The quickest place to get a bill of sale form is your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website, which in many states offers a free, downloadable PDF built to match local title-office requirements. For documented boats, the U.S. Coast Guard publishes its own form, CG-1340. For anything else, a general template or a plain written document signed by both parties will do the job in most situations. The form itself is the easy part; getting the surrounding steps right is what keeps the sale from unraveling later.
Where to Download the Right Form
Start with your state’s DMV or motor vehicle agency website. A large number of states publish their own bill of sale as a free PDF, and some states require you to use the official version for a vehicle title transfer. Using the state form takes the guesswork out of what fields your local title office expects.
If your state doesn’t offer one, general-purpose bill of sale templates are widely available online and can be adapted to different kinds of property. Quality varies, so look for a template that includes every field your state treats as mandatory. Office supply stores sell pre-printed bill of sale pads, but these tend to be generic and sometimes miss state-specific requirements.
For a boat with federal documentation through the U.S. Coast Guard, use Coast Guard form CG-1340. Unfiled bills of sale for documented vessels are considered invalid against anyone other than the seller or someone who already knew about the sale, so filing it properly matters.1U.S. Coast Guard. Department of Homeland Security US Coast Guard – Bill of Sale
A Bill of Sale Is Not a Title
Before you fill anything out, understand what the document does and doesn’t do. A bill of sale proves a transaction happened. A vehicle title proves who owns the vehicle. For anything that requires a government-issued title (cars, trucks, motorcycles, and in most states boats and trailers), the bill of sale alone does not make you the legal owner. The seller has to sign the title over to you, and you then file that title with your state’s motor vehicle agency to get a new one issued in your name.
Title problems are the leading source of private-sale disputes, and they’re almost entirely avoidable. Don’t release payment until you’re holding a properly signed title. “I’ll send it later” and “I lost it” are both reasons to walk away.
What to Include on the Form
A bill of sale needs enough detail that a stranger reading it months later could identify exactly what was sold, by whom, to whom, and for how much. At minimum:
- Full legal names and current addresses for both buyer and seller.
- A description of the item. For vehicles, that means make, model, year, color, and Vehicle Identification Number. For other property, include serial numbers, brand names, or anything else that distinguishes the specific item.
- The sale price, written in both numerals and words so an altered figure is easy to catch.
- The calendar date of the sale.
- The payment method: cash, check, electronic transfer, or whatever the parties agree to.
As-Is Clauses
If you’re selling without any promises about the item’s condition, include a clear statement that it’s sold “as-is” with no warranties. That protects the seller from later claims about defects. For private vehicle sales between individuals, no federal law requires a specific warranty disclosure form. The FTC’s Used Car Rule, which requires dealers to display a Buyers Guide disclosing warranty terms, applies only to businesses that sell five or more used vehicles in a twelve-month period.2eCFR. 16 CFR Part 455 – Used Motor Vehicle Trade Regulation Rule Private sellers aren’t bound by it, but writing “as-is” into the bill of sale is still a sensible precaution.
A handful of states restrict or prohibit “as-is” vehicle sales even between private parties, and some states maintain implied warranties that can’t be waived by contract language alone.3Federal Trade Commission. Dealer’s Guide to the Used Car Rule If you’re unsure whether your state allows as-is sales, check with the state attorney general’s office before finalizing anything.
Gifts and Zero-Dollar Sales
When a vehicle is given rather than sold, most states still want a bill of sale. List the price as $0 or write “gift” in the price field. Your state may still charge sales or use tax based on fair market value instead of the stated price. Some states offer a gift tax exemption for transfers between immediate family members, but the definition of “immediate family” varies. Check with your local DMV or tax agency before assuming a gift means zero tax.
Odometer Disclosure Is Federally Required
For most motor vehicles, federal law requires the seller to provide a written odometer disclosure at the time of sale. It isn’t optional, and providing a false reading can result in fines and imprisonment. The disclosure must include the odometer reading at transfer, the date, both parties’ names and addresses, and the vehicle’s identifying information including VIN.4eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements
The seller must also certify one of three things: that the reading reflects actual mileage, that it exceeds the odometer’s mechanical limit, or that it doesn’t reflect actual mileage and shouldn’t be relied upon. Many state title documents include an odometer disclosure section built in. If yours doesn’t, you need a separate signed statement.
Not every vehicle needs one. Exemptions apply to vehicles weighing more than 16,000 pounds, non-self-propelled vehicles like trailers, and older vehicles. For 2010 and earlier model years, the exemption kicks in 10 years after the model year. For 2011 and newer models, the threshold is 20 years.5eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements – Section 580.17
Check for Liens Before You Pay
A lien means someone other than the seller, usually a bank or finance company, has a legal claim on the vehicle. If you buy a car with an outstanding lien, the lienholder can repossess it from you even though you paid in full. The bill of sale won’t protect you, because the lienholder’s claim predates your purchase.
Before handing over money, run the VIN through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System. NMVTIS is a federal database that lets consumers check title status, brand history (salvage, flood, junk designations), odometer readings, and in many cases lienholder information.6VehicleHistory.gov. For Consumers – NMVTIS Access is available through approved providers listed on the NMVTIS website, and a search typically costs a few dollars. Federal regulations require the system to let consumers verify a certificate of title, check for salvage or junk designations, compare odometer readings, and confirm lienholder status.7eCFR. 28 CFR Part 25 Subpart B – National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) If the seller claims the vehicle is lien-free but the report says otherwise, stop the deal until the seller produces a lien release.
Signatures, Witnesses, and Notarization
Both buyer and seller must sign. That’s the baseline for the document to have any legal weight. Two optional steps make it harder to challenge.
Witnesses
Having a witness present during signing adds a layer of protection if either party later disputes the transaction. The witness doesn’t need to be a lawyer or any kind of official. Any adult who isn’t the buyer or seller can serve. Include the witness’s printed name, signature, and address. Witnesses aren’t legally required in most states, but they cost nothing.
Notarization
Roughly a dozen states require notarization of vehicle title documents, and some specifically require it on the bill of sale. A notary verifies the signers’ identities before they sign, then stamps and signs the document. Even where it isn’t mandatory, notarizing a bill of sale for an expensive item is worth the small fee, because a notarized document is significantly harder to challenge in court.
Electronic Signatures
Under the federal ESIGN Act, electronic signatures are legally valid for contracts affecting interstate commerce, and a bill of sale can’t be denied legal effect just because it’s electronic.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 15 Chapter 96 – Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce That said, many state DMVs still require wet-ink signatures on the physical documents submitted for title transfer. If you plan to use the bill of sale for vehicle registration, confirm your state’s DMV accepts an electronic version before relying on one.
What to Do After the Form Is Signed
Both parties should keep copies. The buyer takes the original as proof of purchase; the seller keeps a copy. Store them with your other important financial records. You may need them for taxes, insurance claims, or disputes.
For vehicle sales, the buyer needs to visit the DMV to register the vehicle and transfer the title. Most states impose a deadline, commonly somewhere between 10 and 30 days after purchase. Missing that window typically triggers late fees, and in some states penalties grow the longer you wait.
The seller has one critical step too: file a notice of transfer or release of liability with the DMV. Until that paperwork is processed, the seller can stay on the hook for parking tickets, toll violations, and even accident liability tied to the vehicle. Filing this notice shifts legal responsibility to the buyer as of the sale date.
Most states also charge sales or use tax on private vehicle purchases, and the buyer typically pays it at registration. The tax is usually calculated on the sale price shown on the bill of sale or the vehicle’s fair market value, whichever is higher. Understating the price to reduce tax is fraud, and DMVs in many states cross-reference reported prices against book values to flag suspiciously low numbers.