Selling a car by Power of Attorney

Don't worry about the ticket. It either: (1) has been recorded at the state level and therefore must be paid during the process of changing over the title, or (2) as can happen with municipally-issued tickets, has failed to be recorded at the state level and therefore you won't be required to pay it off before transferring the title.

What you could (and what I would) do is get the car in the name of your friend and then have the friend handle the selling and title transfer to the new owner.

If you're still on the island, a trip to a  DTOP office (and a lot of time to wait in line) or a collecturia is all it takes.

If you're already gone your friend can get the car in her/his name by sending a certified letter to you on the address that is on the license. Since you're not there anymore the letter will return. With that letter your friend should go to a lawyer and get an affidavit for 20 bucks or so and take all that to the DTOP office. Close to the DTOP office you'll find a lawyer who knows how to do this.

After spending a day and a half in the DTOP office your friend will finally be told to bring the car and a DTOP official will come out and check the car and the VIN number. When that's done your friend may have to get the car inspected if the marbete is not valid anymore.

Next a title and a license in the name of your friend will be issued and the car can be sold and the title changed once more.

That is going to be easier since both the old and the new owner will be present. A transfer can even be done in a collecturia where the lines are a lot smaller.

Good luck!

Thank you so much for your answer. This is complicated.

It sounds like it might be easier if I go to Puerto Rico. I don't think my friend will be willing to do all that. When I bought the car the owner was only present at the transfer of the title in the colecturía. Is it not possible to give my friend the power to sign off on only that?

ldembinski wrote:

Thank you so much for your answer. This is complicated.

Yes, this is Puerto Rico

ldembinski wrote:

It sounds like it might be easier if I go to Puerto Rico. I don't think my friend will be willing to do all that. When I bought the car the owner was only present at the transfer of the title in the colecturía. Is it not possible to give my friend the power to sign off on only that?

Maybe it's possible but knowing the way governmental agencies work on this island I don't think that's going to be easy either.
If you plan to visit the island anyway I'd suggest to transfer the title tor your friend. That's the easiest way to do this.
I'm sure car dealers have simpler ways to transfer the title but to find a dealer who is willing to organize this won't be easy.

@Gary

Hey Gary,

Can you further explain sending the certified letter as a means to allowing someone to serve on your behalf in a car sale in Puerto Rico? Is that some type of Power of Attorney? Can you tell me where I can find more info. on doing that?

Thanks!