A printable sold as-is car form is available free from most state DMV websites, and a generic as-is bill of sale template works anywhere a state version isn’t offered. The form records that the buyer is taking the vehicle in its current condition with no promises from the seller about how it will run. Downloading it is the easy part. Filling it in correctly, and knowing what it does and doesn’t cover, is where private sellers and buyers tend to slip.
Where to Download the Form
Check your state DMV website first. Many states publish a bill of sale form that already contains as-is language or a warranty disclaimer section, and because it’s drafted to meet local requirements, it’s the safest starting point.
If your state doesn’t publish one, any generic as-is bill of sale template is fine for a private-party sale. Search for “as-is bill of sale” and pick a template that includes every field listed in the next section. The document doesn’t need to look polished. A single page that identifies the vehicle, the parties, the price, and the as-is disclaimer is enough. Content is what matters.
One boundary worth flagging up front: dealers can’t use a generic form. If you’re a dealer selling more than five used vehicles in a 12-month period, the FTC’s Used Car Rule requires you to post a Buyers Guide on every vehicle before display or inspection.1Federal Trade Commission. Dealer’s Guide to the Used Car Rule The FTC provides the Buyers Guide as a fillable PDF.2Federal Trade Commission. Buyers Guide Fillable Form Private sellers aren’t covered by the rule and don’t need one.
What the Form Needs to Contain
A thin, half-filled form can create more problems than it solves. A workable as-is bill of sale covers four things: the vehicle, the parties, the sale terms, and the disclaimer itself.
Vehicle Identification
Write in the year, make, model, body style, color, and the Vehicle Identification Number. The VIN is the single most important field because it removes any ambiguity about which car changed hands. Add the license plate number if the vehicle is currently registered.
Buyer and Seller Information
Use full legal names as they appear on each person’s driver’s license, along with current addresses and phone numbers for both the buyer and the seller. If a business is on either side of the deal, use the legal business name and name the person signing on its behalf.
Price and Odometer Reading
Write the sale price in both numerals and words, for example “$4,500 / four thousand five hundred dollars.” The buyer will owe sales tax based on this figure at title transfer, so clarity matters.
Federal law requires an odometer disclosure on most vehicle transfers. For model year 2011 and newer vehicles, the disclosure is required during the first 20 years of the vehicle’s life; older model years (2010 and earlier) followed a 10-year window and are generally exempt now.3eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 Odometer Disclosure Requirements Record the exact mileage at the time of sale, and note whether the reading is accurate, exceeds the odometer’s mechanical limits, or doesn’t reflect actual mileage because the odometer was replaced or has malfunctioned.
The As-Is Clause
The disclaimer should state clearly that the vehicle is sold in its present condition, that the seller makes no warranties of any kind, and that the buyer accepts full responsibility for any defects or repairs discovered after the sale. Some sellers add a sentence acknowledging the buyer had the chance to inspect the vehicle or have a mechanic inspect it. It isn’t legally required, but it makes the buyer’s acceptance harder to walk back.
Signatures and Copies
Both parties sign and date the form. Without signatures the document carries no weight. Print the rest of the information for legibility. Notarization is recommended in some jurisdictions and not required in most. Make at least two signed originals so each side keeps one.
What the As-Is Clause Actually Does
The purpose of the clause is to eliminate the seller’s implied warranties. Under the Uniform Commercial Code, language like “as is” or “with all faults” tells the buyer there are no guarantees about the vehicle’s condition, reliability, or fitness for any particular purpose.4Legal Information Institute. UCC 2-316 Exclusion or Modification of Warranties Once the buyer signs, they own the car’s problems and can’t come back later asking the seller to pay for repairs.
The clause doesn’t cancel express warranties, though, and that’s where sellers trip themselves up. If the seller tells the buyer “the transmission was rebuilt last month” or “there’s no frame damage,” those statements are express promises. If they turn out to be false, the buyer may still have a claim, as-is form or not.4Legal Information Institute. UCC 2-316 Exclusion or Modification of Warranties The safe approach for sellers: say nothing about condition beyond what the form documents, and list any known defects in writing on the form itself.
When the Form Will Not Protect the Seller
Sellers sometimes treat an as-is form like a magic shield. It isn’t. Several situations will punch through it.
Fraud or concealment. The clause doesn’t protect a seller who lies about the vehicle or hides known defects. Fraud is a separate claim from breach of warranty, so the disclaimer is beside the point. A seller who knows the head gasket is blown and stays quiet, or who rolls back the odometer or tapes over a warning light, is exposed regardless of what the buyer signed.
Verbal promises during the sale. If the seller tells the buyer the car “runs perfectly” and the buyer relies on that, the seller may have created an express warranty the as-is clause can’t undo.4Legal Information Institute. UCC 2-316 Exclusion or Modification of Warranties If you wouldn’t write it on the form, don’t say it out loud.
State restrictions. Not every state allows as-is sales in every circumstance. Some require dealers to provide implied warranties on used vehicles regardless of what the form says. A few impose disclosure duties on private sellers as well, such as revealing known defects. Rules vary enough that both parties should check their state DMV or Attorney General’s office before assuming the form settles everything.
Any written warranty on the side. Under federal law, a seller who provides a written warranty or enters into a service contract within 90 days of the sale cannot disclaim implied warranties on the vehicle.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 2308 Implied Warranties You can’t warrant one component and disclaim the rest.
What to Do After Signing
Signing the form is the midpoint of the transaction, not the end. Both sides have follow-up work.
The Bill of Sale Does Not Transfer Ownership
This catches more people than any other step. The as-is bill of sale proves a transaction happened; it does not legally transfer the vehicle. The buyer has to take the signed title, the bill of sale, and any other required documents to the DMV or title office to complete the title transfer. Most states set a deadline, often 30 days or less, with a late fee for missing it. Until the title is reissued, the vehicle’s ownership of record hasn’t changed.
Seller’s Notice of Transfer
The seller should file a notice of transfer, sometimes called a release of liability, with the DMV right after the sale. It updates state records to show the vehicle was sold and protects the seller from liability for parking tickets, toll violations, or accidents after the sale date. The notice doesn’t complete the ownership transfer, but it creates a record that the seller is no longer responsible for the car if the buyer stalls on the title paperwork.
Sales Tax
In most states the buyer owes sales tax on a private vehicle purchase, calculated on the sale price shown on the bill of sale and collected at title transfer rather than at the handoff. Buyers who don’t plan for it get caught short at the title office. Rates and rules vary by state, so check with the local DMV or tax authority first.
Insurance
The buyer needs insurance on the vehicle before driving it. Some states allow a short grace period after purchase; others want proof of insurance at title transfer. Driving uninsured is illegal in nearly every state, and both parties are exposed if there’s an accident on the drive home.