To sell your car to CarMax, get an offer online or in store, bring your paperwork, and you can leave with payment the same day. CarMax offers are firm and valid for 7 days, so you have a week to compare it with other offers before you decide.
Here is how each step works, what to bring, and what to check before you accept.
CarMax Selling at a Glance
| Question | What CarMax says |
|---|---|
| Is the online offer real? | Yes. Offers are real, online and in store, and valid for 7 days. |
| Can the offer change? | Online offers are adjusted only if the car's condition, use or history differs from the information you gave. |
| Can I negotiate? | No. All offers are firm. |
| Do I have to buy from CarMax? | No, and the offer is the same whether you buy or not. |
| Will CarMax pick the car up? | Most locations can pick it up from your home or work. Distance restrictions and a fee may apply. |
| How do I get paid? | The same day, by bank draft, which must be deposited and cannot be cashed. |
| What if I still owe money? | CarMax contacts your lender to arrange the payoff. If you owe more than the offer, you pay the difference. |
Selling or trading your car?
Tell us the vehicle, and any offer you already have, and we’ll tell you what else it may be worth. There’s no obligation.
Step 1: Get Your Offer
Start on CarMax's Sell My Car page by entering your license plate or VIN and answering questions about mileage and condition, or bring the car to a store for an in-person appraisal. CarMax says its offers are real offers, not estimates, whether you get one online or in store, and that they are valid for 7 days.
Describe the car accurately. CarMax only adjusts an online offer if the car's condition, use or history turns out to be different from what you reported, so an honest description keeps the number from moving.
Step 2: Compare Before You Accept
CarMax does not negotiate its offers, so the way to make sure you are getting a good number is to compare it with other written offers inside the 7-day window. For the Carvana process, see how to sell your car to Carvana, and for a wider look at your choices, read where to sell your car for the most money.
Step 3: Choose a Store Visit or Home Pickup
You can finish the sale at a store, or schedule a pickup. CarMax says most of its locations can pick up your car from your home or work, but at-home pickup is not available everywhere, and distance restrictions and a fee may apply.
Step 4: Bring the Right Paperwork
To accept an offer in store, CarMax says you will need:
- Your car's title, or your payoff information if you still owe money. All titleholders should be present.
- Valid, current registration.
- A valid state-issued photo ID for every titleholder.
- All keys and remotes.
Requirements can vary by state, so check CarMax's list for New Jersey before you go.
Step 5: Get Paid
CarMax says you will leave with payment in hand the same day you sell your car. It pays with a bank draft, a type of check where payment is guaranteed by the issuing bank. A bank draft must be deposited and cannot be cashed, so check with your bank about when the funds will be available.
If You Still Owe Money on the Car
If you have a loan or lien, CarMax contacts your lender or lienholder to facilitate the payoff, and it will need your lienholder's name, contact information and account number. If your payoff is more than the offer, the difference is negative equity: you can pay CarMax directly, or in some cases include it in your financing if you buy a CarMax car. See selling a car you still owe money on for the full process.
Get a Second Number Before You Decide
If you already have a CarMax offer, tell us the vehicle and the offer you were given, and we’ll tell you what else it may be worth. You can compare my offer here before your CarMax offer expires.
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