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Insight Horizon Media

Can I get a car loan with a dismissed bankruptcy?

Author

John Castro

Published Mar 12, 2026

Can I get a car loan with a dismissed bankruptcy?

It’s possible to get a car loan after a dismissed bankruptcy, but you may not be able to work with a subprime lender. Ideally, your bankruptcy should be discharged to avoid getting turned down for financing.

How long do you have to wait to buy a car after filing bankruptcy?

Ideally, you should at least wait about six months before you apply for an auto loan. That gives you time to repair your credit and rebuild credit, too. You make payments on any loans you have left to build a positive credit history. If possible, you can get a secured credit card to build more credit history faster.

Can you discharge a car loan in Chapter 7?

If you don’t want to keep your financed car in Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you can surrender it and discharge the car loan. If you have a car loan or a car lease when you file Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you must choose whether to keep the car and continue to pay for it or surrender it and discharge (wipe out) the debt.

Can I buy a car before Chapter 7 discharge?

Written by Attorney Andrea Wimmer. Yes, you can buy a new (to you) car while your Chapter 7 bankruptcy case is pending. If possible, wait until your discharge has been granted as that will give you more negotiating power with the bank.

What happens if you file bankruptcy and have a car loan?

If you have a car loan, the amount you owe on it may be reduced in the Chapter 13 bankruptcy process if you owe more on it than its current value. Also, if you can qualify for a repayment plan and get caught up on your loan, you may be able to keep the vehicle.

How soon can you buy a car after Chapter 7?

How long do you have to wait to buy a car after Chapter 7? If you don’t need a loan for it, you don’t have to wait at all. If you’re able to save up after filing to buy a used vehicle outright, or you have a family member or friend able to loan or give you the money, you can get a car whenever you want.

How soon can you buy a car after Chapter 13 discharge?

Buying a Car after a Chapter 13 Because a Chapter 13 is a repayment bankruptcy and takes three or five years to complete, it’s possible to finance a car while the bankruptcy is open.

What happens to a car loan in Chapter 7?

When you file for Chapter 7, your car loan will not be discharged because it is not an unsecured debt, but rather a secured debt. In this type of bankruptcy filing, your secured creditors—which include the holders of your car loan— will have you sign a reaffirmation agreement.

Can a title loan be included in Chapter 7?

Under Chapter 7, you have the option to “redeem” a secured debt. That’s the only way to keep your car through the bankruptcy. To redeem title loan debt, you’ll have to pay the market value of the car in one lump sum. For example, say your car is worth $4,000 but you owe $6,000 to the title lending company.

Can I buy a car with cash after Chapter 7?

If you’ve recently completed a bankruptcy, you might be wondering if you can buy a car. In most cases, the answer is yes. If the debts you’ve discharged in your bankruptcy case have freed up enough income to pay in cash or make a loan payment, you might be in luck.

What do you lose if you declare bankruptcy?

Filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy wipes out most types of debt, including credit card debt, medical bills, and personal loans. Your obligation to pay these types of unsecured debt is eliminated when the bankruptcy court grants you a bankruptcy discharge.

Does Carvana work with bankruptcies?

Can I apply for Carvana financing? In order to apply for Carvana financing, you may not have any active bankruptcies. If your Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy shows as open (anything other than dismissed or discharged) on your credit report, we will be unable to provide financing through Carvana.