Vehicle Bill of Sale Template

By Mohamed SkhiriUpdated November 8, 2026Facts checked against state DMV pages and 49 CFR Part 580

A bill of sale is the receipt for a vehicle. When a car changes hands between two people, it's the one page that shows who sold it, who bought it, what was paid and when. Clerks, insurers and tax offices all lean on it when something about the deal needs proving later. This vehicle bill of sale template builds that page for you in a couple of minutes, and you can use it whether you're selling a family car, buying a truck off a listing, or handing an old sedan to a relative.

Most people just call it a car bill of sale form, the paperwork the buyer takes to the title office. It's the same document every time, and this fillable bill of sale template produces it without any software to install.

Below the tool you'll find what each part of the form means, how the DMV treats a bill of sale in a few large states, the federal odometer rule, and what both sides should do once the paper is signed.

Free printable bill of sale: how to use it

The tool takes the information you'd normally scribble on a blank sheet and lays it out in a clean, consistent order. Nothing goes to a server. You type, the preview on the right updates, and when it looks right you choose how you want the copy.

1. Pick the state and date. The state and county print at the top, which helps if the document is ever notarized or shown to a clerk. The date defaults to today.
2. Enter both parties. Use full legal names as they appear on driver's licenses, plus a current address. Add a co-seller if the title lists two owners joined by "and".
3. Describe the vehicle. Year, make, model, body style, color, plate and VIN. The VIN field checks the length and the built-in check digit and warns you about the letters I, O and Q, which a VIN never uses. Not sure where to read it? Our guide to where the VIN is shows every spot, and the VIN decoder confirms the year, make and model before anyone signs.
4. Set the price and terms. Enter the price and payment method, or tick the gift box. The amount prints in numbers and in words, the way a check does, so nobody can alter it later.
5. Add the odometer reading. Choose whether the reading is the actual mileage. For older vehicles, the form notes that no federal disclosure is needed.
6. Print, save or download. Print two copies so the seller and buyer each keep one. Or save a PDF, or download a Word file to edit later.

Every option comes from the same filled-in form, so the printed, PDF and Word versions match line for line.

Prefer pen and paper? Use Print a blank copy. You'll get the same layout with empty lines, ready to fill in by hand at the meeting.

Free bill of sale form for car sales: which one to use

You have three kinds of form to choose from, and the right one depends on your state.

• Your state's own form. Some agencies publish one, like California's REG 135 or Florida's HSMV 82050. If your state has an official version, it's the safest choice, and you can bring this one as an extra record.
• A generic car bill of sale. Where the state accepts any written bill of sale that identifies the vehicle, a generic bill of sale template like this one does the job. It's a free vehicle bill of sale form that works in any state that doesn't insist on its own, and a printable generic bill of sale is easy to bring to any title office.
• A handwritten note. It's legal in many places, but it's easy to forget the VIN, the date or a signature.

So if you're looking for a form for a private sale, start here, then check your state's motor vehicle site to see whether it wants its own version as well. The free car bill of sale form above can be printed as many times as you need, and it's a simple bill of sale form to fill in: one screen, five short sections.

Prefer to print several at once? There are free bill of sale forms to print in the blank-copy option below, and the printable auto bill of sale form produced by the tool fits on one letter-size page in most cases. If you need an automobile bill of sale form PDF, or a motor vehicle bill of sale template PDF for your records, save it from the print window, which keeps exactly the same layout. It's the quickest way to get a bill of sale form free of charge in PDF format.

What a bill of sale for a vehicle should include

There's no single national format. A bill of sale is accepted in most states as long as it pins down the deal clearly enough that nobody can argue about it later. In practice, that means five things.

Two details trip people up. First, write the real price. In several states the tax office compares a private-sale price with a book value, so understating it rarely saves anything and can create problems. Massachusetts, for instance, taxes the higher of the price paid or the book value. Second, copy the VIN from the title or the plate on the dashboard, not from an ad or memory. One wrong character means the paper describes a different car.

Does the DMV need a bill of sale?

It depends on the state and the situation. The search for a "bill of sale DMV" form usually comes from people who expect a single government document. Some states publish one; others simply accept any bill of sale that has the right details; and in some states the title paperwork carries most of the load (a bill of sale is not a title; see the difference). Three large states show the range:

So when you search for a bill of sale form for a DMV visit, the honest answer is: check your state agency first. If it has its own form, use it, or bring both. If it doesn't, a completed bill of sale like the one above carries the same information a clerk expects to see.

Notarized bill of sale: when you need one

Most private sales don't need a notary at all. A notary doesn't make the sale more legal; the stamp only proves that the people who signed are who they say they are. A few states still ask for it in particular cases, and several have recently dropped the requirement:

• West Virginia asks for a bill of sale signed by both buyer and seller in front of a notary, with copies of both driver's licenses, when a private sale price is below half of the vehicle's book value. Without it, the tax is charged on the full book value.
• Louisiana accepts a used-vehicle title file when the bill of sale, invoice or title is notarized, and its Office of Motor Vehicles expects the seller's title assignment to be made before a notary.
• Maryland used to want a notarized form VR-181 for private sales of vehicles under 7 years old; a 2026 law repealed that, effective October 1, 2026. The MVA now taxes the reported price if it's within $500 of the book value.
• Montana dropped notarization on titles for individuals as of October 2, 2025.
• Kansas and Missouri say a bill of sale doesn't need notarizing; Missouri doesn't require it even when you use the bill of sale to claim the sales tax credit.

Lien releases and duplicate-title applications are a different matter: Missouri, for example, wants those notarized even though the bill of sale isn't.

How to get a bill of sale notarized

1. Fill in everything except the signatures. Tick the notary box above so the acknowledgment block prints at the bottom; that turns this into a car bill of sale with notary wording ready for the stamp.
2. Go together. Both buyer and seller should appear in person, with a current photo ID. Banks, shipping stores and many county offices have a notary, and a mobile notary can meet you at the car.
3. Sign in front of the notary, not before. Many notaries want to watch you sign, and some forms require it, so leave the signature lines blank until you're at the desk.
4. Check the stamp before you leave. The notary's signature, seal and commission expiration date go in the block at the bottom of the bill of sale.

There's no special template to buy for a notarized bill of sale: the free form here, with the notary block switched on, carries the same acknowledgment wording paid sites charge for, and a notary in any state can complete it.

Simple bill of sale or a detailed one?

A bare-bones version can fit in four lines: "I sold my 2015 Honda Civic, VIN …, to Jane Doe for $9,000 on May 3." For a cheap car changing hands between friends, that's often enough. A detailed bill of sale adds the as-is clause, payment method, odometer statement, co-owner names and signature lines.

A simple vehicle bill of sale template like that is fine for low-value cars between people who know each other. We'd lean toward the detailed version for almost every other car sale. It takes a minute longer and answers the questions that come up afterwards: was the car sold with any guarantee, was it paid in full, what did the odometer say. If you only want the basics, leave the optional fields empty and untick as-is; the preview shrinks to a short, simple car bill of sale.

Car bill of sale PDF, Word file or paper

There are three ways to finish here, and they suit different situations.

• Print it. The print button sends only the bill of sale to your printer. Everything else on this page is hidden. Two copies, two signatures each.
• Save a PDF. In the print window, choose "Save as PDF" (Chrome, Edge) or "Microsoft Print to PDF" (Windows) as the printer. You get a PDF with the same layout that you can email to the buyer before you meet.
• Download a Word file. This gives you an editable bill of sale template in Word format. Open it in Microsoft Word or LibreOffice, or upload it to Google Docs, if you want to change the wording yourself; that makes it a bill of sale template for Google Docs as well.

Whichever you choose, the signed paper is what counts. A PDF on a phone is handy, but the buyer will usually need a signed copy for the title office, and the seller should keep one too.

Blank bill of sale for a handwritten copy

Some people like to fill in the details face to face, reading the VIN off the dashboard together. The Print a blank copy button gives you a blank bill of sale form with every line empty, including the parties, vehicle, price, odometer and signatures. Think of it as a blank vehicle bill of sale template: the same layout as the filled-in version, ready for a pen.

A hand written bill of sale for car sales is generally just as valid as a typed one if it's legible and complete. Print two copies of the blank bill of sale document, fill them in together, and each of you takes one. You can also save the blank motor vehicle bill of sale as a blank bill of sale PDF to email ahead of the meeting, so the buyer can read through it first. This blank bill of sale template works for an auto, truck or SUV alike, so you won't need a separate blank auto bill of sale template for each vehicle type.

A handwritten bill of sale sample

For a fuller walkthrough with wording for gifts, trades and payment plans, see our guide to how to write a bill of sale.

If you'd rather skip the template entirely, here is an example of a handwritten bill of sale that covers what most states expect:

Write it in ink, keep the wording plain, and make two copies so each of you has one. For a car, that handwritten sample meets the usual requirements for a bill of sale: both parties, the vehicle and its VIN, the price, the date, the odometer reading and signatures. A few states add their own items, which our state pages list.

Bill of sale in Spanish

Some agencies publish a version of their bill of sale written in Spanish. Washington's Department of Licensing, for example, offers a Spanish version of its Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale, which our Washington bill of sale page links to. Our generator prints in English only, so if the buyer and seller are more comfortable with a Spanish bill of sale, check whether your state's agency has one, or fill in ours together and attach a translation for your own records.

Simple, printable and free

Everything here is free and online: the bill of sale template needs no sign-up, adds no watermark and has nothing to install. The layout of the bill of sale is simple, printable and fits on one page, and the blank print option gives you a free, printable, blank template of the same bill of sale. If you were hoping for images of a bill of sale to copy from, the live preview beside the form is the better reference, because it updates with your own details instead of someone else's.

Want an as-is version? Tick the as-is box and the document adds a clause stating the car is sold with no warranty, and you can then save the bill of sale as a free, printable PDF.

Sample bill of sale for a car

Here's what a completed bill of sale looks like, so you can see how the parts fit together. The people and vehicle are made up.

That example covers everything a clerk or insurer would look for. Notice it doesn't include anything that isn't true or known: if you don't know the exact mileage history, choose the matching odometer box instead of guessing.

Used car bill of sale template: an example bill of sale for a used car

Most private sales are used cars, so the template is set up for them: the odometer statement, the as-is wording and the lien statement all matter far more on a ten-year-old car than on a new one. A sample bill of sale for a used car would add one more line if the car came with anything extra, such as "Includes four winter tires and a spare key." Put those details in the other terms box so they're part of the signed agreement. The same layout serves as a used vehicle bill of sale template for trucks, SUVs and vans.

Here's a second, shorter example bill of sale for a used car, for a gift between relatives: "On March 2, 2026, Maria Lopez gave her 2012 Ford Focus, VIN on the title, to her nephew Luis Lopez as a gift. No money was exchanged. The car is given as-is." A generic simple bill of sale like that still names both people, the vehicle, the date and the terms.

The odometer statement

Federal rules in 49 CFR Part 580 require the seller to state the mileage when ownership of a motor vehicle is transferred. Which vehicles are covered changed recently:

• Model year 2011 and newer need a disclosure until the vehicle is 20 years old. The regulation's own example: in calendar year 2031, model year 2011 and older vehicles become exempt.
• Model year 2010 and older are already exempt, under the older 10-year rule.
• Vehicles rated over 16,000 lbs gross vehicle weight and vehicles that aren't self-propelled are exempt too.

The disclosure has to give the reading without tenths, the date, both parties' names and addresses, and the vehicle's year, make, model, body type and VIN, and the seller must state whether the reading is the actual mileage, exceeds the odometer's mechanical limits, or isn't the actual mileage. This template prints exactly those choices.

As-is auto bill of sale

Most private car sales are as-is: the buyer gets the car in the condition it's in, faults included, and the seller isn't promising anything about how long it will last. The as-is wording in this template says exactly that, and adds that the buyer had the chance to inspect the car. In other words, it's an as is no warranty bill of sale, suitable for any private car sale.

As-is wording protects the seller from vague complaints later, but it doesn't cover deliberately hiding a known problem, and how far it goes depends on your state's law. If you did promise something, such as "new brakes in March" or "the AC works," untick the as-is box and write the promise in the other terms field. A clear written promise is far better than a remembered conversation.

Bill of sale for a gift

Giving a car to a family member still involves paperwork. Tick the gift box and the document states that no money was paid. Many states treat family gifts differently for sales or use tax, often with their own affidavit, so the bill of sale is usually one piece of the paperwork, not the whole thing. Ask your state's title office which gift form it uses.

Getting paid safely before you sign

The paper only protects you if the money is real. Most problems in private car sales come from payment, not paperwork, so settle that part before anyone signs.

• Cash is simple for smaller amounts. Count it together, and consider meeting at the buyer's bank so the withdrawal happens in front of you.
• A cashier's check is common for larger amounts, but forged ones exist. Call the issuing bank using a phone number you look up yourself, not one printed on the check, and confirm it before handing over the keys.
• A bank transfer is safe once the money shows as available in your account, not just "pending."
• Personal checks carry the most risk for the seller. If you accept one, wait until it clears before signing over the title.

A quick word on timing. If the buyer needs a few days to arrange the money, don't fill in and sign the document early. Prepare it, leave the date and signatures for the day the payment is complete, and keep the car until then. Handing over a car on a promise to pay later turns a simple sale into a loan, and that needs its own written terms.

Whatever the method, count or confirm the full amount before you sign and before the keys change hands. Once both copies are signed, the document says the money was received, and that's hard to take back.

Write the payment method on the document exactly as it happened. If the buyer pays part now and part later, don't call it paid in full; describe the arrangement in the other terms box instead, with the amounts and dates. A seller who signs a document saying the full price was received will have a hard time arguing otherwise later.

Agree on the price in writing, even by text message, before the meeting. It avoids last-minute haggling over a number nobody remembers the same way, and it gives you something to point to if the buyer shows up expecting a lower price.

Meet somewhere public and well lit, ideally during the day. Many police stations offer a lobby or parking area for exactly this kind of exchange. Bring a friend if you can, and don't let a stranger take the car alone on a test drive.

If the seller still owes money on the car

A car with an unpaid loan has a lien: the lender has a legal claim on it until the loan is repaid, and in many states the lender holds the title. The seller can't hand over a clean title until that claim is released.

The usual way through is to pay the lender first. The buyer and seller can go to the lender's branch together, the buyer pays enough to clear the loan, and the lender issues a lien release or sends the title. Some lenders take a few weeks to mail the paperwork. Until the buyer has either the clean title or a written lien release, they're paying for a car they can't register.

The bill of sale includes a statement that the vehicle is free of any lien not disclosed in writing. If there is a loan, say so in the other terms box, with the lender's name and how it will be paid off. That keeps everything honest and on paper.

What happens to the license plates

Plate rules differ more between states than almost anything else in a car sale. In some states the plates stay with the car; in others they stay with the seller. Texas shows how detailed it can get: TxDMV says the seller has the option to remove the plates and the registration sticker. The seller can then move the plates to another vehicle they buy of the same classification, or keep them for a future transfer, though the registration sticker doesn't transfer.

When plates come off a car sold on a weekend in Texas, the buyer can download a Vehicle Transit Permit, valid for five calendar days, to drive the car to the county tax office. Other states have their own temporary permits. Check your state's rules before the sale so the buyer isn't left with a car they can't legally drive home. Our guide on plates after selling a car covers transfers and surrenders.

Common mistakes on a bill of sale

1. A wrong VIN. One transposed character and the document describes another car. Read it from the title and the dashboard plate, and let the tool's check digit catch typos.
2. Missing the date. The date of sale starts the clock on title deadlines and seller notices. Leave it blank and both sides lose that protection.
3. Only one signature. A document signed by one side is far weaker than one signed by both.
4. Understating the price. It can lead to tax penalties and, in states that compare prices with book values, it often doesn't even lower the tax.
5. Promises left out. If the seller agreed to fix something or include extras, write it down. Spoken promises are hard to prove.
6. Keeping only one copy. The buyer needs one for the title office; the seller needs one in case of tickets, tolls or disputes later.
7. Forgetting the title. The bill of sale doesn't replace a properly signed title. Both are usually needed.

Special situations

Selling to a dealer

Dealers have their own purchase paperwork and usually handle the title transfer themselves. A private bill of sale isn't normally needed, but keeping a copy of whatever the dealer gives you is still a good idea.

Buying from a seller in another state

The buyer registers the car in their home state and follows that state's rules for tax, inspection and title. The bill of sale is often one of the documents the home state asks for, so make sure it includes the seller's full address in the other state.

Two owners on the title

If the title lists two owners joined by "and," both usually need to sign the title to sell. Add the co-seller field so their name and signature line appear on the bill of sale too.

Selling a car you inherited

If the car still belongs to someone who has died, the person selling it usually needs to show they have the right to do so, for example as the executor or an heir named in court or estate papers. The details vary a lot from state to state, so ask the title office what it needs before you agree a sale. Sign the document in your own name and add your role in the other terms box, such as "signed as executor of the estate," so the buyer and the clerk can see why you're the one selling.

A car that doesn't run

Selling a non-running car for parts or repair is still a vehicle sale. Note its condition in the other terms box, such as "does not run; sold for parts," so there's no dispute later about what the buyer expected.

Keeping your copy

Store the signed bill of sale with your other important car papers, and keep a scan or photo too. Phones make this easy: photograph both signed copies side by side before you part ways, so each of you has a record even if a paper copy goes missing. For the seller, it's proof of the date ownership ended if a toll bill, parking ticket or accident report turns up afterwards. For the buyer, it supports the title application and records what was paid. A basic bill of sale template like this one prints on a single page, so it's easy to file. If you save a PDF, you also have a free bill of sale document you can reprint at any time, without filling the form in again.

After the sale: what the seller and buyer do next

State rules differ more than people expect. Virginia wants both signatures on a Virginia car bill of sale, Wisconsin calls its sample optional but makes the seller report the sale (see our Wisconsin car bill of sale), and Massachusetts needs one when the title has no price line, as our Massachusetts bill of sale page explains. Indiana treats it as a receipt rather than proof of ownership for a titled car (see the Indiana car bill of sale), and New York has the buyer hand the original MV-912 to DMV, covered on our New York vehicle bill of sale page.

A vehicle bill of sale template records the deal, but ownership only moves when the title is transferred. Here's what typically happens next, using Texas as an example because TxDMV spells it out clearly (our Texas bill of sale page has the full walkthrough, with the form preset for Texas, the North Carolina vehicle bill of sale page covers that state's notarized title, the California car bill of sale page covers smog and the 10-day transfer, the Colorado vehicle bill of sale page explains when Colorado requires one, the Pennsylvania auto bill of sale page covers sales at a PennDOT agent, the South Carolina vehicle bill of sale page explains the $500-capped fee, the Washington bill of sale page covers use tax, the Oregon DMV bill of sale page lists the four items DMV accepts, and the Connecticut bill of sale page covers a state that requires one):

• The seller gives the buyer the signed title (with the date of sale and odometer reading) and the signed Form 130-U showing the price, then files a vehicle transfer notification. TxDMV says filing it within 30 days of the sale means the seller can't be held responsible for parking tickets and toll violations the buyer racks up.
• The buyer takes the paperwork to the county tax office. Texas requires vehicles to be titled in the buyer's name within 30 days from the date of sale.

Other states have their own deadlines and seller notices, but the pattern is the same everywhere: the seller reports the sale and keeps a copy, the buyer titles and registers the car and pays any tax. Keep your copy of the bill of sale for at least as long as you'd keep any other important receipt.

Car bill of sale checklist

• Two signed copies, one each
• VIN on the bill of sale matches the title and the dashboard plate
• Title signed in the right places, with the odometer section filled in
• Any lien released, with the lender's release letter
• Seller's sale notice filed with the state, if your state has one
• Plates handled according to your state's rules

Frequently asked questions