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A bill of sale is a signed record of a private sale. The document names the buyer and seller, describes the item, and states the price and date. Buyers and sellers use it most for vehicles, boats, trailers and animals.
Key facts
A bill of sale is a written receipt for a private sale that shows an item passed from the seller to the buyer for an agreed price. The document records the essential terms of the sale and the condition of the property. Buyers and sellers use it most in car, motorcycle, boat, trailer, animal and firearm deals.
Many states ask for this document during vehicle registration and title transfer.
A signed copy gives each side a written record of the sale. Each party keeps one signed copy.
A bill of sale template is a blank form with a labeled field for each term of the sale, so the parties fill in names, item details, price and date instead of drafting the wording. The form works the same whether it is printed and filled in by hand or typed on a screen.
A blank form holds the fixed wording of the transfer and leaves the variable parts empty. The empty fields usually cover the seller, the buyer, the item, the price, the payment method, the date and the signatures. A generic form fits furniture, equipment, animals or a vehicle, and a vehicle form adds lines for the VIN and the odometer reading.
A PDF file keeps its layout on every device and printer, which makes it the better choice for printing and signing. A Word (DOCX) file is easier to change, for example to add extra terms or to adjust fields for a non-vehicle sale. Both formats print on standard letter paper.
The form can be handwritten or typed in several states. The Utah DMV says the bill of sale can be handwritten or typed or printed, but in ink, not pencil (Utah DMV Form TC-843). Virginia accepts a handwritten statement signed by the seller and the purchaser as a bill of sale (Virginia DMV, Vehicle Titling (Step 1: Present the following documents)). California's DMV accepts any bill of sale that identifies the vehicle or vessel (California DMV; VIRP Manual § 1.020 Bill of Sale (VC §1652)).
Some motor vehicle agencies publish their own form for vehicle sales. The examples below come from each agency's own page:
A complete bill of sale includes the parties, the item, the price, the date and the signatures, so it can serve as evidence that ownership changed hands and settle a later dispute. The list below covers each part:
State agencies list the same core items for vehicle sales. Connecticut's list names the purchaser's and seller's names and addresses, the make, model, year, color and VIN, the sales price, the date of sale and the seller's signature (Connecticut DMV; Sell your vehicle). Oregon's bill of sale holds at least the VIN, a statement releasing interest in the vehicle, the seller's printed name and signature, and the date of sale (Oregon DMV; Buying or Selling a Vehicle). Montana's record of a sale includes the year, make, VIN, name, address, driver license number, purchase price and date of sale (Montana Motor Vehicle Division, Tips for Selling a Vehicle).
An as-is clause states that the buyer takes the item in its current condition, with any defects, and that the seller promises no repair or refund after the sale. A form without promises about condition says so in a plain line, such as "sold as is, with no warranties about its condition". A seller who does give a promise about condition, such as a working engine, writes it out in the warranty field instead.
The as-is line speaks to condition, and the title of a titled vehicle is a separate step. In Massachusetts, the owner who transfers a titled vehicle executes an assignment and warranty of title to the buyer on the certificate at delivery (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90D, § 15). Minnesota's owner does the same at delivery (Minn. Stat. § 168A.10). Maryland's owner does the same for a transfer other than by creating a security interest, with a statement of each lien, while a transfer to a licensed dealer who holds the vehicle for sale follows § 13-113 (Md. Code Ann., Transp. 13-112(a), (b)).
Example of an as-is line: "The seller sells the item described above as is, with no warranties about its condition, and the buyer accepts it in that condition."
A vehicle bill of sale identifies one vehicle by its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), together with the make, model, year and color. New Jersey's seller gives the buyer a bill of sale with the buyer's name and address, the date of sale, the odometer reading and the sale price (New Jersey MVC Transferring Ownership).
A bill of sale is filled out in seven steps, from the parties to the signatures. This walkthrough follows the motor vehicle form shown below, and each step matches one part of the form:
The template opens in Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF or OpenDocument Text for editing and printing. The motor vehicle form used in this walkthrough opens in Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word (DOCX) format.
The steps below fill in that motor vehicle form one section at a time.
The first section of the bill of sale holds the transaction date and each party's details.
The contact details are optional but recommended.
The item section identifies one specific vehicle by the vehicle's make, model, body type, color, year, odometer reading and vehicle identification number (VIN). Copy the VIN from the title or the vehicle itself, never from memory.
The transaction section records how the vehicle changes hands: full payment, payment in parts, trade-in or gift.
A promissory note for a car is often a better fit for a vehicle purchase paid in installments, because it sets out the repayment terms in detail.
The tax section shows who carries the sales tax. The first checkbox states that the municipal, county, state, and sales taxes related to the item or motor vehicle are included in the price. The second checkbox states that the buyer pays all related taxes. Whether a tax applies depends on the state and the type of property, so the state's tax or motor vehicle office is the place to confirm it.
The space under the tax section holds any extra terms. For instance, floor mats or other accessories that go with the vehicle are listed there.
The Odometer Disclosure Statement is the seller's written disclosure to the buyer of the cumulative mileage registered on the odometer (49 U.S.C. § 32705(a)(1)). In Minnesota, the seller states the true mileage, or that the actual mileage is unknown if the seller knows the odometer reading differs from the true mileage (Minn. Stat. § 168A.10).
The form includes a statement for this disclosure, and that statement does not replace an odometer section on the title. Montana's seller records the reading on the certificate of title, except as subsection (4) provides, and gives the buyer a separate signed statement only if the certificate has no place for it (Mont. Code Ann. § 61-3-206(1)). Wisconsin's seller writes the reading on the back of the title (Wisconsin DMV Form MV2928).
Vermont's odometer disclosure statement is required for vehicles of model year 2011 or newer (Vermont DMV Form VT-005). Iowa's title rule calls for the odometer statement unless an exemption applies under 49 C.F.R. § 580.17 (Iowa Code § 321.71(7)).
The second statement means the reading rolled over the 99,999 miles mark on a five-digit odometer or the 999,999 miles mark on a six-digit odometer. The third statement, worded on this form as "can't be verified", means that, to the best of the seller's knowledge, the odometer reading does not reflect actual mileage and should not be relied on (ORS 803.120(2)).
The signature section closes the form, and the form ends with a Certificate of Acknowledgement for a notary public to complete. The certificate fits a state whose rule names an acknowledgment: Nevada's statement is signed and acknowledged by the seller and the buyer, only when the sale is submitted on something other than an endorsed Nevada certificate of title (Nev. Rev. Stat. § 482.426(1)(b)(2)). Kentucky's rule names an oath: when a motor vehicle is sold, traded, transferred or delivered, the bill of sale is subscribed and sworn to before an officer authorized to administer an oath (KRS 186.200(1)). Check which act your state's rule names before the form is signed.
Michigan's seller keeps a record of the sale for not less than 18 months, either a photocopy of the reassigned title or a document with the buyer's name, address, driver license number and signature and the purchase price and date of sale (MCL 257.240(2)(b)).
A notary or an oath applies only in some states and only in some sales, mostly vehicle sales tied to a title, and some of these rules cover the title assignment rather than the bill of sale. The first table lists the states whose sources call for a notary or an oath on the bill of sale, on the title assignment or on an affidavit, with the condition that triggers it. Rows marked "Title assignment" or "Affidavit" name that document, not a notarized bill of sale. The second lists states whose agencies say no notary is needed, with any exception they name. States in neither table set no such rule in the sources this page relies on, so check the state's motor vehicle office or state page.
| State | When a notary or oath applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (Honolulu County) | A notarized bill of sale, only if the recorded owner has not released the certificate of title | Honolulu CSD (county-administered) |
| Kentucky | When a motor vehicle is sold, traded, transferred or delivered, the bill of sale is subscribed and sworn to before any officer authorized to administer an oath, not only a notary | KRS 186.200(1) |
| Louisiana | An original notarized bill of sale or invoice with the actual price and a full description of the vehicle, when titling and registering a used vehicle | Louisiana OMV; Used Title & Registration |
| Maryland | A notarized bill of sale (Form VR-181) whenever the form is used to establish the vehicle's purchase price. One such case: a used vehicle under 7 model years old bought from someone other than a licensed dealer, with the excise tax based on a price $500 or more below book value | Maryland MVA Form VR-181; Md. Code Ann., Transp. 13-809(d)(2) |
| Nebraska | A notarized bill of sale, only for a vehicle made before 1940 with no certificate of title issued in the previous thirty years | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-142.01(1) |
| Nevada | A statement signed and acknowledged by the seller and the buyer, only when the sale is submitted on something other than an endorsed Nevada certificate of title | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 482.426(1)(b)(2) |
| Ohio | Affidavit: the transferor swears to the true selling price and, except as the section provides, the true odometer reading in an affidavit the registrar prescribes; a form the section names is filled out and sworn to by the buyer in a casual sale | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 4505.06 |
| Oklahoma | Title assignment: when a titled vehicle is sold or transferred, the title holder's assignment on the back of the title is sworn to before a notary public or another person authorized to take acknowledgments | 47 O.S. § 1107(A) |
| Pennsylvania | Title assignment: where a vehicle is transferred privately, the assignment on the title is sworn to before a notary public or another officer who can administer oaths | 75 Pa.C.S. § 1111(a) |
| Tennessee | A notarized bill of sale in three cases: (1) on a title application for a vehicle other than new when no Tennessee certificate of title exists or is pending, a notarized bill of sale and sworn statement certifying why the vehicle has not been titled, or the certificate of title from the state in which previously registered (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1320-8-13-.01(2)); (2) when the certificate of title has been lost, damaged or destroyed, with the seller also executing a notarized affidavit of lost or damaged certificate of title (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1320-8-13-.04); (3) when a lienholder holds the certificate of title and the seller, instead of assigning it, delivers a separate bill of sale naming the lienholder and notifies the lienholder of the sale (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1320-8-13-.02(1)(c)) | Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1320-8-13-.01(2), -.04, -.02(1)(c) |
| Washington | All signatures notarized or certified, only when the seller releases interest on a bill of sale instead of on the certificate of title | WAC 308-56A-265(2) |
| West Virginia | A notarized bill of sale signed by both parties, only if the vehicle is bought from an individual at a price below 50% of the current NADA Clean Loan Book value | West Virginia DMV Titles |
| West Virginia | Title assignment: when the owner assigns the title, the owner's statement of all liens on the certificate of title is verified under oath | W. Va. Code 17A-4-2 |
| Wyoming | Title assignment: the owner signs the assignment and warranty of title on the certificate before a notarial officer, except as W.S. 31-2-104 and 31-2-104.1 provide otherwise | Wyo. Stat. § 31-2-104(a) |
| State | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | The state does not require the assignment of an MSO or title to be notarized | Alabama DOR; Motor Vehicle Title Applications FAQ |
| California | A bill of sale is not required to be notarized or witnessed | Cal. DMV VIRP Manual § 1.020 Bill of Sale (VC §1652) |
| Delaware | Delaware titles do not require a notary | Delaware DMV title transfer |
| Indiana | The bill of sale is not required to be notarized or signed under penalties for perjury | Indiana BMV State Form 44237 |
| Kansas | Most title assignments, title applications and bills of sale completed in Kansas need no notary, though the Division reserves the right to ask for one in unusual circumstances | Kansas Division of Vehicles, Title FAQ |
| Missouri | The sellers' and purchasers' signatures on the back of the title do not need to be notarized. The exception is Form 1957, the state's bill of sale, which must be notarized when showing proof of ownership on major component parts of a rebuilt vehicle or when the Department of Revenue specifically requests it | Missouri Department of Revenue; Selling a Vehicle; Missouri DOR Form 1957 |
| Rhode Island | The private party sale list names a bill of sale with no notary; only a gift letter or an absent co-owner's signature is notarized | Rhode Island DMV, New Registration (Private Party Sale) |
Even where notarization is optional, a notary adds protection. The notary confirms who signed and when, so a notarized form is harder for either side to dispute later.
A vehicle bill of sale is most often asked for when the title has no space for the price, when the vehicle has no title, or when the state lists it among the registration documents. The table below shows examples from state agencies, each with its condition.
| State | When the bill of sale is asked for | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | To register a vehicle bought from a private seller: a bill of sale with the VIN, date of sale, purchase amount and both signatures, together with the signed title | Arkansas DFA; Do You Have What You Need? |
| Colorado | Only if the sale price is not listed on the title; a correctly completed title needs no bill of sale | Colorado DMV, Buying and Selling |
| Georgia | Only if the vehicle is 1985 or older and does not require a title | Ga. DOR MVD; Title and Register a Vehicle Purchased in a Casual Sale |
| Kentucky | When a motor vehicle is sold, traded, transferred or delivered: a bill of sale in quadruplicate, with the original and two copies going to the county clerk | KRS 186.200(2) |
| Maine | To register a passenger vehicle bought in a private sale: a signed bill of sale | Maine BMV; Register A Passenger Vehicle, private sale |
| Maryland | When the purchase price on the title is left blank, the MVA refuses a title to an applicant who produces no bill of sale | COMAR 11.15.14.05B(18) |
| Massachusetts | Only if the previous title has no space for a sales price: a bill of sale showing the price | Massachusetts RMV; Apply for a registration and title for a vehicle purchased from an individual |
| Oregon | Only if the seller's name is not on the title: a bill of sale from the seller | Oregon DMV; Buying or Selling a Vehicle |
| South Carolina | Only if the title assignment has no section for the sales price | SCDMV; Buying or Selling a Car |
| Wisconsin | Never as a required form: the DMV's bill of sale is provided for convenience | Wisconsin DMV Form MV2928 |
A bill of sale records the sale, while the certificate of title shows ownership of a titled vehicle. Alaska's DMV says a bill of sale is not valid for ownership transfer, though having the buyer sign one is a good idea (Alaska DMV; Selling a Vehicle in Alaska). Delaware's DMV tells buyers not to accept a bill of sale or registration in place of a title (Delaware DMV, Tips on Purchasing a Used Vehicle). Indiana's BMV says a bill of sale cannot be used to transfer ownership of a vehicle that requires a certificate of title by law (Indiana BMV, Proof of Vehicle Ownership: Bill of Sale (State Form 44237)).
For items without a title, such as furniture, electronics or animals, the signed form is usually the main written record of the transfer.
A bill of sale differs by the property sold and by its payment terms: the property sets which details the form holds, and the terms make it absolute or conditional.
Typical items in each property category:
An absolute bill of sale records a sale in which the buyer pays the whole amount at the time of the sale. The absolute bill of sale leaves no payment or ownership condition to meet after the sale. For a titled vehicle in Massachusetts, the owner still executes an assignment and warranty of title to the buyer on the certificate (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90D, § 15).
Example: a buyer pays the full price for a used car sold "as is" at the handover, and the seller writes an absolute bill of sale.
A conditional bill of sale sets conditions for the payment or the ownership of the item. Installment payments and a delivery date set in the future are the usual conditions.
Example 1: a buyer pays for a used car in installments on the schedule the form states.
Example 2: a seller agrees to hand over a kitten once it reaches six months of age, and the form records that condition in advance.
A seller who keeps a claim on a titled vehicle until it is paid for also has title and lien steps to follow. In Massachusetts, if a security interest is reserved or created at the transfer, the certificate of title is retained by or delivered to the person who becomes the lienholder, and the parties comply with section twenty-one (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90D, § 15). In Minnesota, a notification of security interest is delivered or mailed to the person who becomes the secured party (Minn. Stat. § 168A.10). Whether a seller may take the vehicle back after missed payments depends on the state's secured transaction and repossession rules, which this page does not cover.
A bill of sale is worth using for any private sale of personal property of real value, most of all when the parties do not know each other, as in a sale arranged online. Common cases include:
The form is too thin for some sales, and a different document fits better.
Business or stock sales. Selling a business is usually much more complicated than selling a car. A business purchase agreement is more flexible and gives both parties more protection, and a stocks purchase agreement template covers shares.
Real estate sales. Selling a house or apartment involves a lot of paperwork, and a bill of sale is not enough for such a complex transaction. A real estate purchase agreement covers most aspects of the sale, and addendum forms can supplement it.
Inexpensive things. The form works for any personal property sale, but for a toaster or an old carpet the paperwork is rarely worth it.
A bill of sale uses a few terms that carry real consequences, such as as-is and VIN. The list below defines each one in plain words:
A simple bill of sale is a one-page form that covers only the essentials: the buyer's and seller's names, a description of the item, the price, the date and both signatures. It leaves out odometer disclosure, installment schedules and trade-in details. A simple form suits a cash sale of furniture, electronics, tools or equipment.
A bill of sale records a transfer of ownership between two named parties and carries both signatures. A sales receipt only shows that a payment was made, usually by a business, and rarely names the buyer or describes the item in detail. In Tennessee, a properly endorsed title showing all chain of title is needed to show ownership of a vehicle (Tennessee DOR; SB-3). For an item with no title, such as furniture or an animal, the bill of sale is usually the main written record the buyer keeps.
Yes, several states say so for vehicle sales. Connecticut's DMV says a seller can draft their own bill of sale as long as it holds the listed information (Connecticut DMV; Get a bill of sale). Wisconsin's DMV says a seller may draft their own bill of sale (Wisconsin DOT DMV; Vehicle sold).
It depends on the state. Maine lists a signed bill of sale among the documents to register a passenger vehicle bought privately (Maine BMV; Register A Passenger Vehicle, private sale), while Wisconsin calls its bill of sale not a required form (Wisconsin DMV Form MV2928). Even where it is optional, the form records the date, the price and the buyer, which gives the seller written proof of when the vehicle changed hands.
Keep the signed form at least as long as you own the item, and longer when your state sets a period. Michigan's seller keeps a record of the sale for not less than 18 months (MCL 257.240(2)(b)).
General information, not legal or tax advice.
