Kentucky Bill of Sale Form

Document Details

Kentucky Bill of Sale Forms by Type

Here are the most common forms of bills of sale in Kentucky. Choosing the template according to the personal property you want to sell is highly recommended. You are free to fill out one of the forms to ensure the safety of your legal purchase and sale transaction.

How to Write a Kentucky Vehicle Bill of Sale

A Kentucky vehicle bill of sale creates a record of the sale that both sides can rely on if a dispute comes up later. Download the PDF form and follow its eight parts, across four pages, in order.

1. Date (page 1). Enter the date at the top of page 1, the date the parties are signing the bill of sale.
   
2. Seller’s information (page 1). Fill in the seller’s name and street address, including city, state, zip code, phone, and email.
   
3. Buyer’s information (page 1). Fill in the buyer’s name and street address, including city, state, zip code, phone, and email.
   
4. Motor vehicle description (page 1). Enter the seller’s and buyer’s names again, then the vehicle’s make, model, body type, year, odometer reading, color, and VIN.
   
5. Purchase date, price, and method (page 2). Enter the purchase date and total price. Check one payment method (paid in full, trade-in, deposit with a balance due date, or gift), one payment form, and whether taxes are included.
   
6. Miscellaneous provisions (page 3). Read the ownership, as-is, and entire-agreement statements. There are no blanks to fill in on this page.
7. Signatures (page 3). The seller and buyer each sign and print their name with the date, and the witness signs, prints their name, and dates it too.
   
8. Acknowledgment (page 4). Sign in front of a notary in the acknowledgment section, where the county, date, and notary’s details are entered.

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Does Kentucky Require a Bill of Sale for a Car?

Kentucky does not require a bill of sale to title or register a car in a typical private sale. The one exception is a vehicle bought from a police impound by an individual. That sale needs a bill of sale written on law enforcement letterhead, stating compliance with KRS 82.630.^[1.1]

Does a Bill of Sale Need to Be Notarized in Kentucky?

Yes. A Kentucky bill of sale must be notarized before the county clerk’s office will use it to transfer the vehicle’s title into the buyer’s name. If the bill of sale is not notarized, the clerk’s office will not accept it, and the buyer cannot complete the title transfer until a properly notarized version is provided.^[1.2]

Registering a Motor Vehicle in Kentucky

Kentucky requires registration for both new and used motor vehicle purchases. If you already registered your vehicle in another state and you are now a Kentucky resident, you still need to register it with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

You can renew an existing registration every year by mail, in person, or online.

You are given 15 days to complete the process if you bought the vehicle or want to transfer ownership. If you are a new Kentucky resident, you get ten days instead.

If you are titling a vehicle for the first time, bring a photo ID, proof of Kentucky insurance within 45 days, and proof of a vehicle inspection. You will also need to pay the applicable fees and taxes. Follow these steps:

• First, get your motor vehicle inspected at your local sheriff’s office
• Have the certificate of title correctly transferred
• Once the vehicle passes inspection, the sheriff’s office issues an inspection certificate, and you complete a vehicle title form along with the Kentucky application form
• Provide the manufacturer’s certificate of origin, your social security number, and the title lien statement
• Go to your local county clerk’s office with valid proof of insurance and an odometer reading, for a vehicle less than ten years old
• If your vehicle came from outside Kentucky, bring the original out-of-state title and proof that sales tax was paid

You will pay fees at the clerk’s office to finish the process:

• The fee depends on the vehicle type, but it is usually $21
• The title fee is $6

There can be additional fees on top of these charges.

You will also need to prepare a few forms before you go.

• Bill of sale
• Completed Application for Kentucky Certificate of Title or Registration (Form TC 96-182)
• Odometer disclosure statement (Form TC 96-5)
• Vehicle inspection from the county sheriff’s office
• Applicable registration fees
• Proof of insurance within 45 days, meeting Kentucky’s minimum coverage:
  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for total bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 for property damage
• A motor vehicle power of attorney if the owner is not handling this in person.

When an owner sells a vehicle in Kentucky, the law requires them to execute an assignment and warranty of title to the buyer. This happens in the space provided on the certificate of title, at the time the vehicle is delivered.^[3] This is the step that lets the buyer register the vehicle in their own name.

If an owner transfers his interest in a vehicle, he shall, at the time of the delivery of the vehicle, execute an assignment and warranty of title to the transferee in the space provided therefor on the certificate of title.

If the title shows a lien, Kentucky law requires the seller to get a release of that lien before ownership can be transferred.^[2] Buyers should ask to see a lien release, or confirm the title is already clear, before paying for the vehicle.

Relevant Official Forms

(Vehicle) Form TC 96-5

(Vehicle) Form TC 96-182

Motor Vehicle POA

(Vessel) Form TC 96-184

(Vehicle) Form TC 96-5 (Vehicle) Form TC 96-182 Motor Vehicle POA (Vessel) Form TC 96-184

Odometer Disclosure Statement

Form TC 96-5

Form TC 96-182 or Application for Kentucky Certificate of Title/Registration allows you to obtain the certificate of title or registration in Kentucky.

Form TC 96-182

A motor vehicle power of attorney will be useful for individuals wishing to assign another person to be in charge of their vehicle.

Download Vehicle POA

Use a Motor Boat Transaction Record Application for Title/Registration (Form TC 96-184) to record transfer and register or title your boat.

Form TC 96-184

Short Kentucky Bill of Sale Video Guide

Other Kentucky Forms

• Last Will
• Living Will
• Power of Attorney

This page is general information about Kentucky bill of sales, not legal advice. For advice on your situation, talk to a Kentucky attorney.

Sources

1. Kentucky DRIVE; TC 96-182 Kentucky DRIVE; TC 96-182 to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet DRIVE; Vehicle Titling.
   • 1.1 Kentucky DRIVE; TC 96-182
   • 1.2 Kentucky Transportation Cabinet DRIVE; Vehicle Titling
2. KRS 186A.190(5) KRS 186A.190(5).
3. KRS 186A.215(1) (Procedures for transfer of vehicle ownership) KRS 186A.215(1) (Procedures for transfer of vehicle ownership).
4. KRS 235.130(2). Accessed September 28, 2026.

Mara Erlach

Writer & Attorney

Mara has been practicing estate planning and trust law in California since 2003, taking pride in helping clients of all backgrounds and asset profiles form a complete and customized estate plan. Her specialties are: estate planning, wills and trusts, trust and probate administration.