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A tractor bill of sale is signed proof of a tractor's sale. It names the seller, the buyer, the tractor's make, model and serial number, and the price. Private buyers and sellers use it, especially for a tractor that has no title.
On this page you can build the form online with our step-by-step builder or download the free printable template as a PDF or Word document. Below you will find what to include, how to fill out and sign the form, how to sell a tractor, and the rules Minnesota, New Hampshire and Maryland set for tractors.
A tractor bill of sale is the paper that shows a farm tractor changed hands from one owner to another. Farm equipment is a big purchase, so both sides gain from a clear written record. The document records:
Both sides keep a copy as proof of the sale, and the buyer can bring it along when applying for a title.
The form fits any private tractor sale: a utility or row-crop tractor, a compact or garden tractor, or a vintage model sold to a collector. It also works when a tractor is traded for other goods or given as a gift.
Like other bill of sale forms, it gives the buyer and the seller written proof of what they agreed if a disagreement comes up later. For a combine, a skid steer or other machinery, the equipment bill of sale fits better.
| Document Name | Tractor Bill of Sale Form |
| Other Name | Farm Tractor Bill of Sale |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 10 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 61 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF; Microsoft Word |
A tractor bill of sale includes the seller and the buyer, a description of the tractor with its serial number, the price and payment terms, the sale date, and both signatures.
New Hampshire sets its own list for a bill of sale presented to the town or city clerk for a registration permit for a vehicle exempted from the title requirements of RSA chapter 261 (not an OHRV, snowmobile or moped), shown in the table under Do Tractors Have Titles? (N.H. RSA 261:148(III)).
You can download a free printable tractor bill of sale template as a PDF or Word document, or build a custom one online by answering the questions in our step-by-step builder. Every template on our site is free.
The template is a simple form in plain words, so you do not need to learn legal terminology to use it. Fill in the fields, print two copies, and sign both.
A lawyer who knows farm equipment sales can also draft the bill of sale for you, usually for a fee. Bring the tractor's year, make, model and serial number, your asking price and the planned closing date to the first meeting.
To sell a tractor privately, prepare it, gather its papers, advertise it, agree on a price, and close the sale with a signed bill of sale. Farm equipment is a niche market, so plan for a longer wait than with a car.
Step 1. Clean and Repair the Tractor
Make sure the tractor looks good in person and in photos. Clean it inside and out and fix anything that is broken. A tractor that runs well saves the buyer repair costs, which helps you get a higher price.
Step 2. Gather Every Document and Accessory
Collect all available information on your tractor, including the ownership certificate, maintenance records, and registration number.
Gather the manuals, spare keys and any implements you plan to include. Depending on the model, selling the attachments with the tractor may pay off. Used accessories for an older model can be rare, and rare parts are worth more.
Step 3. Set the Price and Advertise
To answer "what is my tractor worth", compare listings for the same make, model, year and engine hours, or ask a dealer for a trade-in quote. Price a little above your lowest acceptable figure to leave room for talks.
In your ad, give the make, model, serial number, engine hours, included implements and asking price, with clear photos from every side. Post it on farm equipment listing sites, general online marketplaces, local farm papers and the board at your farm supply store.
Step 4. Agree On the Final Price and Close the Deal
Let each buyer look over the tractor and ask about its make, model, and condition. When the buyer is done, negotiate the price. Take payment by cash, cashier's check or money order, and hand over the keys once the payment clears.
Step 5. Fill Out a Tractor Bill of Sale
Complete the form together with the buyer and make one signed copy for each side. Both sides should write these details in the document.
Start with the sale and the parties:
Then describe the tractor:
Finish with the signatures:
Add these two only if you choose to have the sale witnessed or notarized; no rule in our sources asks for a notary on a farm tractor bill of sale, Maryland's (Md. Code Ann., Transp. 13-809(d)(2)) reaches only a tractor Maryland titles, and none asks for a witness:
To write a bill of sale for a tractor, enter the date, both parties, the tractor's details, the price and payment terms, then read the terms and sign. The steps below follow our template from top to bottom.
If your local authorities offer an official form, use that one instead.
Step 1: Indicate the date when document is created.
Step 2: Type in the particulars of all parties (seller and purchaser):
Step 3: Identify the tractor being sold:
Step 4: Specify the payment method and price.
Enter the sale date and the total price of the tractor. Next, choose one sale method:
Then pick how the buyer pays:
Last, tick whether the price includes all applicable taxes.
Step 5: Read the miscellaneous terms.
The seller confirms that they are the owner of the tractor described in the document and have the right to sell it at the price in the form. The seller also confirms that there are no liens on the tractor. The seller confirms that the information in the bill of sale is true, accurate, and complete to the best of their knowledge.
This part also holds the "as-is" clause, which says the tractor is sold with no warranty. Cross it out and write in any warranty you agree to give.
Step 6: Sign the bill of sale form.
The seller and the buyer each print their name, sign and date the form. You could also have one or several witnesses verify the transaction.
Step 7 (optional): Have the signatures notarized
A notary acknowledgment adds the notary's certificate and seal to your signatures. In Maryland, a notarized bill of sale on the MVA's own form is needed only when a titled tractor less than 7 model years old is bought from someone other than a licensed dealer and the title excise tax is based on a price $500 or more below book value (Md. Code Ann., Transp. 13-809(d)(2)).
Many tractors have no title: Minnesota issues no certificate of title for an implement of husbandry, meaning one designed exclusively for agricultural use and not subject to registration if used upon the highways (Minn. Stat. § 168A.03, subd. 1). For such a tractor, the bill of sale is the main paper the buyer gets.
The table lists the rules in our verified sources that bear on a tractor sale: Minnesota's rule for an implement of husbandry, New Hampshire's rule for a title-exempt vehicle, and Maryland's rule for a tractor Maryland titles, which never applies to a farm tractor. Each rule applies only under the condition in its row.
| Where | Rule for a tractor | When it applies | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | The registrar shall not issue a certificate of title for an implement of husbandry. | An implement of husbandry designed exclusively for agricultural use and not subject to registration if used upon the highways. | Minn. Stat. § 168A.03, subd. 1 |
| New Hampshire | The town or city clerk issues a registration permit for a vehicle exempt from title only on a government-issued photo ID and a bill of sale from the previous owner. | A vehicle exempted from the title requirements of RSA chapter 261, bought from an owner who is not a dealer; not an OHRV, snowmobile or moped. This page does not cover whether a given tractor is title-exempt or needs New Hampshire registration. | N.H. RSA 261:148(II) |
| New Hampshire | That bill of sale shall show the date of sale; the make, model, vehicle identification number, model year, year of manufacture, type of body and number of cylinders; the purchaser's name and address; and the seller's signature and address. | The bill of sale presented to the town or city clerk for a registration permit for a vehicle exempted from the title requirements of RSA chapter 261; not an OHRV, snowmobile or moped. | N.H. RSA 261:148(III) |
| Maryland | A notarized bill of sale on the MVA's own form, signed by the buyer and the seller, with a statement of why the tractor sold at that price. | Only for a titled tractor less than 7 model years old, bought from someone other than a licensed dealer, when the title excise tax is based on a price $500 or more below book value. | Md. Code Ann., Transp. 13-809(d)(2) |
Outside these three, our verified sources hold no rule that names tractors or farm equipment. Ask your local motor vehicle office what it wants to see before you sign, especially for a tractor driven on public roads.
In some cases yes: if you register the tractor in New Hampshire, the town or city clerk issues a registration permit for a vehicle exempted from the title requirements of RSA chapter 261, bought from a non-dealer, only on a bill of sale from the previous owner, a rule that does not apply to an OHRV, snowmobile or moped (N.H. RSA 261:148(II)); this page does not cover whether a farm tractor needs New Hampshire registration at all.
In every other sale, the signed bill of sale is still the buyer's proof of the purchase and the seller's proof that the tractor left their hands.
Take a photo of the signed bill of sale and keep a copy with your tractor records.
A farm tractor bill of sale needs no notary under any rule in our verified sources: Maryland's notarized form applies only to a tractor Maryland titles, less than 7 model years old, sold below book value by a non-dealer, never to a farm tractor (Md. Code Ann., Transp. 13-809(d)(2)).
A tractor purchase agreement sets the terms of a sale before it closes, while a bill of sale confirms the handover once the buyer pays. Use an agreement, such as our vehicle purchase agreement, when payment comes in installments or the deal depends on an inspection or financing.
No. The bill of sale records the sale, and the title shows who owns the tractor. Keep these papers in one folder:
List every implement sold with the tractor, such as a loader, a mower deck or a backhoe, in the tractor description. Write down any serial number an implement carries. Items left off the bill of sale can start a dispute later about what the price covered.
Both the seller and the buyer keep a signed copy of the form. The buyer uses it as proof of the purchase (for a titled tractor, the assigned certificate of title is the proof of ownership), and the seller keeps it as proof of the date the tractor left their hands.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
