Financing for cars bought directly from their owners.
The best-kept car is often the one the owner is selling directly. Private-party financing puts funds in your account so you can close with a person the same way you would with a dealer — the paperwork differs, the financing does not.
Fixed rates from
8.99%APR with AutoPay*
Assumes excellent credit. Your rate is determined by your credit profile, amount, and term.
Checking your rate does not affect your credit score.
What it covers.
- Buying a used car directly from its private owner
- A marketplace or enthusiast-forum purchase
- Paying a seller in full so they can clear their own lien
- Covering the sale price plus tax due at title transfer
Why a Lightstream loan.
Pay the seller like a cash buyer
Private sellers want certainty, not a financing contingency. Money in your account lets you agree a price and pay in full, which is exactly what makes your offer the one they take.
A fixed rate on a fair price
Private-party cars usually sell below dealer retail. Financing that price at a fixed rate — rather than a subprime used-car-lot rate — is where the real savings compound.
No dealer in the middle
There is no finance office to mark up the rate, no documentation fee, and no add-ons. It is you, the seller, and a loan that funds to your bank.
Funding in time to commit
Good private-party cars move quickly. Same-day approval for qualified applicants means you can commit before another buyer does.
Loan amounts and terms.
- Loan amounts
- $3,000 – $100,000
- Repayment terms
- 2–12 years
| Loan term | APR range with AutoPay* | Example payment per $10,0002 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 8.99%–19.99% | $317.95/mo |
| 4 years | 9.79%–20.79% | $252.62/mo |
| 5 years | 10.69%–21.69% | $215.88/mo |
| 6 years | 10.69%–21.69% | $188.76/mo |
| 7 years | 11.79%–22.79% | $175.41/mo |
| 10 years | 11.79%–22.79% | $142.26/mo |
Funds can be received as soon as the same business day for applications approved before 2:30 p.m. Eastern time.¹
Frequently asked questions.
Because the loan is unsecured and funds go to your account, you pay the seller directly and complete the title transfer with them at your DMV or state equivalent — the same process as a cash sale. You are recorded as the new owner; there is no lienholder-to-lienholder handoff to coordinate, which is what makes private-party buying with our financing simpler than with a secured auto lender.
Many private sales involve a seller with an existing loan. Since your funds arrive in your account, you can pay the seller the agreed price so they can clear their lienholder and release a clean title, or meet at their lender to settle the payoff — no third-party escrow required on our side.
We do not require them to fund, because the loan is not secured by the car. For your own protection, a written bill of sale and a pre-purchase inspection are strongly recommended on any private-party purchase — but the timing is between you and the seller, not gated by us.
Most states still charge use or sales tax on a private-party vehicle purchase, collected when you register the car. Size your loan to include that tax so the full transaction — price plus tax and title fees — is covered.
Yes. The transaction is treated like any private-party sale: you receive funds, pay the seller, and transfer the title. We do not restrict who the seller is, though your state may have its own rules about tax on family transfers.
Related loan purposes.
Disclosures
*Loan terms vary by loan purpose, amount, term, and credit profile. The lowest advertised rates require excellent credit. 29.46% of approved applicants who applied for the lowest rate qualified for it, based on data from 01/01/2026 to 03/31/2026. The rate quoted includes the AutoPay discount; the AutoPay discount is only available prior to loan funding, and rates without AutoPay are 0.50% points higher. All loans are subject to credit approval; additional conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice.
¹Same-day funding is available if your loan is approved on a banking business day and, by 2:30 p.m. Eastern time, you complete these steps: (1) review and electronically sign your loan agreement; (2) provide us with your funding preferences and relevant banking information; (3) complete the final verification process.
²Example payments are per $10,000 borrowed at the lowest APR shown for that term, include the AutoPay discount, and assume excellent credit. Your payment is determined by your amount, term, and credit profile.
Payment example: Monthly payments for a $10,000 loan at 7.24% APR with a term of 3 years would result in 36 monthly payments of $309.87.
Maximum APR for a Lightstream loan is 25.39%. Loan terms range from 24 – 240 months depending on the loan purpose.