Missouri vehicle bill of sale

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

A bill of sale is not needed to transfer the title. The seller must report the sale to the Department of Revenue within 30 days, and DOR's selling page says this can be done with a Notice of Sale (Form 5049) or a Bill of Sale (Form 1957). The rule (12 CSR 10-23.470) lists Form 1957 as the form used when applying for the sales tax credit for a replacement vehicle. Form 1957 must be notarized only when it shows proof of ownership of major component parts of a rebuilt vehicle or when DOR specifically asks. The must_include list below is the content of Form 1957.

Use the official form if you prefer it: Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Sale (1957).

Missouri lists these items:

• Buyer's name and address
• Seller's name and address
• Year and make
• Title number
• VIN
• Sale date
• Sale price
• Signature of one buyer and one seller

1. If the title shows a lien, get a notarized lien release from the lender (Form 4809 or a notarized statement on the lender's letterhead).
2. In the assignment area on the back of the title, enter the buyer's name and address, the date of sale, the sale price and the odometer reading. Do not use correction fluid or erase anything.
3. Print and sign your name exactly as it appears on the front of the title. Every seller listed on the title must sign. No notary is needed.
4. Give the buyer a safety inspection certificate less than 60 days old, unless the vehicle is exempt. If you live in St. Louis City or Jefferson, St. Charles or St. Louis County, also give an emissions inspection not more than 60 days old.
5. Give the buyer the signed title and any lien release.
6. Remove your license plates before the buyer takes the vehicle, whether they are valid or expired.
7. Report the sale to DOR within 30 days with Form 5049, the Notice of Sale tear-off on the title (5049A), or Form 1957. Mail it to the Motor Vehicle Bureau and keep a copy.

The title assignment area on the back of the Missouri title. All sellers print and sign their names exactly as shown on the face of the title, and the seller writes in the date of sale and the odometer reading. The assignment also records the buyer's name and address, the sale price, any trade-in and the net price. The buyer also prints and signs their name. These signatures do not need to be notarized.

Required. File Notice of Sale or Transfer (5049) within 30 days of the sale. It protects you if the buyer gets tickets or tolls, or abandons the car, before retitling it.

Remove the plates before the buyer takes the vehicle, whether they are valid or expired. With a complete change of ownership, the buyer cannot use or transfer your plates. You can transfer the registration to another vehicle you buy at a license office, which costs a $2 transfer fee and a $9 registration processing fee. Otherwise, destroy and recycle the plates or return them to any license office. Missouri does not refund registration fees for unexpired plates.

Inspection. The seller must give the buyer a safety inspection certificate less than 60 days old, unless the vehicle is exempt. Vehicles in the first 10 years after their model year with less than 150,000 miles are exempt. A seller who lives in St. Louis City or Jefferson, St. Charles or St. Louis County must also provide an emissions inspection not more than 60 days old. For a buyer from another state, DOR says to check that state's inspection rules. On January 6, 2026, DOR said reports that Missouri would stop requiring inspections were incorrect.

Odometer disclosure. The seller writes the actual mileage, without tenths, in the title assignment. Model year 2011 and newer vehicles need mileage disclosed at each ownership transfer until they are 20 years old. Exempt: vehicles over 16,000 pounds GVWR, model year 2010 or older vehicles at least 10 years old, trailers and all-terrain vehicles. If the title has no space for it, use Form 3019. If the true mileage differs or is unknown, the seller checks the discrepancy box and explains in a statement (Form 1545 may be used).

Sales tax. The buyer pays state sales tax of 4.225% plus the local sales tax of the city or county where the buyer lives, on the purchase price less any trade-in. It is paid at a license office when the buyer titles the vehicle, within 30 days of purchase. A gift is not taxed when a General Affidavit (Form 768) or written statement is submitted. A seller who buys a replacement vehicle within 180 days of the sale can use the Notice of Sale or a bill of sale to get a sales tax allowance.

The buyer has 30 days to apply for a new title. The title fee is $8.50.

Forms used in the transfer:

• Notice of Sale or Transfer (5049)
• Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Sale (1957)
• Notice of Lien, Lien Release, or Authorization to Add/Remove Name from Title (4809)
• Odometer Disclosure Statement (3019)
• General Affidavit (for gifts), 768
• Application for Missouri Title and License (buyer), 108

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so check with the Missouri Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Bureau 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.