Free vehicle bill of sale

A vehicle bill of sale is a signed record of a private sale: who sold the vehicle, who bought it, what it was, the date and the price. It's the receipt you and the buyer both keep. The title is what actually moves ownership, so you still sign the title over to the buyer as well.

Whether you need one depends on the state:

• Required: New York has sellers sign a bill of sale (form MV-912) along with the title, and Connecticut's DMV tells sellers to give the buyer a bill of sale with the signed title.
• In some cases: Florida needs one when the title is open, meaning the buyer's name or the price is missing. In Alabama, it's the proof of ownership for vehicles that don't need a title, such as motor vehicles more than 35 model years old.
• Not required: Texas and North Carolina don't ask for one in a typical private sale of a titled car.

Even where it's optional, a car bill of sale is your proof of the price, the date and the "as is" terms if a question comes up later. This is general information, not legal advice. If anything about your sale is unusual, check with your state's motor vehicle agency.

The generator above walks you through it in six steps:

A complete bill of sale for a car covers the people, the vehicle and the deal. This one includes:

• The seller's and buyer's full names and addresses
• Year, make, model, body type, color and VIN
• The odometer reading and whether it's the actual mileage
• The date of sale and the price, or a note that it's a gift or a trade
• How the buyer paid
• An "as is" statement, so it's clear there's no warranty
• Both signatures and the date, plus a notary block when it's needed

Some states spell out their own list. Colorado's DMV, for example, says a bill of sale should include the price, the date, the VIN, the year, make and model, and both parties' names and signatures. Florida wants the buyer's name, the price and a complete vehicle description, signed by both of you. If your state publishes an official form, like California's REG 135 or Georgia's T-7, your state's page in the list below links it.

Usually not. Of the states we've checked, six call for a notarized bill of sale in some cases: Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia. Louisiana's Office of Motor Vehicles asks for an original notarized bill of sale when one is used, and Oklahoma's bill of sale for an electronic title (Form 718) must be notarized. In the others it comes up in particular cases, such as a West Virginia sale priced below half the vehicle's NADA value. California's DMV says a bill of sale doesn't need to be notarized or witnessed, and the Texas title manual says the same for bills of sale, title assignments and odometer disclosures.

Pick your state and the generator turns the notary block on when the state requires it. You can add one yourself anytime, for example if the buyer asks for it. If you're using a notary, don't sign until you're in front of them.

Don't mix this up with the title. Some states want the seller's signature on the title notarized even when the bill of sale needs no notary: North Carolina does, though it doesn't ask for a bill of sale in a private sale at all.

The title is the state's record of who owns the vehicle. To sell, you sign the title over in its seller's section, and the buyer takes it to the motor vehicle agency to get a new title in their name. The bill of sale is the deal itself: the price, the date, the terms and both signatures.

The mileage belongs on the title too. Federal rules say a seller who holds the title discloses the odometer reading on the title itself, not on a separate form, unless the vehicle is exempt. The odometer line on this bill of sale is a second, matching record of the same number. Want that disclosure on its own signed sheet as well? Print an odometer disclosure statement to go with the title.

For the full process, from signing the title to the buyer's deadline, read how to transfer a car title.

The same generator handles other vehicles. Choose the type and the form changes to fit:

• Motorcycle bill of sale: the same VIN and odometer details as a car.
• RV bill of sale: choose motorhome or towable. Towables skip the odometer.
• Trailer bill of sale: no odometer section, room for the length and axles, and an option for a trailer with no VIN.
• Boat bill of sale: the 12-character hull identification number (HIN) instead of a VIN, plus the motor and trailer if they're part of the sale.

Rules change at the state line. Each state page covers whether a bill of sale is required, whether it must be notarized, the official form if there is one, where to sign the title, what happens to the plates and how to report the sale, with the official sources and the date we last checked them. The generator on each state page starts out set to that state. Pick yours:

The bill of sale isn't the last step. Before the buyer drives away:

• Sign the title over and hand it to the buyer with the bill of sale.
• Take your plates if your state keeps them with the seller. In Florida, Georgia and New York they stay with you; in California, standard plates stay on the car.
• Report the sale if your state has a notice. California gives sellers 5 calendar days to file a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability, and Florida gives 30 days for a Notice of Sale.
• Keep your copy of the bill of sale, a copy of the signed title and any filing receipts.

Selling for the first time? The step-by-step guide to selling a car privately covers pricing, photos, safe payment and the paperwork in order.