Terms of Service

Welcome to CarSkipper. These Terms of Service ("Terms") form a legally binding agreement between you and CarSkipper, LLC ("CarSkipper," "we," "us," or "our"), a Texas limited liability company. Please read them carefully before using our website, mobile application, or any related services (collectively, the "Services").

By creating an account or using the Services you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy (incorporated here by reference). If you do not agree, do not use the Services.

1. Nature of the Service

CarSkipper is a marketplace facilitator, not a motor vehicle dealer. We provide a technology platform and logistics support — through independent contractors called "Skippers" — to help private-party sellers and buyers complete used-vehicle transactions in Texas. CarSkipper does not purchase, own, or take title to any vehicle listed on the platform.

All sales are private-party transactions. Under Texas law, private-party sales are generally "as is" unless the seller provides a written warranty. CarSkipper makes no representation regarding the condition, title status, or value of any vehicle listed on the platform.

2. Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must reside in the United States and, for vehicle transactions, be located in an active CarSkipper service zone at the time of the transaction.
• You must provide accurate and complete information when creating your account.
• You must complete identity verification (Stripe Identity) before any deposit or payout can be processed.
• Accounts are personal and non-transferable. You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.

3. User Roles

Every registered user automatically holds both a Buyer role and a Seller role. You may list vehicles for sale and place deposits on other listings using the same account.

Skippers are independent contractors approved by CarSkipper to facilitate physical handoffs between buyers and sellers. Skippers are not employees or agents of CarSkipper. CarSkipper is not liable for the acts or omissions of any Skipper.

4. Listings

• Sellers are solely responsible for the accuracy of their listings, including VIN, mileage, condition, photos, and asking price.
• You must have legal authority to sell any vehicle you list. Listing a vehicle you do not own, or that has an undisclosed lien, is grounds for immediate account termination and may result in legal liability.
• CarSkipper reserves the right to remove any listing that is fraudulent, inaccurate, duplicative, or violates these Terms, without notice.
• Listings are currently available only within active Texas service zones (Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio).

5. Deposits and Reservations

To reserve a vehicle, a buyer must pay a deposit equal to a configurable percentage of the asking price (subject to minimum and maximum caps as displayed at checkout). Payment is processed by Stripe, Inc. on behalf of CarSkipper.

• A deposit creates a 7-day exclusive reservation. During this period the listing is removed from active availability for other buyers.
• Deposits are refundable in accordance with the refund policy displayed at the time of reservation and as administered by CarSkipper's operations team.
• If the transaction does not complete within the reservation window, CarSkipper's operations team will determine the appropriate resolution based on the circumstances of each party.
• CarSkipper's service fee is non-refundable once a Skipper has been dispatched and the handoff process has begun, except where required by law.

6. Vehicle Handoff and the Skipper Process

After a deposit is paid, a Skipper is assigned to coordinate the physical transfer of the vehicle. The handoff process includes identity verification, test drive, and title document review at each stage. Proof of each step is recorded in the platform via PIN and QR code confirmation.

• Both buyer and seller must be present (in person or remotely) at their respective handoff appointments.
• All parties assume the risks associated with a test drive. CarSkipper carries no liability for accidents, damage, or injury during a test drive or vehicle handoff.
• The Skipper does not provide legal, mechanical, or financial advice. Any inspection reports provided are for informational purposes only.

7. Title Transfer and Seller Payout

Under Texas law, the seller must deliver a properly assigned certificate of title to the buyer. The buyer is responsible for presenting the title to a Texas county tax assessor-collector and completing registration within 30 days of the date of sale to avoid late penalties (Texas Transportation Code § 501.023).

• Seller payouts are initiated only after CarSkipper's operations team confirms that a valid title transfer has occurred. This is a hard gate — payouts will not be released on the basis of verbal confirmation alone.
• Payouts are disbursed to the seller's Stripe Connect Express account. Sellers must complete Stripe's onboarding and comply with Stripe's Connected Account Agreement.
• Payout timing is subject to Stripe's standard processing windows. CarSkipper is not responsible for delays caused by Stripe or the seller's financial institution.
• CarSkipper is not a money transmitter. All funds are held and disbursed by Stripe, Inc. under Stripe's licenses.

8. Fees

CarSkipper charges a service fee for facilitating each transaction. The applicable fee is displayed clearly during the checkout process and at the point of deposit. Fees are subject to change; changes will not apply to transactions already in progress at the time of the change.

Texas motor vehicle sales tax is the responsibility of the buyer and is calculated separately based on the Standard Presumptive Value (SPV) published by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. CarSkipper does not collect or remit sales tax.

9. SMS and Electronic Communications

By providing your mobile phone number and checking the SMS opt-in checkbox on the registration or account settings page, you expressly consent to receive transactional text messages from CarSkipper, including verification codes, two-factor authentication codes, passwordless login codes, and appointment reminders. You understand that:

By using the Services you also consent to receive transactional emails at the address associated with your account (account verification, password reset, order updates). You may not opt out of emails that are required for account security or transaction completion while you have an active transaction in progress.

10. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• List vehicles you do not own or have authority to sell.
• Misrepresent a vehicle's condition, mileage, title status, or accident history.
• Use the platform to launder money or conduct any transaction that violates applicable law.
• Circumvent CarSkipper's fee structure by completing a transaction off-platform after an introduction made through CarSkipper.
• Harass, threaten, or discriminate against other users or Skippers.
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to other accounts or platform systems.
• Use automated scripts, bots, or scrapers without written permission from CarSkipper.
• Post false reviews or engage in any deceptive or misleading conduct.

Violations may result in immediate account suspension, forfeiture of any deposit, and referral to law enforcement where applicable.

11. Intellectual Property

The CarSkipper name, logo, and all platform content (excluding user-submitted content) are owned by or licensed to CarSkipper, LLC and are protected by U.S. and international intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works without our written permission.

By submitting vehicle photos or other content to the platform, you grant CarSkipper a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use, display, and distribute that content solely for the purpose of operating the Services.

12. Disclaimers

THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. CARSKIPPER DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.

CARSKIPPER MAKES NO REPRESENTATION REGARDING THE ACCURACY OF VEHICLE CONDITION REPORTS, MARKET VALUATIONS, OR VIN DECODE DATA PROVIDED THROUGH THIRD-PARTY APIS. ALL SUCH DATA IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

13. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, CARSKIPPER, ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND CONTRACTORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, DATA, OR GOODWILL, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES OR ANY TRANSACTION FACILITATED THROUGH THE PLATFORM, EVEN IF CARSKIPPER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

CARSKIPPER'S TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE TOTAL FEES PAID BY YOU TO CARSKIPPER IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM OR (B) ONE HUNDRED US DOLLARS (USD $100).

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless CarSkipper and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and contractors from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of your use of the Services, your violation of these Terms, your submission of inaccurate listing information, or any transaction you enter into through the platform.

15. Dispute Resolution

Informal Resolution. Before filing any formal legal action, you agree to contact CarSkipper at legal@carskipper.com and attempt to resolve the dispute informally. CarSkipper will attempt to resolve the dispute within 30 days.

Binding Arbitration. If informal resolution fails, any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services shall be resolved by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, conducted in Dallas County, Texas. Judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Class Action Waiver. You agree that any arbitration or proceeding shall be conducted solely on an individual basis and not as a class, consolidated, or representative action.

Exception. Either party may seek emergency injunctive relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm pending arbitration.

16. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Subject to the arbitration clause above, you consent to exclusive jurisdiction and venue in the state and federal courts located in Dallas County, Texas.

17. Changes to These Terms

We may revise these Terms at any time. We will provide at least 14 days' notice of material changes by posting the updated Terms on this page with a new "Last Updated" date and, where practicable, by sending you an email notification. Your continued use of the Services after the effective date of the updated Terms constitutes acceptance. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, you must stop using the Services.

18. Account Termination

You may close your account at any time by contacting us at support@carskipper.com. Accounts with active transactions in progress cannot be closed until the transaction is resolved.

CarSkipper may suspend or terminate your account at any time without notice if we determine, in our sole discretion, that you have violated these Terms or any applicable law. Termination does not relieve you of any obligations arising prior to termination, including obligations related to an active transaction.

19. Miscellaneous

• Entire Agreement. These Terms and the Privacy Policy constitute the entire agreement between you and CarSkipper with respect to the Services.
• Severability. If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force.
• No Waiver. CarSkipper's failure to enforce any right or provision is not a waiver of that right or provision.
• Assignment. You may not assign your rights under these Terms without our written consent. CarSkipper may assign its rights in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.
• Force Majeure. CarSkipper is not liable for delays or failures caused by events outside its reasonable control, including natural disasters, acts of government, or third-party service outages.