West Virginia vehicle bill of sale

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

A normal private sale needs only the signed title. DMV requires a notarized bill of sale, signed by both seller and buyer, when the price is below 50% of the vehicle's NADA Clean Loan value; without one, tax is charged on the full NADA value. Every notarized bill of sale, including DMV's Form DMV-7-TR, must come with legible copies of the buyer's and seller's driver's licenses. A vehicle 2 years old or newer bought from a non-dealer is taxed on NADA value, and a bill of sale will not lower it. A title with an altered price plus a separate bill of sale is rejected. Older untitled ATVs and UTVs also need a notarized bill of sale.

Use the official form if you prefer it: Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle, Trailer, or Boat (DMV-7-TR).

West Virginia lists these items:

• Names and addresses of the sellers and buyers
• Vehicle year, make, model, body type and color
• Title number and VIN
• Date of sale
• Selling price
• Odometer reading (motor vehicles)
• Signatures, printed names and dates of sellers and buyers
• Notary public's signature and seal

1. Sign the back of the West Virginia title with the buyer. If the owners are joined by "AND", every owner signs.
2. Write the exact mileage in the title's assignment section, or use Form DMV-TM-1 if the title has no odometer section.
3. If the price is under half the NADA Clean Loan value, complete a notarized bill of sale (Form DMV-7-TR) with the buyer and attach copies of both driver's licenses.
4. Give the buyer the signed title at the sale. State law requires delivery within 60 days.
5. Remove your license plate. It stays with you, not the vehicle.
6. Transfer the plate to another vehicle with Form DMV-44-A-TR within 60 days, or return it to DMV with a Sold Vehicle Notice (DMV-1-S).
7. Keep insurance on the plate until it is transferred or returned, because canceling insurance requires returning the plate.

The back of the West Virginia title. The seller and buyer both sign the assignment, and the seller records the exact mileage there. The purchase price must not be altered or conflict with a bill of sale. For an out-of-state title, the seller signs as seller and the buyer's name and address go on the face of the title.

Optional. West Virginia doesn't require it, but you can file a Sold Vehicle or Watercraft Notice. Use Sold Vehicle or Watercraft Notice (DMV-1-S). DMV says a seller may send this notice with the license plate, or instead send proof that the plate was transferred and proof of insurance on the new vehicle. Every line must be filled in, and both sellers sign if the title reads "AND".

When the title changes hands, the registration expires and the seller keeps the plates (W. Va. Code 17A-4-1). Within 60 days the seller can transfer the plate to another vehicle titled and registered in the same names, using Form DMV-44-A-TR ($10.50). Otherwise return the plate to DMV with a Sold Vehicle Notice (DMV-1-S). If you cancel the insurance, you must return the plate. State law lets a private buyer drive the vehicle for up to 10 days under the seller's registration, but only with the seller's written consent (W. Va. Code 17A-3-1).

Inspection. The buyer is responsible. Any vehicle acquired in West Virginia without a valid inspection sticker must be inspected within three days. Vehicles need a safety inspection every 24 months at a station licensed by the West Virginia State Police.

Odometer disclosure. The seller writes the exact mileage in the assignment section on the back of the title and marks it actual mileage, not actual mileage, or exceeds mechanical limits. West Virginia titles issued before January 1, 1991 have no odometer section, so use Form DMV-TM-1, which both seller and buyer acknowledge. DMV says federal rules require mileage for model year 2011 and newer vehicles for 20 years, and Form DMV-TM-1 is not needed for model year 2010 or older, non-motorized vehicles, or vehicles over 16,000 lbs. DMV's titles page lists passenger cars, light trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles under 16,000 lbs as needing disclosure, and trailers and heavier vehicles as exempt.

Sales tax. The buyer pays a 6% titling tax when applying for title (Form DMV-1-TR), or a flat $30 if the net price is under $500. The tax is on the purchase price, unless the price is below 50% of the NADA Clean Loan value and there is no notarized bill of sale; then DMV taxes the full NADA value. Vehicles 2 years old or newer bought from a non-dealer are taxed on NADA value. For a gift, both parties sign Form DMV-5-TR, except transfers of a West Virginia-titled vehicle between parent and child or between spouses. Other fees: $15 title and $10 lien.

The title fee is $15.

Forms used in the transfer:

• Application for Certificate of Title (DMV-1-TR)
• Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle, Trailer, or Boat (DMV-7-TR)
• Odometer Disclosure Statement (DMV-TM-1)
• Affidavit of Transfer of Ownership Without Consideration (DMV-5-TR)
• Application for Transfer of a License Plate (DMV-44-A-TR)
• Sold Vehicle or Watercraft Notice (DMV-1-S)

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so check with the West Virginia Division 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.