At a glance
- Bill of sale required
- In some cases
- Bill of sale notarized
- Not confirmed yet
- Official form
- Bill of Sale (48-2004)
- Title signature notarized
- No
- Report the sale
- Sold Notice, within 10 days
- License plates
- Stay with the seller
- Buyer must title within
- 15 days
On this page
- Do you need a bill of sale in Arizona?
- What to put on a Arizona bill of sale
- How to sell a car in Arizona
- Where to sign a Arizona title
- Sold Notice in Arizona
- What happens to your license plates when you sell a car in Arizona?
- Inspection, odometer and sales tax in Arizona
- What the buyer does next
- Before you sell
- Common questions
- Sources
Do you need a bill of sale in Arizona?
Fill in the free Arizona bill of sale on this page and print it.
A signed Arizona title is the main transfer document. ADOT does not accept a bill of sale alone as proof of ownership. The exceptions are the Title Transfer Bill of Sale (38-1306), the Electronic Bill of Sale Receipt (13-1308) and a dealer retail bill of sale. The Title Transfer Bill of Sale is used for Arizona-titled vehicles when no paper title is available or the title is electronic. The separate Bill of Sale (48-2004) is supporting paperwork, for example when a co-owner did not sign the title or the title was assigned to an out-of-state resident.
Use the official form if you prefer it: Bill of Sale (48-2004).
What to put on a Arizona bill of sale
Arizona doesn't publish a required list. A complete bill of sale usually has:
- The seller's and buyer's names and addresses
- Year, make, model and VIN
- Odometer reading
- Sale date and price
- An "as is" statement if there's no warranty
- Both signatures and the date
How to sell a car in Arizona
- Remove your license plate before the buyer takes the vehicle.
- Check whether you can transfer the title online with eTitle Transfer on AZ MVD Now.
- For a paper title, write the odometer reading and the sale date on the back of the title.
- Sign and print your name as it appears on the front of the title. Then give the title to the buyer.
- If there is no paper title or the title is electronic, use the Title Transfer Bill of Sale (38-1306).
- Submit a free Sold Notice within 10 days on AZ MVD Now, or mail Form 46-8502. eTitle Transfer files one for you.
- Within 30 days, transfer the plate to another vehicle, surrender it to MVD, or file an affidavit of plate destruction (Form 48-3302).
- Request your registration credit or refund if you are eligible. The credit starts to decrease after 30 days.
Where to sign a Arizona title
Back of the Arizona title (December 2023 and newer design): odometer reading, seller signature and printed name matching the front of the title, and sale date. The sale date cannot be changed once written. The buyer signs and prints their name in the buyer section. If the owners are joined by 'or', one owner can sign. If joined by 'and' or 'and/or', all owners must sign. Errors on the title are corrected with a Statement of Error (46-0307). The title signature does not need a notary in Arizona.
Sold Notice in Arizona
Required. File Sold Notice (46-8502) within 10 days of the sale. You can file it online. It protects you if the buyer gets tickets or tolls, or abandons the car, before retitling it.
What happens to your license plates when you sell a car in Arizona?
When you sell, you keep the plate. Remove it before the buyer takes the vehicle. Within 30 days of the sale, transfer it to another vehicle, surrender it to MVD or an authorized third party, or submit an affidavit of plate destruction (Plate Release, Form 48-3302). A credit for the unexpired part of your registration taxes and fees, minus a $12 processing fee, can be applied to your MVD customer account, which you can access on AZ MVD Now. The credit starts to decrease if you do not transfer it to your account within 30 days of the sale.
Inspection, odometer and sales tax in Arizona
Inspection. Arizona's emissions program covers metro Phoenix (Area A) and metro Tucson (Area B). MVD requires an emissions test at transfer of ownership when it applies. A seller's emissions test that is still valid on the date of transfer can be used. If there is none, the buyer must have the vehicle tested. Exempt vehicles include 1966 and older models, electric, solar and hydrogen powered vehicles, and vehicles before their sixth registration year after being bought or leased new.
Odometer disclosure. Record the actual odometer reading on the back of the title, on the Title Transfer Bill of Sale (38-1306), or in the electronic transfer. Do not guess. ADOT says disclosure is required in most cases for model year 2011 and newer vehicles and is recommended for older ones. By statute, the requirement ends at 20 model years for 2011 and newer vehicles and at 10 model years for 2010 and older vehicles. In a private sale, a Power of Attorney with Odometer Disclosure (48-7104) may be used in place of the title's odometer entry, for example when a lienholder holds the title.
Sales tax. A sale between two private individuals is a casual sale and is exempt from Arizona's vehicle use tax (ADOT Policy 8.15.2). The buyer pays title and registration fees when registering. These may include vehicle license tax, a registration fee and an air quality fee.
What the buyer does next
The buyer has 15 days to apply for a new title. The title fee is $4.
Forms used in the transfer:
Before you sell
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so check with the Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division if anything about your sale is unusual.
Listing it first? Good photos sell cars faster: see how to take pictures of a car to sell, and read the full guide to selling a car. Buying or selling in another state? Pick it on the bill of sale page.