# Question on Selling a leased car to Carvana **URL:** \ **Category:** Ask the Hackrs\ **Tags:** dealer\ **Created:** [October 25, 2018, 4:42am UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649 "2018-10-25T04:42:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hageemah](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/hageemah/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@Hageemah](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/Hageemah)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 4:42am UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/1 "2018-10-25T04:42:34Z")
So I’m in California and am having Carvana purchase a car I am leasing from Volkswagen Credit. Carvana informed me that I will have to go to the DMV with my old license plates and inform the DMV, but I don’t think this is correct. Can anyone please clarify? I get that if I held the title and was selling it to a private party that I would have to inform the DMV. “Notice of Release of Liability” [https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/brochures/reg/nrl](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/brochures/reg/nrl) , but in my case I don’t understand. ---
**Author:** ![anon92897398](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/anon92897398/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@anon92897398](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/anon92897398)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 4:45am UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/2 "2018-10-25T04:45:10Z")
Not sure what you mean. What are “old license plates”? In California, the plate goes with the car, not the owner. You may end up having to notify DMV that you don’t have the car, but you surely don’t have to visit them with plates in hand. Someone has a wire crossed. ---
**Author:** ![Hageemah](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/hageemah/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@Hageemah](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/Hageemah)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 4:49am UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/3 "2018-10-25T04:49:12Z")
Yeah, Carvana emailed me to have the following: “Please make sure that your plates have been removed so you can notify the DMV that you have sold your vehicle.” ---
**Author:** ![anon92897398](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/anon92897398/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@anon92897398](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/anon92897398)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 4:57am UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/4 "2018-10-25T04:57:57Z")
I’ve returned or sold 4 vehicles in 5 years in California and left the license plates on every time. I think they’re mixed up or just send generic emails to everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Hageemah](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/hageemah/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@Hageemah](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/Hageemah)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 6:57am UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/5 "2018-10-25T06:57:50Z")
Thx for your input. I’ll follow up this thread with what happens. ---
**Author:** ![KD6-3.7](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/kd6-3.7/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@KD6-3.7](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/KD6-3.7)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/6 "2018-10-25T16:17:46Z")
If your car has generic CA plates on it, leave them on. If they’re out of state plates, you need to check with the DMV in that state. If they’re personalized plates, you need to remove them and either reserve them for later use or surrender them to DMV. CA DMV can guide you on this. Assuming the car has CA plates on it, it wouldn’t hurt to go to CA DMV’s website and fill out the “Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability” form online. Print a copy before you submit it, as I don’t think you can print it afterwards. Make sure VW Credit isn’t charging any tax on the payoff that Carvana is making, or you’ll be losing that money (unless you apply for a refund with CA State BOE, an unnecessary hassle). ---
**Author:** ![stockstatus](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/stockstatus/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@stockstatus](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/stockstatus)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 6:11pm UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/7 "2018-10-25T18:11:55Z")
I sold my leased VW to Carvana a few months ago. The plates go with the car. As stated by @KD6-3.7 you need to fill out the DMV release form within 5 days of the sale: [https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/online/nrl/welcome](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/online/nrl/welcome) Call VW Credit a few days after pickup to verify that the lease is no longer in your name. They messed up on my transfer by short-paying the buyout amount (VW gives a buyout amount for the lesee and a higher one for dealers). I was not confident that Carvana fully knew what they were doing with VW Credit since they stumbled their way through the transaction. Hopefully they are better now. See my post: > [@Sold one to CARVANA!](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/sold-one-to-carvana/68624/14): > > I had a less than stellar experience with Carvana on my leased 2016 VW EGolf. They offered significantly more than CarMax. The sale was a no-brainer ($2500 above payoff). They picked up the car in June – I signed the papers and got checkafter a 5-minute inspection (side note: the driver crashed his truck into a post during pick-up so he was pretty anxious). In July VW Credit bills me for another lease payment while I was overseas (surprise #1). Turns out Carvana short-paid VW, who then did not … ---
**Author:** ![KD6-3.7](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/kd6-3.7/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@KD6-3.7](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/KD6-3.7)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 6:16pm UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/8 "2018-10-25T18:16:07Z")
Per above it’s a good idea to verify what the (tax free) payoff will be to a third party such as Carvana. ---
**Author:** ![NathanDetroit](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/nathandetroit/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@NathanDetroit](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/NathanDetroit)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 1:16am UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/9 "2018-10-26T01:16:56Z")
Do you happen to remember how much more the dealer buyout was compared to the lessee buyout? My GTI is due back in a few weeks and I’m hoping to squeeze some equity out of it by selling to Vroom or Carvana. ---
**Author:** ![KD6-3.7](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/kd6-3.7/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@KD6-3.7](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/KD6-3.7)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 1:26am UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/10 "2018-10-26T01:26:06Z")
Just call VW Credit and ask them what the payoff is for you, a VW dealer, and a third party dealer. Confirm that they’re not adding tax to any of the payoffs. ---
**Author:** ![cheapdad00](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.leasehackr.com/cheapdad00/32/23664_2.png) [@cheapdad00](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/cheapdad00)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 2:20am UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/11 "2018-10-26T02:20:28Z")
It sounds like Carvana is giving generic advice. Turning plates in would be pertinent in my state with the incentive being a pro-rated refund of property tax already paid. ---
**Author:** ![Hageemah](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/hageemah/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@Hageemah](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/Hageemah)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 5:45am UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/12 "2018-10-26T05:45:53Z")
Ok so I called dmv and carvana and straightened it out. In California, the plates stay on the car. After they pickup the vw they will then provide me with paperwork that I use to notify the DMV. I’ll update this thread after the car pickup. ---
**Author:** ![NathanDetroit](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/nathandetroit/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@NathanDetroit](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/NathanDetroit)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 9:20am UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/13 "2018-10-26T09:20:29Z")
I did just that. I don’t know why, but they refused to give me any figures, even my own payoff. They told me I would have to talk to a VW dealer to get my payoff and any dealer I was considering trading/selling to would have to call for their own number. ---
**Author:** ![stockstatus](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/stockstatus/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@stockstatus](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/stockstatus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 2:27pm UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/14 "2018-10-26T14:27:17Z")
Dealer payoff was about about 9% higher than my buyout. ---
**Author:** ![stockstatus](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/stockstatus/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@stockstatus](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/stockstatus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 2:30pm UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/15 "2018-10-26T14:30:24Z")
> [@NathanDetroit](#): > > I did just that. I don’t know why, but they refused to give me any figures, even my own payoff. Are you calling the right people (VW credit, 800-428-4034)? Is the lease in your name? ---
**Author:** ![NathanDetroit](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/nathandetroit/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@NathanDetroit](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/NathanDetroit)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 10:44pm UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/16 "2018-10-26T22:44:30Z")
Yeah, I’ve called and spoken to them twice now. They just say a dealer needs to call and request a payoff packet and they give some BS excuses for why they can’t share that number over the phone with me. They won’t even give me my own payoff amount and instead say I need to talk to a VW dealer to get that. Thanks for sharing the 9% figure though. 👍 ---
**Author:** ![Troutstanding](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/troutstanding/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@Troutstanding](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/Troutstanding)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 10:41am UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/17 "2018-11-09T10:41:35Z")
I’m having Carvana pickup my car today at 10am. I’m in Florida, the car is a lease, and they told me to remove the plates. I’m pretty pissed, I’m leaving them w/about a full tank of gas. I sure wish I knew how to siphon gas. ---
**Author:** ![Hageemah](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/hageemah/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@Hageemah](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/Hageemah)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:31pm UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/18 "2018-11-09T15:31:07Z")
Car was paid off about a week after they picked it up. There is some time for carvana to send the payment, have vw process it, and then have vw send the title to carvana. Make sure if you have autopay setup on your payments to factor in it takes vw up to 5 business days to turn off autopay even if done online, vw gives you a 10 day payment grace period after due date, and that vw will receive your final payoff from carvana about a week after pickup. ---
**Author:** ![Ursus](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.leasehackr.com/ursus/32/4944_2.png) [@Ursus](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/Ursus)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:56pm UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/19 "2018-11-09T15:56:31Z")
> **[Amazon.com: Koehler Enterprises RA990 Multi-Use Siphon Fuel Transfer Pump Kit (for Gas Oil and Liquids): Automotive](https://www.amazon.com/Koehler-Enterprises-RA990-Multi-Use-Transfer/dp/B0181EDCZ6)** ---
**Author:** ![Troutstanding](https://leasehackr.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar/troutstanding/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@Troutstanding](https://forum.leasehackr.com/u/Troutstanding)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649/20 "2018-11-09T16:07:45Z")
LOL. Thats awesome. So less than an hour before pickup, Carvana calls me and tells me that they don’t have the check cut for me and that I have to reschedule. Not the greatest of first impressions. They booked me for 3pm tomorrow, only to contact me again and reschedule for 10am tomorrow. [Next page](https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/question-on-selling-a-leased-car-to-carvana/73649.md?page=2)