How it works
Get your offer
It takes 2 minutes.
Make an appointment
Redeem it or compare your options for 7 days.
Come get paid
We'll verify your offer and pay you on the spot.
We'll buy yours even if you don't buy ours
Whether it goes on our lot or to auction, we want to make an offer for your car.
Same-day payment, 7-day offer
Leave with payment in hand or take up to 7 days to compare your options.
An offer you can count on
No matter where you sell, start with a custom offer from CarMax.
What to bring with you
Requirements vary from state to state.
Popular topics
How to Sell Your Car
You can sell your car the way you like. At CarMax, we'll give you a real offer for your car that's quick, easy, and free. Read on to learn about how to sell a used car to CarMax.
Tips to Decide on a New or Used Car
Read this article for useful tips and answers to questions like, Should I buy a new or used car?
6 Top Customer Appraisal Questions
Millions of customers count on CarMax as an easy and convenient way to sell a car. We've got answers to your top appraisal questions so you can sell your car with confidence.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, and our offer will be the same whether you're buying from us or not.
We provide real offers, both online and in-store, and all of our offers are good for 7 days. If you have an online offer to redeem, bring it to any CarMax store. Once we verify that your car's condition matches the information we received online, you'll leave with payment in hand. Some offers are adjusted after the verification process.
No, all of our offers are firm and are valid for 7 days.
If you have an online offer, an additional appraisal isn't needed unless the offer is no longer valid. We use the same appraisal criteria online and in-store, and every car's condition is verified in person when an online offer is redeemed. We only adjust online offers if a car's condition differs from the information we received online.
No, you're always welcome to bring your car to a CarMax store for an in-store appraisal. To get an in-store appraisal, you can either make an appointment or simply stop by whenever it's convenient for you.
If you want to redeem your offer and sell your car to CarMax, you have 7 days from the day the offer is made. You can either make an appointment or simply bring the car to us anytime we're open. We'll verify your car's condition, finalize your offer, and you'll be able to leave with payment in hand.
We currently offer pickup service in select markets. You can also redeem an offer at any CarMax store.
No, you don't need an appointment to sell your car. However, an appointment will help us get you in and out in as little time as possible.
You may sell your car at any CarMax location with the same written offer for seven days. If your appraisal was completed more than seven days ago, we will re-appraise your car and provide an updated offer.
- We review current market conditions as well as your car's specific year, make, model, mileage, and vehicle history report. We examine your car's condition inside and out for major defects like frame or flood damage. We also test drive your car and check to see if the brakes and turn signals are working (among other things). If repairs are needed, we may adjust our offer accordingly. In regard to cleanliness, the long-term maintenance and care of your car is what's most important in determining our appraisal offer.
- Check out Edmunds for additional tools and info.
Requirements can vary from state to state, but there are a few items you'll need no matter where you are:
- Your car's title or payoff information. All titleholders should be present.
- Valid and current registrations
- Valid state-issued photo ID for all title holders.
- All keys and remotes
- Please note that you don't need these things to get an offer for your car, but if you think you plan to sell when you get your offer, you should come prepared with these items.
You will leave with payment in hand the same day you sell us your car. We pay with a bank draft, which is a type of check where payment is guaranteed to be available by the issuing bank. A bank draft must be deposited and cannot be cashed. Before attempting to draw on the bank draft, always check with your bank to see if they have a specific hold policy on deposits.
If your payoff amount is more than the offer for your car, the difference is called "negative equity." In some cases, the negative equity can be included in your financing when you buy a CarMax car. If not, we'll calculate the difference between your pay-off and our offer to you and you can pay CarMax directly. If the amount you owe is less than $250, we will accept a personal check. CarMax stores accept cashier's checks, certified checks, certified funds, cash, and debit cards. CarMax Car Buying Centers (locations that only buy cars) can accept cashier's checks, certified checks, and certified funds. Our written offers are good for seven days, giving you time to get any necessary funds to settle your transaction.
Yes! In most cases, you can sell your leased car in almost the same way as any other financed car. We'll appraise the car, then contact the leasing company for a payoff quote and process any equity you might have. Please note that some leasing companies such as Nissan/Infiniti will not allow you to sell your leased car to CarMax. Also, be aware that your leased car might not be eligible for trade-in tax savings. Check with your leasing company for complete details.
If you would like to sell a car on behalf of a company, please see a Business Office associate for the requirements needed.