A Michigan general bill of sale is a type of receipt used to record private sales between sellers and buyers of personal property. A bill of sale isn’t always necessary when buying or selling personal items, but it can be useful to prove ownership was transferred or to waive the seller’s liability with regard to the condition of the items. This generic bill of sale should contain the parties’ personal information, a brief description of the personal property sold, and the total sale price. Once complete, the parties can sign the document, either in the presence of a notary public or not, depending on the value of the property sold.