A car for sale sign that doesn't put your phone number in the window

The problem with a phone number on your for-sale sign

A for-sale sign works because it's seen by lots of people. That's also the problem. Everyone in every parking lot you visit can photograph your number, and you'll keep getting calls and texts long after the car is gone.

• Lowball calls at all hours, from people who never meant to buy.
• Scams that start with a "buyer" text. The FTC describes a common one: a fake buyer asks you to read back a verification code "to prove you're real", then uses it to set up a Google Voice number linked to your phone number.
• Your number tied to your car and your street, visible to anyone driving past your home.
• No off switch. You can take the sign down, but the number is already out there.

How a QR code for-sale sign works

1. 1Get your free Autter QR code and print it, or put the sticker on the inside of a side window.
2. 2Make your sign with the year, make, model, mileage, price and a line like "Interested? Scan to message the owner".
3. 3A buyer scans it with their phone camera, picks "Something else", writes their question and chooses to share their number.
4. 4You get an alert by text (Canada and US) or email, with their message and number.
5. 5You call back the serious ones, on your terms. Everyone else never learns how to reach you.

What to put on your car for sale sign

Buyers decide in two seconds whether to stop. Give them what they need, large enough to read from a few steps away.

• Year, make and model, in the biggest text.
• Price, and "firm" or "OBO" (or best offer) if you want to set expectations.
• Mileage or kilometers.
• Two or three selling points: one owner, new tires, service records, no accidents.
• The QR code, at least 5 cm (2 inches) wide, with "Scan to message the owner" under it.

Tape the sign inside the rear side window rather than the windshield, so it doesn't block your view. Our printing guide covers sizes and paper.

Safety tips for selling a car privately

• Never share a verification code with a buyer, for any reason. No real buyer needs one.
• Meet in a public place with cameras. Some police stations offer a safe exchange spot.
• Go on test drives together, and check the buyer's driver's license first.
• Get paid safely. Cash you can check, or a bank transfer that has fully cleared, before you sign over the title.
• Follow your local paperwork rules, like a bill of sale and transfer forms. They vary by state and province.

After the sale

Pause or replace your QR code from your dashboard and the old one stops working right away. Your Autter account isn't tied to a license plate, so you can use a new code on your next car as your everyday car QR code.

For-sale sign questions