Colorado bill of sale is a written record of a private sale between a buyer and a seller. For a vehicle, the Colorado DMV calls a bill of sale best practice, and it is required if the sale price is not listed on the title.[1.2] FormsPal offers free templates you can fill in online or download as a PDF.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Colorado law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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| Document Name | Colorado Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale Form |
| Other Names | Colorado Car Bill of Sale, Colorado Automobile Bill of Sale |
| DMV | Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles |
| Bill of Sale Required? | Best practice, and required if the sale price is not on the title[1.2] |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 7 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 18 |
Bill of sale forms in Colorado come in five main types, based on the property involved: vehicle, trailer, boat, firearm, and general. Choose the type that fits your case, or browse all of our free bill of sale templates. A bill of sale usually lists the buyer’s and seller’s full names, the sale date, and the signatures of both parties.
Colorado motor vehicle bill of sale records the purchase between two private parties. It contains details about the previous owner, the buyer, vehicle information, and purchase price. It is required if the sale price is not on the title.[1.3]
| Alternative Name | Car Bill of Sale |
| Seller’s Signature | Seller and buyer sign (the DMV and Parks and Wildlife expect both signatures) |
| Buyer’s Signature | Seller and buyer sign (the DMV and Parks and Wildlife expect both signatures) |
| Notarization | Not listed in the state’s requirements |
| Download | PDF Template |
Colorado trailer bill of sale records the purchase of a trailer from the previous owner and gives the new owner a written record of the sale.
| Alternative Name | Utility Trailer Bill of Sale |
| Seller’s Signature | Recommended |
| Buyer’s Signature | Recommended |
| Notarization | Usually optional |
| Download | PDF Template |
Use a Colorado boat bill of sale to record a private purchase of a vessel between two owners. Keep the signed copy with your other boat paperwork. Colorado Parks and Wildlife accepts a bill of sale as proof of ownership when you register the boat, and you can use it as a temporary registration for 30 days. Boat registrations are renewed every year and run from January 1 through December 31.[4.1]
| Alternative Name | Vessel Bill of Sale |
| Seller’s Signature | Seller and buyer sign (the DMV and Parks and Wildlife expect both signatures) |
| Buyer’s Signature | Seller and buyer sign (the DMV and Parks and Wildlife expect both signatures) |
| Notarization | Usually optional |
| Download | PDF Template |
This Colorado firearm bill of sale records the transfer of a gun between two parties. It contains the owners’ information and the details of the firearm.
| Alternative Name | Gun Bill of Sale |
| Seller’s Signature | Recommended |
| Buyer’s Signature | Recommended |
| Notarization | Usually optional |
| Download | PDF Template |
A general bill of sale in Colorado records a private transaction between two parties. In comparison to specific templates, it contains only general fields to use in different types of transactions.
| Alternative Name | Generic Bill of Sale |
| Seller’s Signature | Recommended |
| Buyer’s Signature | Recommended |
| Notarization | Usually optional |
| Download | PDF Template |
If the information on the title is completed correctly, a bill of sale is not needed for the title transfer. The DMV still calls a bill of sale best practice, and it is required if the sale price is not listed on the title.[1.2] If you write one, include these items:
The title is a separate document. The seller provides the properly endorsed Colorado certificate of title, and the DMV flags a title that was not signed by the owner listed on it.[1.1]
To transfer a titled vehicle, the person in whose name the title is registered affirms the sale with a written declaration under penalty of perjury in the second degree.[2] The DMV’s title information says the transfer statement can be signed under that penalty or notarized.[3]
Check that your form has the purchase price, the date, and the year, make, and VIN of the vehicle before both sides sign.
Colorado’s official vehicle bill of sale is DMV Form DR 2173, a secure form sold by approved vendors that cannot be downloaded, and the DMV accepts a written equivalent.[5.1]
After a private sale you may drive the vehicle home without plates for up to 36 hours if you carry a bill of sale signed by both parties that shows the time and date of sale, along with proof of insurance.[1.4]
A written bill of sale gives both sides a clear record of a private vehicle transaction. Our Colorado template follows the order of the form itself, so you can work from top to bottom. You can fill it in online or download the free PDF and complete it by hand.
This template goes by several names in Colorado, including Colorado Car Bill of Sale and Colorado Automobile Bill of Sale. They all refer to the same form.
Step 1: Enter the date
Start with the date line at the top of the form.
Step 2: Enter the seller’s information
Fill in the seller’s personal details:
Step 3: Enter the buyer’s information
Write the same details for the buyer:
Step 4: Describe the vehicle
Write the seller’s and the buyer’s names in the agreement sentence. Then describe the vehicle:
Double-check the year, make, and VIN, since the DMV asks for them.[1.1]
Step 5: Enter the purchase date and price
On the second sheet, enter the purchase date and the total price in U.S. dollars.
Step 6: Choose how the price is paid
Tick one option: all at once, a trade-in, a deposit with a balance date, or a gift. For a trade-in, add the buyer’s vehicle and any extra payment.
Step 7: Choose the payment form and taxes
Tick cash, check (with the check number), cashier’s check, or money order. Then tick whether taxes are included in the price or not.
Step 8: Read the miscellaneous provisions
There is nothing to fill in here. Read the seller’s confirmation of ownership and no liens, the as-is clause, and the entire-agreement clause before you sign.
Step 9: Sign the form
The seller signs, prints a name, and dates the line. The buyer does the same. The form also has a witness line if you want a witness to sign. Each side should keep a copy of the signed form.
Step 10: Use the acknowledgment if you want a notary
The final section is an acknowledgment block. If you choose to use it, sign in front of the notary. The officer completes the county, date, name, and signature lines in that block. See also our Colorado notary acknowledgment template.
Buyers have 60 days from the date of purchase to title and register the vehicle, so gather the signed title, the bill of sale, and any lien release papers before you go to the DMV.[1.1] Rules and fees change, so check the DMV’s current instructions before you go, and bring the papers listed below so the visit goes smoothly.
In a private sale the seller keeps the plates, and the buyer titles and registers the vehicle in their own name at their county Clerk and Recorder’s motor vehicle office within 60 days of the purchase, with late fees after that. You get your plates and registration at the county office, and the new Colorado title is mailed to you or your lender.[5.2]
Many buyers bring these papers:
The bill of sale is the part you can prepare yourself with our template. Print it, have both sides sign, and each keep a copy. Our guide to a vehicle title with a bill of sale explains how the two documents fit together. The Application for Title and/or Registration is listed under Relevant Official Forms as Form DR 2395. If someone else will handle the registration for you, many people use a motor vehicle power of attorney.
Bring the signed-over title, an approved photo ID, and proof of Colorado insurance, which you must show to register. Vehicles more than 7 model years old registered in the Denver and Front Range emissions counties also need a passing emissions test, and a vehicle coming in from out of state needs a VIN verification (Form DR 2698).[5.3]
Looking for other Colorado paperwork? Browse our Colorado PDF forms. Selling a motorcycle instead? Use the Colorado motorcycle bill of sale, and read how to title a motorcycle with a bill of sale. To record a car sale, you can create a free motor vehicle bill of sale template online and print it for signing.
New residents must register their vehicles within 90 days of becoming Colorado residents.[6.1]
Application for change of vehicle information.
Application for Title and/or Registration.
Power of Attorney for a Motor Vehicle Only gives other person the rights to handle your vehicle and vehicle-related operations.
A vehicle bill of sale form for a vendor that includes odometer disclosure statement.
Colorado bill of sale form for vehicle to use when selling or purchasing a vehicle.
Colorado registration application is a form you can use to register your vessel or snowmobile.
Firearm transaction record is a federal mandated form you need to submit before purchasing a gun.
Apply for permission to carry a concealed handgun in Colorado.
These are the questions people ask most about a Colorado vehicle bill of sale. Each answer is short and points to the state source it comes from, so you can check the details yourself.
Not always. If all of the information on the title is completed correctly, a bill of sale is not needed for the title transfer. The DMV calls a bill of sale best practice, and it is required if the sale price is not listed on the title.[1.2]
No. Colorado has no statute that requires a bill of sale to be notarized. For a titled vehicle, the owner affirms the transfer with a written declaration under penalty of perjury in the second degree.[2]
Notarization is one option, not the only one. The DMV’s title information says the transfer statement can be signed under penalty of perjury in the second degree or notarized.[3] The items that matter on the bill of sale are the purchase price, the date, and the vehicle description.[1.1] For the bigger picture, read our guide on how binding a bill of sale is.
The bill of sale should show the purchase price and date, the vehicle description (year, make, and VIN), and the seller’s information. The title transfer needs the properly endorsed Colorado certificate of title, and the DMV flags a title that was not signed by the owner listed on it.[1.1]
Plan to have these ready when the buyer titles and registers the vehicle:
Other Colorado Forms
General information, not legal or tax advice.
