A bill of sale for a camper is a short written record of the transaction: who sold the camper, who bought it, what the camper is, what was paid, and when ownership changed hands. The state motor vehicle agency will expect it when the buyer applies for a new title, so the document has to identify the unit precisely and be signed by everyone on the existing title.
What Every Camper Bill of Sale Needs
The core fields are the same whether you’re selling a pop-up trailer or a Class A motorhome. Leaving any of them out can stall a title transfer or create a dispute months later.
- Full legal names and current residential addresses for both buyer and seller. Nicknames and P.O. boxes can get the paperwork rejected.
- The exact sale price. This figure drives the sales or use tax the buyer owes at registration. Understating it invites problems because many states tax the fair market value rather than whatever number you write down.
- The date of sale. This is when liability shifts from seller to buyer.
- Year, make, and model of the camper.
- The Vehicle Identification Number. Every camper built after 1981 carries a 17-character VIN on the frame or a metal plate. Copy it exactly from the existing title or the plate itself; one transposed digit can derail the title transfer.
State the price in both figures and words, for example “$12,500 / twelve thousand five hundred dollars,” so there is no ambiguity later. Lay the document out in clear blocks: buyer information, seller information, camper description, price and date, then signatures. A stranger reading it should be able to tell immediately who sold what to whom.
Handwritten bills of sale are legally valid. Use black or blue ink and print clearly. Many state DMV websites publish a free template, and using your state’s official form is the easiest way to be sure nothing is missing.
Extra Details for Towable Trailers vs. Motorized RVs
The type of camper changes what else belongs on the document.
For a towable camper (travel trailer, pop-up, fifth wheel), add the trailer length and the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating from the manufacturer’s label if it’s available. Some states set titling thresholds based on a trailer’s unladen weight, and having the GVWR on the bill of sale smooths that step.
For a motorized RV, you also need an odometer disclosure. Federal law requires anyone transferring ownership of a motor vehicle to disclose the cumulative mileage in writing, with the reading, the date of transfer, both parties’ names and addresses, and a certification that the mileage is accurate.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32705 – Disclosure Requirements on Odometer Tampering The disclosure has to appear on the title document or the official reassignment form, not just the bill of sale.2eCFR. 49 CFR 580.5 – Disclosure of Odometer Information
Three exemptions matter for campers: vehicles that are not self-propelled, vehicles with a GVWR above 16,000 pounds, and vehicles that are 20 or more model years old.3eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements – Section: 580.17 A towable trailer is not self-propelled, so it’s exempt no matter its age or weight. A large Class A motorhome over 16,000 pounds GVWR is exempt. The 20-model-year window applies starting with model year 2011, meaning any motorized RV from 2010 or earlier is already exempt under the previous 10-year rule.4National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Consumer Alert: Changes to Odometer Disclosure Requirements
In practice: if you’re selling a 2011-or-newer motorized RV under 16,000 pounds GVWR, you need the odometer disclosure. Towable trailers never trigger the federal rule. Including the mileage on a towable’s bill of sale doesn’t hurt, but it isn’t required.
Add an As-Is Clause
Most private camper sales happen “as-is,” meaning the buyer accepts the camper in its current condition with no guarantee that everything works. A short clause in the bill of sale makes this explicit. Language like “Seller makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the condition of this vehicle. Buyer accepts the vehicle as-is” does the job.
An as-is clause has one important limit: it eliminates implied warranties but does not override express promises written into the same document. If the seller states on the bill of sale that the roof doesn’t leak or that the transmission was rebuilt, those statements become enforceable even with as-is language. Sellers should keep the description factual and avoid condition claims they aren’t willing to stand behind. Buyers should inspect the camper thoroughly before signing, because once as-is terms are in place, legal options for undisclosed defects narrow sharply.
Signing and Notarizing
Both parties sign and date the document in person, in ink, on every copy. If the camper is jointly owned, everyone listed on the existing title has to sign. Unsigned copies have no legal weight.
A handful of states require the bill of sale to be notarized before the DMV will process the title transfer. Even where it isn’t required, notarization adds fraud protection because the notary verifies each signer’s identity with government-issued ID. The typical fee runs $5 to $15. Check your DMV’s website before the day of the sale so you aren’t hunting for a notary at the last minute.
Prepare at least two originals so each party leaves with a signed copy. Some states require the buyer to submit the bill of sale with the title application, so a third copy for the buyer’s own files is worth having.
Check for Liens Before You Draft Anything
A bill of sale is worthless if the camper still has a loan against it, because the lender holds the title until the debt is paid. Buyers should verify lien status before any money changes hands. Ask the seller for the physical title and look for a lienholder listed on its face. If the seller says the title is “at the bank,” a loan balance almost certainly still exists.
Many state DMV websites offer online lien checks by VIN. The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System aggregates records from participating states and can also flag brands like salvage, flood, or junk.
If a lien exists, the deal isn’t necessarily dead, but the process is more involved. The seller has to pay off the balance at or before closing so the lienholder releases the title. The safest approach is to close at the lender’s office, where the buyer’s payment goes straight to the loan balance and any surplus goes to the seller. Don’t accept a promise that the seller will pay it off later.
What Each Side Does After Signing
Signing the bill of sale and handing over the title isn’t the end of the seller’s exposure. Until the buyer registers the camper in their own name, the vehicle may still be linked to the seller in state records, which means parking tickets, toll violations, and accident liability can keep arriving.
Most states offer a notice of transfer or release of liability form that the seller files with the DMV to break that link. Deadlines vary, but waiting more than a few days is risky. License plates are the other loose end. In most states, plates belong to the seller, not the camper. Remove them before the buyer drives away, then either transfer them to your next vehicle or surrender them to the DMV.
The buyer’s clock starts the moment the document is signed. Every state sets a deadline for applying for a new title and registration, often 30 days from the sale date, and missing it usually triggers late fees. To complete the transfer, the buyer typically brings the signed title, the bill of sale, a completed title application, proof of insurance, and a valid ID to the local DMV or county tax office.
Sales or use tax is almost always owed at registration, and it’s the buyer’s responsibility. The tax is usually based on the purchase price or the vehicle’s fair market book value, whichever is higher. An artificially low number on the bill of sale won’t fool the DMV’s valuation system and can trigger penalties or an audit.
When There’s No Title
Older campers, homemade trailers, and units that have sat in a field for years often come without a title. The bill of sale matters even more in this situation, because it’s the primary proof of ownership and the starting document for whatever process the state uses to issue a new title.
Most states offer a bonded title process. The buyer buys a surety bond, typically valued at one and a half times the camper’s appraised value, that protects any claimant who surfaces later. After a waiting period, usually three to five years with no competing claims, the bond is released and the title becomes a standard clean title. The bond premium is a small percentage of the bond amount, not the full face value.
When there’s no title, make the bill of sale as detailed as possible: the VIN, a full physical description, any serial numbers on the frame or manufacturer’s plate, and photographs of the VIN plate and the camper from multiple angles. In most states a bill of sale alone is not enough to register or insure a camper, so without a title you’re looking at the bonded title process, a court-ordered title through a magistrate, or walking away. Factor those costs and delays into the price before you sign anything.