How to Write an As-Is, No-Warranty Vehicle Bill of Sale

An as-is, no-warranty vehicle bill of sale is a short written contract that transfers a used vehicle in its present condition and states, in plain and conspicuous language, that the seller gives no warranties of any kind. To hold up, it needs to identify the parties and the vehicle, disclose the odometer reading, record the price and date, and carry an “as is, with all faults” clause that both sides sign. The legal weight of that clause comes from UCC Section 2-316, which allows expressions like “as is” or “with all faults” to exclude the implied warranties that would otherwise ride along with the sale.1Legal Information Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 2-316 – Exclusion or Modification of Warranties

What the “As Is” Clause Actually Does

Two implied warranties attach to a sale by default. The implied warranty of merchantability means the vehicle should work for its ordinary purpose. The implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose applies when the seller knows the buyer needs the vehicle for a specific use and the buyer is relying on the seller’s judgment. A properly worded “as is” clause eliminates both. After the buyer signs, whatever problems the vehicle has, known or unknown, belong to the buyer.

UCC 2-316 adds one hard requirement: a written warranty exclusion has to be conspicuous. A reasonable person must notice it. A line of ordinary text buried in a paragraph of other terms can fail that test, which is why the clause belongs in its own section, in bold or capitals, with its own signature or initials line.1Legal Information Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 2-316 – Exclusion or Modification of Warranties

What to Put in the Document

A bill of sale that is too thin creates problems at the DMV counter and in court. Every as-is vehicle bill of sale should carry the following:

  • The full legal names and current mailing addresses of both buyer and seller.
  • Vehicle details: year, make, model, body type, color, and the 17-character Vehicle Identification Number. The VIN anchors the document and removes any ambiguity about which vehicle changed hands.
  • The odometer reading at the time of sale, together with the federal odometer disclosure covered below.
  • The sale price. If the vehicle is a gift, write “$0” or “gift” rather than leaving the field blank.
  • The date of sale, which starts the clock on the buyer’s registration deadline.
  • The “as is, no warranty” clause, prominently placed.
  • A buyer acknowledgment line confirming the buyer had the opportunity to inspect the vehicle and accepts it in its current condition.
  • Signatures and the date, from both parties.

Some states also require notarization of the bill of sale or the title assignment itself. Requirements range from optional to mandatory. Check your state’s motor vehicle agency before the transaction, and if the agency publishes a free bill of sale form, start from that version so the local requirements are already baked in.

Writing the “As Is” Clause

This is the part most people get wrong. A one-line “sold as is” tucked into a general terms paragraph is not enough to meet the conspicuousness requirement. The clause should do four things: state that the vehicle is sold in its present condition, state that the seller makes no warranties of any kind, confirm that the buyer had the opportunity to inspect the vehicle, and confirm that the buyer accepts full responsibility for the vehicle’s condition after the sale.

Language that does all four:

“This vehicle is sold ‘AS IS, WITH ALL FAULTS, AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.’ The Seller makes no representations regarding the vehicle’s condition, fitness, or merchantability. The Buyer acknowledges that the Buyer has had the opportunity to inspect the vehicle or arrange for an independent inspection and accepts the vehicle in its current condition. The Buyer assumes all risk of any defects, whether known or unknown, from the date of sale.”

Give the clause its own heading and its own section. Have both parties initial next to it in addition to signing the bottom of the document. The more visible and explicit the language, the harder it is for anyone to argue later that they did not understand the deal.

Federal Odometer Disclosure

Federal law requires every person transferring ownership of a motor vehicle to provide the buyer with a written odometer disclosure. This applies to private sellers, not only dealers.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32705 – Disclosure Requirements on Transfer of Motor Vehicles The disclosure must give the cumulative mileage on the odometer, or a statement that actual mileage is unknown if the seller knows the reading is inaccurate.

The implementing regulations spell out the required contents: the odometer reading (excluding tenths of a mile), the date of transfer, both parties’ printed names and addresses, and the vehicle’s make, model, year, body type, and VIN.3eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements The seller must also certify one of three things: that the reading reflects actual mileage, that the mileage has exceeded the odometer’s mechanical limit, or that the reading does not reflect the actual mileage and should not be relied on.

In most states, this disclosure is made in a designated section on the vehicle title itself. If the vehicle has never been titled, a separate written disclosure document is required. Many sellers also put the odometer reading on the bill of sale, which is good practice, but the bill of sale does not replace the official disclosure on the title.

One exemption matters: vehicles that are at least 20 model years old are exempt from odometer disclosure.4eCFR. 49 CFR 580.17 – Exemptions In 2026, that covers model year 2006 and older. For 2007 and newer vehicles, disclosure is mandatory.

Signing, Notarizing, and Filing

Both parties sign and date the bill of sale, and each should keep an original. If your state requires notarization of the bill of sale or the title assignment, both parties sign in front of a notary.

The seller signs over the vehicle title in the assignment section, creating a clean chain of ownership. If there is an existing loan on the vehicle, the lien must be paid off before or at the time of sale so the buyer receives a clean title. Lenders typically release the lien within 10 to 30 days of payoff, either electronically through the state DMV system or by signing the lien release on the physical title. Selling a vehicle with an outstanding undisclosed lien creates serious legal exposure that no “as is” clause reaches.

After the sale, the seller should remove their license plates (in most states, plates belong to the registrant, not the vehicle) and report the sale to the state motor vehicle agency. Reporting deadlines vary by state and generally fall between 5 and 30 days. That notification creates an official record of the transfer and protects the former owner from parking tickets, red-light camera violations, and liability questions that come up after the sale date.

What “As Is” Will Not Do

The clause eliminates warranty claims. It does not eliminate fraud claims. Under UCC Section 2-721, remedies for material misrepresentation or fraud remain fully available even when warranty claims are excluded.5Legal Information Institute. Uniform Commercial Code 2-721 – Remedies for Fraud A seller who knows the transmission is failing and tells the buyer it “runs great” is not protected by the clause. Neither is a seller who hides a salvage or rebuilt title, conceals flood damage, or lies about accident history. Declining to volunteer every scratch and rattle is acceptable. Active lying or concealment of material defects is fraud, and no contract language changes that.

Odometer fraud carries especially severe consequences. Federal law prohibits tampering with an odometer or disconnecting it to hide actual mileage.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32703 – Preventing Tampering A buyer who discovers odometer fraud can sue for three times actual damages or $10,000, whichever is greater, plus attorney’s fees and court costs, and must file within two years of discovering the fraud.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32710 – Civil Actions by Private Persons These federal remedies exist regardless of what the bill of sale says.

One further boundary worth knowing: some states restrict or prohibit “as is” sales even by private parties through their consumer protection laws. Confirm your state’s rules before relying on the clause as your only backstop against a post-sale dispute.