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Bill of Sale for Car in VA

Virginia DMV is specific about what a handwritten bill of sale needs, and it uses the price on it to work out the sales and use tax. Need a bill of sale for car in VA sales? This Virginia car bill of sale has the state preselected, a field for each item DMV lists, and a line for both signatures.

Virginia at a glance

  • Signed by both seller and buyer
  • Price, year, make, model, VIN and date
  • A price on the title counts as a bill of sale
  • Not proof of ownership on its own
  • Low prices may need form SUT 1 or SUT-1A
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MyCarPapers is a private website with no tie to Virginia DMV. Our official links go to dmv.virginia.gov, and we never collect money.

Fill in your Virginia bill of sale

Every field is optional. Anything you leave empty prints as a blank line you can complete by hand.

1Where and when
2Seller and buyer
3The vehicle
Copy it from the title, not from memory. We check the format and the check digit.
4Price and terms
5Odometer and signing
Odometer status

Your details stay in this browser tab. Nothing is uploaded or saved, so print or download before you close the page.

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Vehicle Bill of Sale

State of · County of

Parties

Seller
and
Buyer
and

Vehicle

Year
Make
Model
Body style
Color
VIN
Plate

Sale

On , the Seller sold the vehicle described above to the Buyer for (), paid by . The Seller confirms receiving this amount in full.

The vehicle is sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty of any kind from the Seller, express or implied. The Buyer has had the chance to inspect it.

The Seller states that they own the vehicle, have the right to sell it, and that it is free of any lien or claim not disclosed to the Buyer in writing.

Other terms:

Odometer statement

Reading at the time of sale: miles (no tenths). To the best of the Seller's knowledge:

the reading reflects the actual mileage. the reading reflects mileage in excess of the odometer's mechanical limits. the reading is NOT the actual mileage. Warning: odometer discrepancy.

Federal law (and state law, if applicable) requires the seller to state the mileage when ownership is transferred. Failing to complete the statement or giving false information may result in fines and/or imprisonment. For a titled vehicle, the official disclosure is also made on the title.

Seller signature · date
Buyer signature · date
Co-seller signature · date
Co-buyer signature · date

By Mohamed SkhiriUpdated November 10, 2026Checked against Virginia DMV's buying, selling and sales and use tax pages

The six items, plus two signatures

Virginia DMV's titling guide spells out what a handwritten bill of sale has to contain. Miss one and the clerk can turn the paper down, so check yours against this list:

  • the purchase price,
  • the year,
  • the make,
  • the model,
  • the vehicle identification number,
  • the date of sale, and
  • the signatures of both the seller and the buyer.

Two signatures is the detail people miss; several states only ask for the seller's. Our template prints a signature line for each of you, so nothing is left to chance at the customer service center.

Filling in the Virginia version

Virginia is already chosen in the form. Copy the year, make, model and VIN straight from the title, since DMV compares them. Enter the price the buyer actually paid, the date you hand over the keys, and the odometer reading. Add the county or city if you'd like the place of sale on record. Then print two copies and sign both. The printed copy the buyer brings to DMV covers every listed item; the as-is clause and plate number are extras that protect you both.

The title still transfers the car

Virginia makes two points that sound contradictory but aren't. First, DMV treats the sale price a seller writes on the title certificate as the equivalent of a bill of sale. Second, for a casual sale between individuals, a bill of sale alone isn't valid evidence of ownership. In practice, the signed title moves the car into the buyer's name, and a separate bill of sale is the written record of the deal: who, what, when and how much. Keep one even when the title already shows the price; it's the paper you'll want if anyone questions the sale later.

If the title is missing, the seller has to replace it before selling; our title transfer guide explains the duplicate process by state.

Price, tax and the SUT forms

Virginia charges a motor vehicle sales and use tax when the buyer titles the car, figured on the sale price. Because of that, DMV checks low prices. For a vehicle five model years old or newer, an Affidavit of Vehicle Purchase Price, form SUT-1A, is needed when the price is more than $1,500 below the NADA trade-in value. For older vehicles in the same situation, the Vehicle Price Certification, form SUT 1, or a handwritten bill of sale can show the price. So an honest number on the bill of sale keeps the buyer's tax visit simple.

Check DMV's sales and use tax page for the current rate and minimum tax before the buyer goes; the agency updates it.

Virginia bill of sale PDF, print or Word

To get a Virginia bill of sale PDF, use Save as PDF in the print window; it matches the printed page exactly. The Word download lets you edit the wording, and the blank version prints empty lines for completing by hand. The template is free, needs no account, and nothing you type leaves your browser. It suits cars, trucks, SUVs and vans; boats, trailers and motorcycles have their own forms in our bill of sale library.

Virginia bill of sale FAQ

What does Virginia DMV require in a bill of sale?

DMV's guidance says a handwritten bill of sale must be signed by both the seller and the buyer and include the purchase price, year, make, model, vehicle identification number and date of sale.

Is the Virginia title a bill of sale?

For the price, yes. Virginia DMV treats a sale price the seller writes on the title certificate as the equivalent of a bill of sale. A separate bill of sale is still a useful record for both parties.

Can a bill of sale replace the title in Virginia?

No. DMV says bills of sale alone aren't valid evidence of ownership in a casual sale between individuals, so the buyer needs the signed title.

Sources

This page explains common rules and is not legal advice. Virginia DMV has the final word.