Buying or selling a car in a private party sale can be an exciting process, but it's important to make sure all the paperwork is properly filled out and transferred to avoid any potential issues down the road. New Jersey issues license plates to the vehicle owner. The seller will be required to remove their license plates once the sale has been completed. If you have a license from a previously registered New Jersey vehicle you can choose to transfer them. Otherwise, new license plates will be issued during the registration process. Here's a guide on how to transfer license plates when buying or selling a car in a private party sale in New Jersey.