Camper Bill of Sale

By Mohamed SkhiriUpdated November 8, 2026Facts checked against 49 CFR 580.17 and TxDMV

Campers sell for serious money, often between strangers who met through an online listing, and often in a campground or storage lot far from either person's home. That makes the paperwork matter more than usual. A camper bill of sale puts the whole agreement on one page: what was sold, what came with it, what was paid, and on what date. If the title transfer hits a snag, or the buyer finds a soft spot in the roof a week later, that page is what both sides point to.

The template above is a recreational vehicle bill of sale, shaped around everything an RV carries. It asks for the slide-outs, the sleeping capacity, the generator hours and the weight rating, and it leaves a big box for everything included, from the awning to the dishes. It also handles the one legal difference that trips people up: a motorhome needs an odometer statement, a towable usually doesn't.

RV bill of sale template: how to fill it in

1. Choose the state and date. They print at the top of the page.
2. Add both parties. Use the names on the title. If two people own the RV, add the co-seller.
3. Pick the RV type. This decides whether the odometer section appears. Travel trailers, fifth wheels, toy haulers, truck campers and pop-ups are towables; Class A, B and C units are motorhomes.
4. Describe it. Year, make, model, length, slide-outs, sleeping capacity, color and plate. Add the GVWR from the weight sticker and the generator hours from the generator's meter.
5. Copy the VIN from the title. The tool checks the check digit.
6. Price, payment and inclusions. Enter the price, or tick the gift box, and list everything that goes with the RV.
7. Mileage, for motorhomes. If the odometer section appears, enter the miles without tenths.

Then print two copies, or save the RV bill of sale as a PDF, and sign.

Motorhome or towable: why the type matters

"RV" covers two very different kinds of property, and the paperwork follows the difference.

Motorhomes

A Class A, B or C motorhome has its own engine. Legally it's a motor vehicle, titled and registered much like a truck. In Texas, for instance, the registration fee for motor homes is based on weight, the same way it is for cars and trucks. A motorhome bill of sale should therefore look a lot like a vehicle bill of sale: VIN, mileage and odometer statement included. The free bill of sale for motorhome sales on this page switches the odometer section on as soon as you pick a Class A, B or C.

Towable campers

Travel trailers, fifth wheels, toy haulers and pop-ups have no engine. They're trailers in the eyes of most motor vehicle offices, so trailer rules apply. Texas, again as an example, registers trailers and travel trailers up to 6,000 pounds for $45, and requires a title for any trailer over 4,000 pounds gross weight. A bill of sale for a camper of this kind needs the VIN and the weight rating, but no odometer statement.

Truck campers

A slide-in truck camper rides in a pickup bed. Some states title them, many don't. Either way, the bill of sale for the camper should name it separately from the truck, with its own serial number, so nobody can argue later about whether the truck was part of the deal. If the truck is being sold too, make a separate vehicle bill of sale for it.

The odometer rule for RVs

Federal odometer rules (49 CFR 580.17) exempt any vehicle that is not self-propelled, and any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating above 16,000 pounds. They also exempt model-year 2010 and older vehicles, and newer vehicles once they reach 20 years old. Put together for RVs:

The tool applies this automatically. Pick a towable type and the odometer section stays hidden. Enter a GVWR over 16,000 pounds and it hides too. Many Class A coaches are well above that limit, but plenty of Class C units aren't, so check the weight sticker rather than guessing. When a statement isn't needed, the document says so in one short line, which is often the first thing a clerk looks for.

Title, registration and the bill of sale

A bill of sale for RV sales records the deal; the title moves the ownership. For a titled RV, the seller signs the title over to the buyer, and the buyer takes it, the bill of sale and the state's application form to the registration office. Where a towable is light enough that your state doesn't title it, the bill of sale may be the main proof of ownership the buyer has, so it needs to be complete.

Two things worth sorting out before you meet:

• Liens. RVs are often financed for years. If the seller still owes money, the lender has to be paid and release the lien before the buyer can get a clean title.
• Out-of-state buyers. RV buyers travel. A buyer from another state registers the RV at home, under that state's rules, and their office may want to see the bill of sale and an inspection of the VIN.

What to list as included

Campers come loaded with extras, and they're a common source of disputes: the seller assumes the generator is theirs to keep, the buyer assumes it came with the price. Write it all down. A thorough sample bill of sale for camper sales lists items like these:

• Generator (make and hours), solar panels, batteries and inverter
• Awning, slide toppers, leveling blocks and wheel chocks
• Weight-distribution hitch or fifth-wheel hitch
• Sewer hoses, water hoses and pressure regulator
• TV, furniture, bedding and kitchenware
• Spare keys, manuals and service records

If the seller is keeping something that looks like part of the RV, such as an expensive hitch, say that too.

Camper bill of sale example

Here's how a finished document reads for a travel trailer sale:

That camper bill of sale example shows the shape: identity, specifications, price, inclusions, terms. For a motorhome, the same layout adds the mileage and the odometer status. An RV bill of sale example for a Class C would read "2017 Class C motorhome, 24 ft, 41,350 miles, actual mileage," with everything else the same.

Sample bill of sale for RV gifts

Handing the old camper to your kids? Tick the gift box. The price lines disappear and the document says the RV was given with no payment. A sample bill of sale for RV gifts still needs the VIN and both signatures; the receiving family member uses it at the title office.

Printable camper bill of sale, PDF or Word

When the form is complete you have four options. Print it: the printable camper bill of sale shows only the document on letter paper. Save it as a PDF from the print window, which is the easiest way to email it to the buyer before you meet. Download a Word file to edit the wording. Or print a blank copy to fill in by hand at the campground. It's a free RV bill of sale in every format, with no sign-up, and the Word download doubles as a recreational vehicle bill of sale template you can reuse for the next camper you sell. Whichever format you pick, it's a complete bill of sale form for a recreational vehicle, not a car form with the word "RV" typed in.

The printable RV bill of sale fits on one page for most sales. If you list a lot of extras and add a notary block and co-owners, it may run onto a second page, which is fine: number and initial both pages.

A buyer's inspection checklist

Water is the enemy of every RV. Before you sign anything, look for it:

1. Roof and seams. Check sealant around vents, the air conditioner and edges. Cracks let water in.
2. Soft floors and walls. Press around the door, the bathroom, under windows and in corners. Spongy spots usually mean rot underneath.
3. Stains and smells. Water stains on ceilings and a musty smell are warning signs.
4. Slide-outs. Run each one in and out. Listen for strain and check the seals.
5. Systems. Test the fridge on gas and electric, the furnace, water heater, pump, air conditioner and generator.
6. Tires and running gear. Check the date codes on the tires; RV tires often age out before they wear out. On motorhomes, have the engine and brakes checked.
7. Numbers. Match the VIN on the RV with the title and the bill of sale.

If the seller promises a repair before handover, write it in the other terms box. "Sold as-is" means exactly that otherwise.

Getting paid for a big-ticket sale

RV prices run well into five figures, and that attracts scammers. A few habits keep both sides safe:

• Verify cashier's checks with the issuing bank, using a phone number you find yourself rather than one printed on the check.
• Prefer a bank-to-bank transfer and wait until the funds show as available, not pending.
• Be wary of overpayment. A buyer who sends too much and asks for the difference back is running a well-known scam.
• Hand over the title only when the money has cleared. The bill of sale says payment was received in full; don't sign that until it's true.

If part of the price will be paid later, describe the plan in the other terms box: the amounts, the dates and what happens if a payment is missed. Leaving it unwritten is the quickest way to an argument.

For sellers: after the handover

Keep your signed copy of the bill of sale. Report the sale to your state if it has a notice-of-sale process, and deal with the plates the way your state expects; some states want them back, others let you keep them. Cancel your RV insurance only after the buyer has driven or towed it away, not before.

Camper and RV bill of sale FAQ