Where I live, you have to both sign the title and have it notarized for the car to transfer ownership. I would just do that at a bank. Then the funds can be certified as well.
The biggest problem with selling a car in NY State is the the state DMV does not issue or accept release of liability forms.
Traffic tickets are the least of the problem, what if the buyer never registers the car? They then have an accident and flee the scene.
I always get the drivers license of whoever buys the car and have them sign a dated bill of sale for me. Now I have a scanner i would print a copy of their license.
About 20 years ago I sold an old pickup truck. The title was duly signed and notarized, cash changed hands. We each signed a bill of sale. Two years later I got a letter telling me that MY truck had been impounded. No reason was given, but since he’d obviously never bothered to register it, it was probably an illegal tag and no insurance. The truck was to be auctioned off for the storage charges if I did not pay the fees. At that time it was $10 a day. (Today it’s $30) The impound yard had it in storage for about a month. BY law, they have 30 days to notify an owner. Of course they wait as long as possible. It was not worth $300. I’d paid $400 for it 14 years earlier, so you get the picture. I didn’t have to do anything except not pay the storage fees and not show up for the auction.
I have a motorcycle I’m trying to sell. Last week I listed it on craigslist and got an almost immediate text message from a guy who said his job would not allow him to come for the bike personally, but he would send me the money via paypal and a “mover” to come for the bike. When I pressed for details he said he worked on an offshore drilling rig. I texted, " OK text me some pictures of the rig including your work and sleep areas. You have 10 minutes". I still have not heard from him. Guess I blew the sale…
Note tongue firmly planted in cheek.
The CA DMV site has helpful info under the title “How to protect yourself when buying and selling a used car”. There is a sample bill of sale too.
I always do the release of liability online, about 3 minutes after he buyer drives away…
In CT, you also owned the license plate and had to take it off the car and return it to the DMV to also take the car off your property taxes. The buyer had the option of getting a temp license or just driving the car without the license to the DMV hoping not to get a ticket. I have done that myself and nobody stopped me to give me a ticket. Only a short drive.
When I am selling a car I always keep a minimum of a .380 on me, sometimes I carry my .45 and give my wife my .380, It depends on the time of year, summertime with a t shirt and shorts, I carry my .380 ruger in my pocket, in the winter with a coat on, I holster up my .45 or 9mm.
I have never had a problem selling a car, but you never know…
I agree with almost everything folks here have posted except the legal liability bit. No matter how many releases you sign, you could be sued. All it takes is a buyer who thinks they have been wronged and think you have some money plus a lawyer that is a bit under-employed with limited ethics. The best defense is a where-is, as-is release and informing the local registrar you’ve sold it. We’d all like to think rational folks would accept a release as the last word, but some still won’t.
For that reason and @Bing comment about fake cashier’s checks (I have a friend this happened to) and bogus $100 bills, dealers are looking like a better option.