Indiana paperworkSelling an RV in Indiana: Titles, Liens, and Ownership
Before completing a sale, check who owns the RV on record, whether any lien remains, and which documents are available. Indiana has specific rules for paper and electronic titles, and motorhomes can have different odometer obligations from trailers.
See the official Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles buying and selling guidance for transaction requirements.
Completing a Title Assignment
For an RV required to be titled, complete the appropriate seller assignment, including required owner signatures and printed names, purchaser information, sale date, purchase price, and an odometer statement when applicable.
Confirm all required titled owners can participate. Estate transfers or ownership disputes may need additional documentation.
Indiana directs sellers to remove the license plate at sale. The purchaser is responsible for the new title, registration, and plate. The usual 45-day Indiana title application deadline is a purchaser obligation, not permission to leave a seller assignment unfinished.
Electronic Titles in Indiana
Since July 1, 2025, eligible Indiana title transactions can use electronic titles. You may therefore have a valid title record without a paper certificate to hand over.
The BMV allows an owner to request paper conversion when no lien is recorded. A separate transfer process using State Form 57738 is limited to eligible Indiana dealers affiliated with approved Partial Service Providers.
Do not assume a particular buyer can use that restricted procedure. Confirm how the title must be transferred. Indiana BMV electronic-title guidance.
Outstanding Loans and Liens
Indiana BMV states that recorded lienholders must release their interests before a vehicle is sold. A lien on a paper title may be released through the appropriate title section or an acceptable release letter; an electronic lien must be released electronically.
Ask your lender about the payoff and release procedure, and disclose outstanding financing during the inquiry. Do not assume EasyRVBuyer automatically pays off your loan. BMV lien guidance.
Lost Paper Titles and Missing Documents
Indiana offers duplicate-title procedures for a lost, stolen, damaged, destroyed, or illegible paper title. A duplicate does not change the owners or remove liens, and the BMV's duplicate procedure does not process electronic titles.
An inheritance or incomplete previous transfer may require a different ownership process. Do not assume a purchase receipt alone establishes the right to sell a titled RV. BMV duplicate-title application.
Motorhome Odometers Versus Towable RVs
Under federal 49 CFR § 580.17, non-self-propelled vehicles such as travel trailers and fifth wheels are exempt from federal odometer disclosure. Motorhome requirements differ with model year and gross vehicle weight rating.
Motor vehicles rated at more than 16,000 pounds GVWR are exempt. Eligible vehicles from model year 2010 or earlier follow the older 10-year framework, while qualifying model-year 2011 and newer vehicles use a 20-year framework. The applicable model year and transfer date matter.
Odometer exemption is not an exemption from Indiana titling. Confirm the specific RV's classification and instructions before signing its title.
Limited Older-Trailer Exceptions
A bill of sale generally cannot replace a required title in Indiana. The BMV lists narrow exceptions, including certain pop-up trailers purchased before July 1, 2016, and utility trailers purchased before January 1, 1990.
The bill of sale must contain required identifying information, and a bill-of-sale application requires a physical vehicle inspection on State Form 39530. This legal exception is not a promise that EasyRVBuyer purchases pop-up campers. BMV proof-of-ownership guidance.
Out-of-State Titles or More Than One Owner
If the RV has an out-of-state title, the correct procedure depends on where the buyer will apply for the new title. Indiana generally requires a VIN inspection when an out-of-state vehicle is being titled in Indiana; it is not a universal seller inspection requirement.
Where owners are jointly listed, obtain the required signatures. An inherited RV or unresolved ownership disagreement may need additional documentation before transfer. See the BMV buying and selling instructions.