Car Bill of Sale NC: North Carolina Vehicle Form

By Mohamed SkhiriUpdated November 10, 2026Checked against NCDMV title and plate pages

North Carolina is one of the states where the title still has to be signed in front of a notary, and that one rule shapes how a North Carolina vehicle bill of sale gets signed too. Plan around that and a private sale is simple. Skip it and the buyer can't title the car, the seller is stuck with a vehicle that's still in their name, and both of you make a second trip. A North Carolina vehicle bill of sale won't stand in for the notarized title, but it records everything the title doesn't.

Do you need a bill of sale in North Carolina?

For a vehicle bought from an individual, NCDMV's list of documents is the title, the Title Application (MVR-1), the odometer disclosure (MVR-180) for newer vehicles and the damage disclosure statement (MVR-181). A separate NC vehicle bill of sale isn't on it. Most buyers and sellers sign one anyway, because it's the only document that captures:

• The price both of you agreed, in writing and signed, which settles disputes later.
• The date and time of the handover, which matters for tickets, tolls and insurance until the buyer's title goes through.
• As-is terms, or any promise the seller made about the car's condition.
• Extras such as spare keys, a payment plan, or a trailer sold separately.

Buyers can take the form above with the title to the license plate agency, so the price on every document matches. Think of the bill of sale as the buyer's receipt, and the notarized title as the deed.

The notarized title: plan the meeting around it

NCDMV says both the original owner and the new owner complete the back of the original title, and that a North Carolina title must be notarized. That shapes the sale more than anything else:

• Meet where a notary is. Banks, many license plate agencies, shipping stores and mobile notaries can do it. Both of you should bring photo ID.
• Don't sign ahead. Leave the seller's signature blank until you're in front of the notary.
• Notarize the bill of sale at the same time if you like. NCDMV doesn't require it, but the form's notary block costs nothing to add while you're there. Tick the box before printing.

If the title is lost, the seller has to replace it before the sale; our North Carolina title guide covers the duplicate title form and its 15-day processing wait.

How to fill in the NC auto bill of sale form

1. Check the state and add the county. North Carolina is already selected.
2. Enter both parties exactly as their names appear on the title and on their IDs.
3. Describe the vehicle: year, make, model, body style, color, plate and the 17-character VIN from the title or dashboard. The VIN field checks the check digit as you type.
4. Enter the price, or tick gift. Use the real number; it should match what goes on the title application.
5. Add the odometer reading. The form adds the federal mileage statement when the vehicle needs one, which matches NCDMV's MVR-180.
6. Print two copies. Sign both, ideally at the notary, and each keep one.

The same layout works for a car, truck, SUV, van or motorcycle. For a boat, camper or trailer, the matching templates in our bill of sale library ask for the details those sales need.

Selling a car in North Carolina: the seller's steps

1. Sign the title in front of a notary, with the buyer completing their part and the odometer reading filled in. If a lender is shown, its lien release has to go with the title.
2. Give the buyer the NC car bill of sale and keep your copy; it's your proof of the date the car left your hands.
3. Deal with the plate. The plate stays with you, not the car. If you're not moving it to another vehicle you own, NCDMV says you must surrender it right away, at any license plate agency or by mail to its Renewal, Title and Plate unit in Raleigh.
4. Keep your insurance in place until the plate is handled. North Carolina registration depends on continuous liability coverage, and canceling insurance is another event that requires surrendering the plate.
5. Clear the record if needed. If the sold car still shows on your registration file, NCDMV's form MVR-46F, notarized, changes its status to cancelled.

Buying a car in North Carolina: the buyer's steps

1. Check the car and the paperwork before you pay. The VIN on the title should match the dashboard and door sticker; a free VIN decode and recall check takes a minute.
2. Watch the title get notarized, with both your parts completed, and sign the bill of sale for a car NC sellers hand over at the same desk.
3. Take everything to a license plate agency: the notarized title, the Title Application (MVR-1), the odometer and damage disclosures, proof of North Carolina liability insurance and your ID.
4. Pay the highway-use tax and fees, and get your own plate or transfer one you already have.

Once the signed bill of sale is filed away, the registration is next. Since October 1, 2026, NCDMV issues digital registrations instead of stickers and printed cards, so don't wait for a sticker in the mail; your registration lives in NCDMV's records and the MyDMV portal.

The highway-use tax

North Carolina doesn't charge sales tax on a vehicle; it charges a highway-use tax when the vehicle is titled. NCDOT lists the rate at 3 percent. Some family transfers are exempt: between spouses, between a parent and child, or between a stepparent and stepchild, the recipient can claim the exemption with the Highway-Use Tax Exemption Certificate, MVR-613. Tick the gift box on the NC vehicle bill of sale for those, so the document says no money changed hands.

NC bill of sale PDF, Word or paper

When the form is complete, print it, or save it as an NC bill of sale PDF from the print window to send the buyer before you meet. The Word download lets you edit the wording, and the blank copy prints every line for filling in by hand at the notary's desk. It works as a printable NC vehicle bill of sale and as a reusable NC auto bill of sale template, with no sign-up and nothing sent anywhere.

However you save it, it's the same North Carolina auto bill of sale: both parties, the vehicle and VIN, the price, date, odometer reading and as-is clause, ready for the license plate agency and both of your files.

After the sale

Buyers, the title comes next; our North Carolina title guide covers replacement titles and finding your title number. If you ever need to know what a plate record can reveal, the NC license plate lookup guide explains NCDMV's MVR-605A request and its privacy rules.

North Carolina vehicle bill of sale: the short version

An NC vehicle bill of sale isn't on NCDMV's required list, but it's the only signed record of the price, date and as-is terms. Fill in both parties, the VIN and the odometer reading, sign two copies, and keep one. The notarized title still does the transfer. Many sellers keep a blank NC auto bill of sale on hand for the next sale.

North Carolina bill of sale FAQ