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By State
- Alabama
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By Type (23)
- Aircraft / Airplane
- ATV
- Bicycle
- Boat
- Business
- Cat / Kitten
- Dog / Puppy
- Equipment
- Firearm / Gun
- Furniture
- General
- Golf Cart
- Horse
- Jet Ski
- Livestock
- Mobile Home
- Moped / Scooter
- Motorcycle
- Motor Vehicle
- Notarized
- RV
- Tractor
- Trailer
Aircraft / Airplane – For selling a personally owned civilian aircraft.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
ATV – Documents the sale of an ATV, also known as an “all-terrain vehicle” or “4-wheeler.”
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Bicycle – For selling a manually- or electrically-powered bike.
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Boat (Vessel) – Provides proof that a person paid a specific amount of money in exchange for ownership of a watercraft.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Business – This document briefly outlines the terms of the sale of a business. More involved than a standard bill of sale form, but less involved than a business purchase agreement.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Cat / Kitten – Serves as a record that an individual purchased a pet cat or kitten from a breeder or owner.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Dog / Puppy – Used by breeders and owners to specify the terms and conditions for the sale of a dog or puppy.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Equipment – For selling tools, power machinery, construction vehicles, and other industrial items.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Firearm / Gun – Records the sale of one (1) or more firearms between a buyer and a seller.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Furniture – A proof of transaction detailing the sale of one (1) or more pieces of furniture.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
General – A non-specific bill of sale that can be used for selling anything.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Golf Cart – Used specifically for recording the sale of a golf cart from a seller to a buyer.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Horse – Includes information on the breed, sex, and DOB of the horse, in addition to the amount ($) it sold for.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Jet Ski – A form specifically designed for selling high-speed personal watercraft, such as jet skis, sea-doos, etc.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Livestock – Confirms that the ownership of livestock (chickens, cattle, goats, pigs, etc.) was transferred from a seller to a buyer.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Mobile Home – For selling new or used prefabricated structures.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Moped / Scooter – For selling motorized two (2) wheeled vehicles, that typically do not exceed 100cc.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Motorcycle – Confirms that the ownership of a motorcycle officially changed from one person to another.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Motor Vehicle (most popular) – The most common type of bill of sale. Used for selling personal and commercial cars and trucks.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Notarized – Contains space for a Notary Public to sign their name.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
RV – Used by dealers and private sellers for stating another person paid a specific amount ($) of money for their motorhome or camper trailer.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Tractor – Contains the terms and conditions regarding the sale of a tractor to be used in agriculture, landscaping, construction, and other industrial and commercial uses.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Trailer – Details the transaction completed by a buyer and seller involving commercial or personal-use trailer.
Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument
What is a Bill of Sale?
A bill of sale proves that a person or entity paid a specific amount of money in exchange for a physical good. It’s similar to a receipt, but differs in that it requires the signatures of the buyer and seller (and potentially notarization, too). It serves as a transfer of ownership, although motor vehicles (and other vehicle types) require the vehicle’s title to be signed to officially transfer ownership. As an overview, a bill of sale does the following:
- Serves as a record/receipt of the transaction;
- Allows the new owner to register the vehicle and
- It proves ownership and prevents fraud.
DMV Offices + Forms
How to Sell a Vehicle
Selling a vehicle can appear like a complicated process when viewed as a whole, but becomes far more manageable when broken down into smaller steps. To go about selling a car, the following steps should be followed:
- Step 1 – Collect Paperwork
- Step 2 – Understand the Car’s Value
- Step 3 – Prepare the Vehicle
- Step 4 – List the Car
- Step 5 – Completing the Sale
Step 1 – Collect Paperwork
Before creating ads and trying to find a buyer, it’s important that the owner understands the finances surrounding the vehicle and gathers the necessary documentation. If there is a loan on the vehicle, the seller will have to sell it for enough to allow them to pay the loan off, or they’ll have the pay the remainder of the loan first. Because the lending institution typically holds the vehicle’s title until the loan is paid off, the seller should contact their loan provider to discuss their payment options.
If the car doesn’t have an outstanding loan, the seller only needs to ensure they have the proper documentation, which includes the following vehicle forms:
- Title
- Mechanical history (receipts from work done on the vehicle, parts, aftermarket accessories, and other related costs)
- Vehicle history report (while not required, it saves the potential buyer from having to go through the process, and demonstrates that the seller has nothing to hide)
CarFax can be used to obtain a report on a vehicle, which will cost the owner $39.99. The report will provide the following information for the vehicle:
- Title information (clear, rebuilt, salvage, junk, etc.)
- Owner information (the fewer number of owners the better)
- Vehicle use (personal, leased, commercial vehicle)
- Accident history
- Recalls (if any)
- Mileage reports
Step 2 – Understand the Car’s Value
To sell a motor vehicle, the owner should look up the average valuation for the vehicle based on its year, mileage, options/trim, make, and model. The following three (3) resources are popular options for obtaining an estimate of a car’s value:
Include any additional features such as heated seats, premium packages, or a sunroof when entering information into the valuation tool. The more information that is included, the more accurate the valuation will be, allowing the seller to get the most money for their vehicle.
Step 3 – Prepare the Vehicle
Taking the time to give the vehicle a thorough detailing is strongly recommended. Cleaning both the interior and exterior of the car shows to prospective buyers that the owner cares for the vehicle, and increases the value of the car mentally (even if nothing has been technically changed).
Additionally, any mechanical and glaring body issues should be fixed as well. While it will cost money upfront, it almost always pays off when it comes time to sell. Not to mention it is drastically more difficult to sell a vehicle with issues than one ready to go on a long-distance drive. The seller should also ensure the vehicle is inspected, as it points to the fact that the car is in good condition (and is one less thing a new buyer would need to get done).
Step 4 – List the Car
When creating a successful car listing, taking high-quality pictures of the vehicle, preferably right after detailing the vehicle, is an important step. The listing should include a mix of exterior and interior photos, both up-close and from far, any pictures of existing damage, at least one (1) underbody shot, a picture of the gauges/buttons (gives a sense of wear and tear), and any other pictures that may be useful to a buyer. More diverse and accurate photos will often lead to more interested buyers. While a seller may be tempted to gloss over scuffs and marks on the vehicle, being honest about the vehicle allows the seller to remain firm in their price, and reduces stress when it comes time to show prospective buyers the vehicle.
Once all the pictures have been taken, the seller will need to post the car on an online selling platform. Popular selling platforms can be found in the table below.
Once the car has been posted on one (1) or more online marketplaces, the seller can either wait until they receive an inquiry, or they can take further action and place “for sale” signs in the vehicle (and park it in an obvious location), list it in a local newspaper (online or print), or put up flyers in places that receive a lot of foot traffic.
Once the seller finds an interested buyer who puts forth an offer, they can either a) accept the offer, b) reject it, or c) negotiate (recommended). Prior to beginning any negotiation, the seller should determine the absolute minimum price they would be willing to accept. This way they don’t unintentionally sell the vehicle for a very low price while “in the heat” of a negotiation. Once the seller and buyer have come to an agreement regarding price, they can complete the transaction by using a motor vehicle bill of sale.
Step 5 – Completing the Sale
The bill of sale should be completed after receiving payment from the buyer. Accepting personal checks is not recommended due to the potential for fraud. It is recommended that buyers only accept payments that can be verified by a bank before handing over the keys to the vehicle.
Recommended payment methods:
- Cashier’s / certified checks – Meet the buyer at the bank. This allows the seller to see in-person that the check is not faked and is issued by a real bank.
- Cash – Like checks, cash can be faked. To ensure the money is real, go to the bank with the buyer to see the teller provide the cash to the buyer.
- Escrow – Escrow entrusts the funds to a third (3rd) party, who will hold and distribute the funds in accordance to the instructions given to them. This is the best option for long-distance transactions.
Once payment has been received, the seller can begin drafting the bill of sale. They will need to enter the specs of the vehicle, the contact information of the parties, the agreed-upon purchase price, and any other required information. The parties will then need to sign the form. This can be done in-person or for free through eSign (recommended option). A copy of the signed bill of sale should be kept by both parties for their personal records.
Once a bill of sale is complete, the seller will need to transfer the title to the buyer. If the vehicle’s title is from one of the eight (8) states listed below, the parties’ signatures will need to be witnessed by a Notary Public (notaries can be found at UPS locations, banks, government offices, public libraries, or at Notarize.com)
Once payment is complete, the bill of sale has been signed, and the title has been transferred, the transaction is final. The seller can now remove their insurance from the sold vehicle.
Best Places to Sell Online
| Item | Site / Platform |
| General (applies to most everything below) |
|
| Aircraft |
|
| ATV / UTV |
|
| Bicycle |
|
| Boat |
|
| Business |
|
| Cat / Kittens / Dogs / Puppies |
|
| Equipment / Tractors |
|
| Firearm / Gun |
|
| Horse |
|
| Jet Ski |
|
| Livestock |
|
| Mobile Home |
|
| Motorcycle / Moped / Scooter |
|
| Motor Vehicle (Cars + Trucks) |
|
| RV | |
| Trailer |
|
Title Notarization Requirements
In the United States, there are eight (8) states that require vehicle titles to be notarized during transfer. This means the parties have to sign the vehicle’s title in front of a certified Notary Public. Notaries serve as a verifiable third (3rd) party (a witness) that proves that the seller willingly transferred the vehicle title to the buyer. The Notary will sign the title after both parties have inscribed their signatures. It should be noted that titles are unique to each state – some may not require the buyer to sign the title. The following states require titles to be notarized:
- Arizona
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Montana
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
What to Include in a Bill of Sale
Bills of sale vary in complexity depending on the type of property being transferred. Some may be a total of one (1) page, whereas others can contain many pages, each one dedicated to a single aspect of the agreement. The type of property, cost, and number of parties involved all affect the length of the form. However, regardless of the form’s length, a bill of sale should contain all the following information to effectively transfer ownership:
- Seller and buyer names and addresses
- Party contact information
- Phone numbers
- Email addresses
- Information on the sold item
- Item description
- Model / type
- Manufactured date
- Serial / VIN number(s)
- Mileage / Condition
- Language stating the buyer understands the item is sold “as is”
How to Write
The following are instructions for completing a typical bill of sale for a motor vehicle (the most popular type). Note that the process may differ for states that require notarization or the use of a state-provided form.
Step 1 – Vehicle Information
In this section, the seller will need to enter the following details regarding the vehicle that is being sold:
- Make – e.g. “Ford”
- Model – e.g. “F-150”
- Style / Body Type – e.g. “XLT Crewcab”
- Year – e.g. “2011”
- Color – e.g. “Blue”
- Odometer reading – e.g. “115,201”
- VIN # – e.g. “ABCD1234EFGH56789”
If the state requires the bill of sale to contain the cylinders (ex: “4 Cyl”), the seller can write said information below the table.
Step 2 – The Parties
This section specifies who the seller and the buyer are. Prior to entering each party’s information, the date of the sale should be entered (month/day/year).
Next, type the following personal information for the buyer and the seller:
- Full name
- Address (street, city, state, & ZIP)
- Phone # (optional, but recommended)
- Email (optional, but recommended)
Step 3 – Payment Type
For the “Transaction type,” select only ONE (1) of the three options below to indicate how the buyer is acquiring the motor vehicle.
- Payment – The standard method of selling a vehicle. Enter the amount of money the buyer will be paying to the seller for the vehicle.
- Gift – This option is for giving a vehicle without any exchange of money (such as an individual gifting a personal vehicle to a family member). For accounting and tax purposes, enter the estimated value of the vehicle in the provided field.
- Trade-In – Select this option if the buyer is providing their current vehicle to the seller as part of the deal. If this option is selected, enter the amount ($) the buyer will be paying to the seller via cash, check, money order, etc. Then, enter the value the seller is valuing the buyer’s trade-in. Enter the information of the trade-in vehicle in the table provided.
Step 4 – Payment Method & Taxes
Check the box that corresponds to the payment method the buyer will use to pay for the vehicle. If the payment method isn’t shown, check the “Other” box and type the payment method in the empty text field to the right of the checkbox.
Then, check “Yes” if taxes have been factored into the purchase price, or “No” if taxes have not been included.
Step 5 – Odometer Disclosure Statement
This section is Federally mandated. The seller of the vehicle will need to write their name in the area specified below. They must also select the checkbox next to the statement that correctly defines the odometer reading of the vehicle. If neither statement applies, both boxes should be left unchecked.
Step 6 – Signatures
Note: If the bill of sale requires notarization by state law, or at the request of one of the parties, they should skip this step and proceed to Step 7.
The bill of sale should be signed after the seller has received payment-in-full from the buyer. At a minimum, the bill of sale needs to be signed by the buyer and the seller. The form includes fields for an additional buyer and seller as well, if applicable.
Additionally, the form contains space for two (2) witnesses. While not a requirement, having one (1) or more witnesses observe the signing of the form (and then sign themselves) adds validity to the contract.
Once all fields have been completed and the signatures of the parties have been recorded, the bill of sale will be complete. The seller should now sign the title over to the new buyer and remove any insurance from the vehicle.
Step 7 – Notarization (if applicable)
If the form will be notarized, which is often a requirement in order to register the motor vehicle, the parties will need to hold off on signing until they are instructed to do so by the Notary Public. Notaries can be found at post offices, in libraries, and online at Notarize.com (costs $25).
