Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale Form

A motor vehicle bill of sale is a form that serves as a means of documenting a transaction in which payment was made in exchange for the ownership of a car or truck. The bill of sale accompanies the title, which is signed by the seller at the time of sale. The form can be used for any type of motor vehicle, including passenger cars, trucks, SUVs, sports cars, and commercial vehicles.

By State

Contents

• Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale: By State
• Required Information
• How to Transfer a Car Title
• Online Registration Renewal + Fees: By State
• How to Write

Required Information

When selling a motor vehicle, the seller will need to enter the following information regarding themselves, the vehicle, and the individual making the purchase:

• The names, addresses, and contact information (phone# + email) of both parties.
• The vehicle’s VIN (the 17-character alphanumeric identification number that is completely unique to the vehicle).
• The vehicle’s make, model/trim, body type, year, color, and odometer reading.

How to Transfer a Car Title

While the title-transferring process varies state by state, the process generally goes as follows:

1. The seller downloads and completes a bill of sale.
2. The parties sign their names in the designated spots.
3. The seller signs the title over to the buyer. If the vehicle is registered in Arizona, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, or Pennsylvania, the parties will need to have their signatures notarized (click “Notarize” or “Upload file” after following the link).
4. Once all signatures have been recorded on the form, the buyer is now the official title-holder (owner) of the vehicle. They can now register the vehicle, obtain car insurance, and inspect the vehicle (unless the inspection was already performed).

Online Registration Renewal + Fees

The following table provides the links for each state’s online registration renewal for motor vehicles and the accompanying fees.

Sample

MOTOR VEHICLE BILL OF SALE

1. VEHICLE INFORMATION

Make: [VEHICLE MAKE]
Model: [VEHICLE MODEL]
Year: [YYYY]
Style / Body Type: [VEHICLE BODY TYPE]
Color: [PAINT COLOR]
Odometer Reading: [VEHICLE MILES]
VIN: [VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER]

2. THE PARTIES

Date of Sale: [MM/DD/YYYY]

Name: [BUYER NAME]
Address: [BUYER ADDRESS]
Phone #: [BUYER PHONE NUMBER]
Email: [BUYER EMAIL ADDRESS]

Name: [SELLER NAME]
Address: [SELLER ADDRESS]
Phone #: [SELLER PHONE NUMBER]
Email: [SELLER EMAIL ADDRESS]

3. PAYMENT

Transaction type (check one):

☐ – OPTION 1 (PAYMENT)

The Buyer agrees to pay the following to the seller: $ [TOTAL PAYMENT]

The Seller is giving the vehicle as a gift to the Buyer. The vehicle’s worth is: $ [VEHICLE VALUE]

☐ – OPTION 3 (TRADE-IN)

The Buyer’s trade-in vehicle is valued at: $ [TRADE-IN VALUE]

The Buyer agrees to pay the following to the seller: $ [TOTAL PAYMENT]

The following is the information of the traded-in vehicle:

Trade-in Make: [TRADE-IN MAKE]
Trade-in Model: [TRADE-IN MODEL]
Style / Body Type: [TRADE-IN BODY TYPE]
Year: [TRADE-IN YEAR]
VIN #: [TRADE-IN VIN]
Odometer Reading: [TRADE-IN MILES]

Buyer agrees to pay Seller via the following (check one):

☐ – Cash
☐ – Cashier’s / Certified Check
☐ – Credit / Debit Card
☐ – Other: [OTHER PAYMENT METHOD]

Are taxes included in the purchase price? (check one):

Additional Terms & Conditions (Optional): [LIST ANY TERMS AND CONDITIONS HERE]

4. ODOMETER DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

Federal law requires that you state the mileage upon transfer of ownership. Failure to complete this or providing a false statement may result in fines and/or imprisonment.

I / We, [SELLER NAME], state that the odometer reading shown above is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and that it reflects the actual mileage of the vehicle described above UNLESS one of the following statements is checked:

☐ – I hereby certify that the odometer reading reflects the amount of mileage in excess of its mechanical limits to the best of my knowledge.
☐ – I hereby certify that the odometer reading is not the actual mileage.

5. SIGNATURES

IN WITNESS THEREOF, on [SIGNING DATE] , the Buyer and Seller acknowledge that the Motor Vehicle is being sold without any representations (“as-is”) and that after the sale, the Seller shall not have any liability other than the details in this Bill of Sale.

Buyer Signature: ____________________________
Printed Name: [PRINTED NAME]

Seller Signature: ____________________________
Printed Name: [PRINTED NAME]

6. CERTIFICATE OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

STATE OF [NOTARY ONLY: STATE]
COUNTY OF [NOTARY ONLY: COUNTY]

On this [NOTARY ONLY: SIGNING DATE] , before me appeared
[NOTARY ONLY: BUYER NAME] , [NOTARY ONLY: SELLER NAME] , who proved to me through government-issued photo identification to be the above-named person(s), in my presence executed the foregoing instrument and acknowledged that he/she/they executed the same as his/her/their free act and deed.

___________________________________
Notary Public

My commission expires: [NOTARY ONLY: COMMISSION EXPIRATION]

How to Write

Step 1 – Enter the Vehicle’s Specs

To identify the exact vehicle being sold, the following information will need to be entered into the form:

1. Make (e.g. “Toyota”)
2. Model (e.g. “Corolla”)
3. Style / Body Type (e.g. “4-door sedan”)
4. Year (e.g. “2012”)
5. Color (e.g. “Red”)
6. Odometer Reading (e.g. “84,520”)
7. VIN # (e.g. “9324G54657K8791A3”)

Step 2 – Buyer and Seller Information

After entering all of the specs on the vehicle, the following contact information for both the buyer and seller must be provided:

1. The date the parties are completing the form (in “mm/dd/yyyy” format).
2. The buyer’s full name.
3. The buyer’s address (street, city, state, & ZIP code).
4. The buyer’s phone number (optional, but recommended).
5. The buyer’s email address (optional, but recommended).
6. The seller’s full name.
7. The seller’s address.
8. The seller’s phone number (optional, but recommended).
9. The seller’s email address (optional, but recommended).

Step 3 – Select the Transaction Type

Select the type of transaction the parties are engaging in by checking one (1) of the three boxes as shown in the image below.

1. Payment – The most common option wherein the buyer pays the seller a specific amount of money for the vehicle.
2. Gift – The seller will be giving the vehicle to the buyer at no cost. An estimation of the vehicle’s value should still be entered.
3. Trade-in – If the buyer will be providing the seller with a car or truck in exchange for their vehicle, both vehicle’s values should be written. Next the make, model, type, year, VIN #, and odometer reading of the trade-in should be entered into the table.

Step 4 – Choose the Payment Method

Select the payment type that the buyer will be using to pay for the vehicle by selecting the corresponding checkbox. If taxes are included in the purchase price, check “Yes,” if not, check “No.” The seller can specify any additional terms and conditions in the box provided.

Step 5 – Confirm the Mileage

The form includes a disclosure statement, which is a federally-mandated section used to affirm that the mileage amount entered on the first (1st) page is accurate. In the space provided, write the name (or names) of the seller(s), and check either of the two (2) boxes if the statements apply. If the statements do not apply, both boxes should be left unchecked.

Step 6 – eSign It

Enter the date (mm/dd/yyyy) the parties will sign the bill of sale. The form must be signed by the seller and the buyer; however, the form contains signature fields for an additional buyer and seller, if applicable. Each signatory will need to print their name to the right of their signature. The fields for the two (2) witnesses is optional. If the form will be notarized, do NOT sign until directed to do so by the Notary Public.

Step 7 – Have it Notarized

If the buyer intends to register the vehicle, they will most likely have to have the signatures on the document notarized. The parties cannot sign until they are directed to do so by the Notary. It’s important to know that notarization may be optional depending on the state in which the parties reside. If it isn’t required, the notarization area can be left blank.