washington State?

Both owners (on AND titles) sign the seller section of the WA certificate of title. The buyer completes the buyer section. The new owner then submits the title to WA DOL with a completed Title Transfer form (TD-420-023), proof of insurance, and the $15.25 title transfer fee. The new title is issued within 2–4 weeks by mail.

Can I add or remove a name from a Washington car title without selling the car?

Yes. To add a name, both the current owner and the new co-owner submit a title transfer — effectively transferring from the current owner to both owners together. To remove a name, the co-owner being removed must sign the title (on AND titles) or the remaining owner can act alone (on OR titles). Submit the signed title with form TD-420-023 and the $15.25 fee to WA DOL.

What happens to a jointly titled car in a Washington State divorce?

In a WA divorce, jointly titled vehicles are community property subject to division. Options: one spouse keeps the car (the other signs the title over), the car is sold and proceeds split, or a court order awards the vehicle to one party. If divorce proceedings are ongoing and the other spouse won't cooperate, the court can order the title transfer as part of the final decree. WA is a community property state (RCW 26.16), so courts divide marital assets equally absent an agreement.

How to Sell a Car With Two Names on the Title in Washington State [2026]

Q: What does AND vs OR mean on a Washington State car title?

In Washington State, if the co-owners' names are joined by AND on the title, both must sign to transfer ownership. If joined by OR (or a slash /), either owner can sign alone and complete the sale without the other's involvement. The word between the names is the key — check your physical title carefully.

By TOWWO · Updated August 10, 2026 · 7 min read

Quick Answer

In Washington State, the word between the co-owners' names on the title is everything. "OR" (or a slash /) means either owner can sell alone. "AND" means both must sign — no exceptions at the DOL level. Check your physical title before anything else.

In This Guide

AND vs OR: the one thing that determines everything
Selling with an AND title (both must agree)
Selling with an OR title (one owner is enough)
Difficult situations: refusal, divorce, unreachable, deceased
Step-by-step: completing the transfer in Washington
How to add or remove a name without selling
FAQ

AND vs OR: The One Thing That Changes Everything

Washington car titles list co-owners as either John Smith AND Jane Smith or John Smith OR Jane Smith. That single word is the entire legal question. If you're looking at your title right now and aren't sure which one it says — stop and check before you do anything else.

AND

Both owners must sign

To sell or transfer the vehicle, every person listed must sign the seller section of the title. One signature is legally insufficient — the transfer will be rejected by WA DOL. This is the more common arrangement for purchases made together (spouses, business partners, co-buyers).

OR / slash

Either owner can act alone

Any single co-owner can sign and complete a sale without the other's involvement or knowledge. The other owner has no legal ability to block the sale once the signed title is in the buyer's hands. More common when one owner is named as a fallback (parent + adult child, for example).

WA DOL follows this rule strictly. There is no form, affidavit, or workaround that converts an AND title to an OR title without both owners participating. If your title says AND, both people have a veto.

What if there's no word between the names?

In older WA titles, a slash "/" between names is treated as OR. If the names appear with just a comma or no separator at all, contact WA DOL — interpretation can vary by how the title was originally issued. When uncertain, assume AND and get both signatures to be safe.

Selling With an AND Title

An AND title means the car is jointly owned in the strongest sense — neither owner can move the title without the other. In practice, this usually isn't a problem: both parties agree the car should go, both sign, and the sale moves forward like any other.

What you need from both owners:

Both sign the seller section of the WA certificate of title (the back of the title document)
Both print their names as they appear on the front of the title — exact spelling matters
Both provide their mailing addresses if the title requests it
Neither party needs to be present at the same time — signatures can be collected separately as long as the same physical title document is used

Once both signatures are on the title, the buyer completes their section and submits the transfer to WA DOL. From the seller's side, the transaction is complete when the signed title changes hands and payment is received.

Selling With an OR Title

With an OR title, the process is simpler: one co-owner signs the seller section and the sale is legally complete. The other owner doesn't need to be notified, consulted, or compensated — at least not by the buyer or WA DOL. Any agreement on how to split the proceeds is between the co-owners, not the buyer.

One practical note: if you're selling without involving the other co-owner, make sure you're on solid ground about whose money the proceeds are. An OR title gives you legal authority to sell, but it doesn't resolve a disputed ownership claim between you and the other person. If there's any disagreement about who gets what, work that out before the sale — not after.

Ready to sell? We handle both AND and OR titles.

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Difficult Situations: What to Do When It's Complicated

Situation 1

Co-owner refuses to sign (AND title)

This is the hardest position to be in. If the title says AND and the other co-owner won't cooperate, you have three realistic options:

Negotiate a buyout: One owner purchases the other's share, then retransfers the title to themselves as sole owner. The cooperative owner signs the title over, and you proceed from there.
Agree on a third-party sale and split proceeds: Both owners agree to sell but can't agree on other terms — sometimes a cash offer from a neutral buyer breaks the impasse because there's nothing left to argue about once the number is fixed.
Petition Superior Court: A judge can order the sale of the jointly owned vehicle as part of a partition action. This is expensive and slow (often 3–6 months), but it's the legal backstop when the other party refuses to engage. Courts in WA handle this under property partition statutes.

There is no DOL-level solution. Filing a petition for a lost title or applying for a replacement won't help — WA DOL does not issue a title to one person on a two-person AND title without both signatures.

Situation 2

Co-owner is unreachable or has disappeared

If the other owner is genuinely unreachable — moved away, estranged, contact information unknown — the AND title situation requires legal resolution. A court petition is still the path, but in this case it may be paired with a motion for service by publication (posting legal notice in a newspaper) if you can document that you've made reasonable attempts to reach the person.

If the title is OR, this isn't a problem at all — sign it yourself and proceed.

For an AND title where the co-owner simply isn't responding but isn't legally unreachable, documented attempts to contact them (texts, emails, certified mail) can support a later legal action if needed.

Situation 3

Co-owner has passed away

This depends on both the title type and the estate size:

OR title: The surviving owner signs alone. No probate needed, no affidavit needed. Sign the title and sell.
AND title, estate under $100,000: A surviving heir can use Washington's Small Estate Affidavit (RCW 11.62.010) to transfer the deceased's share without full probate. The affidavit can be used 40 days after death.
AND title, estate over $100,000: Probate is required. The executor of the estate has authority to sign the title on behalf of the deceased's estate once appointed by the court.

See our full guide to selling an inherited car in Washington State for the detailed process.

Situation 4

Divorce — car is marital property

Washington is a community property state (RCW 26.16). A car purchased during the marriage with marital funds is jointly owned regardless of whose name is on the title — even if only one spouse is listed.

During an active divorce, neither spouse can unilaterally sell a jointly owned marital asset. Courts typically issue automatic restraining orders (ATROs) preventing disposal of marital property once divorce papers are filed.

Options:

Agree in the divorce settlement that one party gets the car and signs the title over
Agree to sell and split proceeds — include this in the marital settlement agreement
Let the court decide in the final decree — the decree can itself authorize a transfer

If the divorce is finalized and the decree awards the car to you but the other party hasn't signed the title yet, take the decree to WA DOL — a court order transferring the vehicle is sufficient to process the title without the other person's signature.

Situation 5

Co-owner is in another state (or another country)

Physical distance doesn't change the legal requirement — it just makes collecting signatures slower. For an AND title, the other owner still needs to sign. Options:

Mail the title to the co-owner, have them sign and return it (use trackable mail)
Use a notarized power of attorney — the co-owner grants you authority to sign on their behalf. WA DOL accepts a power of attorney for title transfers when the POA specifically authorizes vehicle transfers.
For an OR title, distance is irrelevant — you sign alone.

Step-by-Step: Completing the Transfer in Washington

Once both signatures are in place (or you've confirmed an OR title), here's exactly how a WA title transfer works for the seller.

Confirm the title is in your possession and lien-free

If there's an active loan on the vehicle, the lienholder holds the title. You'll need to pay off the loan or coordinate a simultaneous payoff at sale. See our guide to selling a car with a lien in Washington. If the title is lost, get a duplicate first — WA DOL charges $26.25 and processing takes 2–4 weeks by mail.

Both co-owners sign the seller section (AND title) or one signs (OR title)

The seller section is typically on the back of the title. Use a pen — no white-out, no corrections. Sign exactly as the name appears on the front of the title. Errors on the title itself require a new corrected title from WA DOL before the transfer can proceed.

Record the odometer reading

WA requires an odometer disclosure on the title for vehicles under 10 years old. Write the current mileage in the odometer section. Intentional misstatement is a federal offense under the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act.

Hand the signed title to the buyer

The title itself is the transfer document. Once you sign and hand it over with the vehicle, your legal obligation to the car ends — with one exception: notify WA DOL that you've sold the vehicle. This protects you from parking tickets and other liability after the sale.

Report the sale to WA DOL

File a Vehicle/Vessel Transfer Report (form TD-420-023) at WA DOL online or in person. This documents that you transferred the vehicle on a specific date. If the new owner doesn't register the car and gets citations, you'll have proof the car was no longer yours. Free to file; takes under 10 minutes online.

Remove your license plates

Under RCW 46.16A.200, license plates in WA belong to the registered owner, not the vehicle. Take your plates when you hand over the car. You can transfer them to another vehicle you own or surrender them to avoid future registration fees.

How to Add or Remove a Name Without Selling

Sometimes the goal isn't to sell — it's just to fix who's on the title.

Adding a co-owner

To add someone's name, you complete a title transfer from the current owner(s) to the current owner(s) plus the new person. Submit the signed title with form TD-420-023, choose whether the title should say AND or OR, pay the $15.25 transfer fee, and WA DOL issues a new title with all names.

Removing a co-owner

The co-owner being removed must sign the title over to the remaining owner. On an AND title, this requires the departing person to agree and sign. On an OR title, the person being removed doesn't need to be involved — the remaining owner can transfer to themselves alone.

Submit the signed title, form TD-420-023, and $15.25 to WA DOL. New title arrives in 2–4 weeks. This is the right move when you're buying out a co-owner and want a clean title before selling the vehicle later.

Changing AND to OR (or vice versa)

This requires completing a new title transfer — essentially transferring the car to the same people but with a different connector. Both owners must sign (to release AND ownership), and then both agree on the new connector. This is the correct way to change the relationship on the title, not a correction or amendment to the existing one.

Goal	Who must sign	Fee	Wait time
Add a co-owner	Current owner(s)	$15.25	2–4 weeks
Remove a co-owner (AND title)	Both current owners	$15.25	2–4 weeks
Remove a co-owner (OR title)	Either owner	$15.25	2–4 weeks
Change AND to OR	Both current owners	$15.25	2–4 weeks
Duplicate title (lost)	Any one owner can apply	$26.25	2–4 weeks (mail)

Frequently Asked Questions

What does AND vs OR mean on a Washington State car title?

AND means both co-owners must sign to transfer the title. OR (or a slash) means either owner can act alone. This single word determines whether you need the other person's cooperation to sell the car.

Can I sell the car if I'm only one of two owners on a Washington title?

If the title says OR, yes — you can sign alone and complete the sale. If it says AND, no — both signatures are required by WA DOL. There is no administrative workaround for an AND title with only one owner's cooperation.

What if my co-owner refuses to sign?

On an AND title, your options are: negotiate a buyout so one person becomes sole owner, agree on a third-party sale with split proceeds, or petition Superior Court for a partition order. WA DOL cannot help — this is a civil matter between the co-owners.

How do I sell a car if the co-owner is deceased?

If the title says OR, the surviving owner signs alone. If it says AND, use a Small Estate Affidavit (RCW 11.62.010) if the estate is under $100,000 and it's been at least 40 days since death. Larger estates require the executor to sign during probate proceedings.

Can a divorce decree force a title transfer in Washington?

Yes. A final divorce decree that awards a vehicle to one party is accepted by WA DOL to process the title transfer without the other person's signature. Bring the certified copy of the decree to a DOL office along with form TD-420-023.

Can I add or remove a name from a WA title without selling the car?

Yes. Submit a title transfer (using form TD-420-023) that transfers ownership to the new desired owner combination. Pay the $15.25 fee. Both owners must sign if the existing title says AND; either owner can act alone on an OR title.

What happens if the co-owner is in a different state?

Physical location doesn't change the rule. Mail the title to the out-of-state co-owner for their signature, or have them execute a notarized power of attorney specifically authorizing vehicle title transfers. WA DOL accepts POAs for this purpose.

Co-ownership doesn't have to slow down your sale

We buy cars in any co-ownership situation across Washington State. Tell us what you've got and we'll walk you through the paperwork — free tow, cash at pickup.

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