A motor vehicle bill of sale is a form that serves as a means of documenting a transaction in which a monetary payment was made in exchange for the ownership of a car or truck. The bill of sale accompanies the title, which is signed by the vehicle’s seller upon signing the bill of sale. The form can be used for any motor vehicle types, including passenger cars, trucks, SUVs, sports cars, commercial vehicles, and more.

By State

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Required Information

When selling a motor vehicle, the vehicle’s seller will need to enter the following information regarding themselves, the vehicle, and the individual making the purchase:

• The buyer and seller’s name, addresses, and contact information (phone# + email);
• The vehicle’s VIN (a 17-character code that is completely unique to the vehicle);
• The vehicle’s make, model/trim, year,

How to Transfer a Car Title

While the title-transferring process varies depending on the state, the process generally goes as follows:

1. The seller downloads and fills-in a bill of sale.
2. The parties sign their names in the designated spots (thus making it official).
3. The seller signs the title over to the buyer. If the vehicle is registered in Arizona, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, or Pennsylvania, the parties will need to have their signatures notarized (click “Notarize a Document” on the homepage).
4. Once all signatures have been recorded onto the form, the buyer is now the official title-holder (owner) of the vehicle. They can now register the vehicle as their own, obtain car insurance, and inspect the vehicle (unless the inspection is covered by a previous inspection).

Online Registration Renewal + Fees

The following table provides a 1) a link to each state’s online registration renewal for motor vehicles, and 2) the fee(s) that the vehicle’s owner will be required to pay.

How to Write

Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument (.odt)

Step 1 – Enter the Vehicle’s Specs

To identify the exact vehicle being sold, the following information will need to be typed into the form:

1. Make (e.g. “Toyota”)
2. Model (e.g. “Corolla”)
3. Style / Body Type (e.g. “4-door sedan”)
4. Year (e.g. “2012”)
5. Color (e.g. “Red”)
6. Odometer Reading (e.g. “84,520”)
7. VIN # (e.g. “9324G54657K8791A3”)

Step 2 – Name the Buyer and Seller

After entering all of the specs on the vehicle, it’s time to specify the contact information of both the buyer and seller. The following will need to be entered:

1. The date the parties are completing the form (in “mm/dd/yyyy” format);
2. The buyer’s full name;
3. The buyer’s address (street, city, state, & ZIP code);
4. The buyer’s phone number (optional, but recommended);
5. The buyer’s email address (optional, but recommended);
6. The seller’s full name;
7. The seller’s address;
8. The seller’s phone number (optional, but recommended); and
9. The seller’s email address (optional, but recommended).

Step 3 – Select the Transaction Type

Select the type of transaction the parties are engaging in by checking one (1) of the three boxes shown:

1. Payment: the most common option. The buyer pays the seller a monetary amount for the vehicle.
2. Gift: the seller will be giving the vehicle to the buyer at no cost. An estimation of the vehicle’s value should still be entered.
3. Trade-in: if the buyer will be providing the seller with a car or truck in exchange for their vehicle, both vehicle’s values should be written. Then, in the table, the make, model, type, year, VIN #, and odometer reading of the trade-in should be written.

Step 4 – Choose the Payment Method

Select the payment type that the buyer will be making for the vehicle by checking the corresponding box. If taxes are included in the purchase price, check “Yes”, if not, check “No”. The seller can specify any additional terms and conditions in the box provided.

Step 5 – Confirm the Mileage

The form includes a disclosure statement, which is a federally-mandated section used for confirming that the mileage amount entered on the first (1st) page is accurate. In the space, write the name (or names) of the seller(s), and check either of the two (2) boxes if the statements apply. If the statements do not apply, both boxes should be left unchecked.

Step 6 – eSign it

Type the date (mm/dd/yyyy) the bill of sale becomes official. At a minimum, the form must be signed by the seller and the buyer, although the form contains space for an additional signer and buyer (if any). Each signer will need to print their name legibly to the right of their signature. The fields for the two (2) witnesses is optional. If the form will be notarized, do NOT sign until directed to do so by the Notary Public.

Step 7 – Have it Notarized

If the buyer intends to register the vehicle, they will most likely have to have the signatures on the document notarized. The parties cannot sign until they are directed to do so by the Notary. It’s important to know that notarization may be optional depending on the state in which the parties reside. If it isn’t required, the notarization area can be left blank.