Thousand Oaks is in Ventura County, together with Simi Valley, Camarillo and Moorpark, according to the California Department of Finance (DOF E-1). Nearby Westlake Village, though, is in Los Angeles County.

If you’re selling a car in Thousand Oaks, CA, the rules are California’s, and the practical steps are local. This guide starts with the document everything else depends on, then covers smog stations, the DMV office and the paperwork after the sale.

Can I sell my car without a title?

Not without dealing with it first. The title, or pink slip, is what you sign over: in a private sale the seller signs on Line 1 (DMV private-sale page). If yours is lost, stolen or damaged, the DMV says to complete an Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title (REG 227) first. And if the registration shows a lienholder, section 5 of that form has to be notarized (DMV title page).

With the title in hand, check it for these situations:

  • Two owners. Look at the word joining the names. The DMV says “or” lets one owner sell without the other’s consent, while “and” or a slash (“/”) means both have to sign (DMV: buying from a dealer).
  • A lender. When money is still owed, the title shows the lienholder’s name (DMV: titles). Our guide to selling a car you still owe money on explains what changes.
  • A lease. The leasing company sets the payoff and buyout steps, so call it before anything else and read selling a leased car in California.
  • An error. The DMV says to correct mistakes on a title with a Statement to Record Ownership, form REG 101 (DMV title page).

Smog check stations in and around Thousand Oaks

Search BAR’s Auto Shop Locator with the “Smog Check Inspection” filter and it lists licensed Smog Check stations with Thousand Oaks addresses. A search around the city also returns stations with Westlake Village and Newbury Park addresses.

The Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) names three kinds of station licensed to do the inspection: test-and-repair, test-only and STAR. Whichever you pick, the station must charge an $8.25 certificate fee, and BAR doesn’t regulate the price of the inspection itself, so ask before you book (BAR: Smog Check).

As the seller, you normally supply the certificate. The DMV says to give the new owner a valid smog certification when you sell (DMV smog page), and BAR says a certificate is valid for 90 days. Not every car needs one at sale:

  • Gasoline vehicles four model years old or newer don’t need a smog certificate at transfer, according to BAR; the new owner pays the smog transfer fee instead, the DMV says.
  • Electric vehicles are on BAR’s list of vehicles that don’t need a Smog Check.
  • Some others are exempt depending on fuel type, weight and age. Check the DMV smog page for your vehicle.

If your car is close to one of those lines, confirm with the DMV for your vehicle. Our smog certificate guide goes further into each one.

The Thousand Oaks DMV office

The DMV’s Thousand Oaks field office is at 1810 E Avenida De Los Arboles, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 (office page). It’s the first result in a DMV locator search for Thousand Oaks 91360, and the only other field office in those results is the Simi Valley field office, at 3855 D - Alamo Street, Simi Valley, CA 93063 (office page).

Look up current hours on the office page before going. One reason a seller might need a form from the DMV: the Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment form (REG 262), used when a title has no space for the mileage, isn’t available online because it’s printed on security paper (DMV private-sale page). The DMV gives 1-800-777-0133 for having one mailed to you (DMV title page).

Mileage, then the release of liability

Odometer rules turn on the model year. The DMV’s 2021 memo says that for model year 2011 and newer, an odometer disclosure is required until the vehicle is 20 model years old (DMV memo). Older vehicles follow the earlier 10-year rule (49 CFR 580.17). Confirm your own model year with the DMV.

Once the car has changed hands, you have 5 calendar days to tell the DMV, using a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (DMV NRL page). Have four things ready: the buyer’s name and address, your plate number, the last five digits of the VIN, and the odometer reading. Fill in every field. The DMV warns that missing information may stop it from updating the vehicle record, which may disqualify your liability exemption. Someone else can file the notice for you, but you remain responsible for anything left out.

We work with dealerships in the Thousand Oaks area. Start on the Sell my car page with the VIN or the year, make and model, the mileage and a few photos. A CarLinks agent then gets in touch. If a dealership we work with is interested, the agent talks price with it on your behalf and sets up a visit. The dealership inspects the car before it decides whether to buy, and nothing obliges you to accept. If the buyer is a dealership, ask it what to bring, including whether it needs a smog certificate.

Also in Ventura County, our Simi Valley guide covers that city’s DMV office and smog stations. For Los Angeles County, see the Santa Monica guide. Every statewide step is in our California selling checklist.

Ready to share the details? Tell us about your car, and the decision to sell stays yours.

Sources

Checked October 2026.