District of Columbia vehicle bill of sale

Fill in the free District of Columbia bill of sale on this page and print it.

DC DMV lists a 'Car Bill of Sale' among the original documents needed to get a new title, and its buying tips say private buyers should get a bill of sale. DC DMV does not publish its own bill of sale form or say what one must contain, and no notary requirement is stated.

The District of Columbia 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

1. Pay off any loan first. DC DMV says a vehicle cannot be sold until the lien is cleared or paid.
2. Sign the vehicle over to the buyer on the back of the DC title. Every owner listed on the title must sign.
3. Write the odometer reading on the back of the title.
4. Give the buyer the signed title and a bill of sale.
5. Remove your license tags from the vehicle.
6. Cancel the registration and surrender the tags online, by certified mail or in person, unless you will move them to another vehicle.
7. Keep your insurance until DC DMV processes the tag surrender, then cancel it.

Back of the DC title. The seller signs the vehicle over to the buyer there, and the odometer reading is recorded there. If more than one owner is listed, all owners must sign. DC DMV does not describe the title's fields in more detail. The title signature does not need a notary in the District of Columbia.

DC has no notice of sale or release of liability form. Instead, remove your tags and cancel the registration and surrender the tags to DC DMV, unless you move them to another vehicle. DC DMV says you may be held liable for traffic violations while your tags remain on the car.

Remove your tags when you sell. Under DC Code 50-1501.02(e), the registration expires on sale, and you may apply the unexpired registration to another vehicle you own for a $15 fee, plus any amount by which the new vehicle's registration fee is higher. If you do not transfer the tags, surrender them to DC DMV in person or by mail (DC DMV suggests certified mail), or cancel the registration online if the vehicle is registered to you as an individual and you are the primary owner, then mark through the tag number and dispose of the tags yourself. Remove the registration sticker. Mail surrenders take 7 to 10 business days to process, and you may get a refund for unused registration in 6-month steps, up to 18 months.

Inspection. The buyer is responsible. After a private sale, the buyer gets a temporary DC registration at a DMV service center so the vehicle can be taken through DC DMV inspection, and the vehicle must pass inspection before it can be registered. No seller inspection is required.

Odometer disclosure. For a used car, the odometer certification goes on the back of the title when it is signed over, and DC DMV requires proof of a valid odometer statement to issue a new title. DC DMV's buying tips say odometer disclosure statements should be available for vehicles less than 10 years old. DC DMV does not publish which model years are exempt.

Sales tax. DC charges an excise tax, which the buyer pays to DC DMV when titling the vehicle. It is a percentage of fair market value from the NADA guide. Since February 17, 2025, the rate depends on unladen weight and city MPG: 1.5% to 9% for 3,499 lbs or less, 2.5% to 10% for 3,500 to 4,999 lbs, and 3.5% to 11% for 5,000 lbs or more, with electric vehicles at 1%, 2% or 3%. Many vehicles are exempt, and DC Earned Income Tax Credit recipients may choose weight-based rates of 6%, 7% or 8%.

The title fee is $30.

Forms used in the transfer:

• Certificate of Title/Temporary Registration and Tag Application (filed by the buyer), DMV-CTA-001

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so check with the DC Department of Motor Vehicles if anything about your sale is unusual. Last verified October 20, 2026.

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.