What a bill of sale is and why the DMV needs one
A bill of sale is a document that proves you sold or bought a vehicle. It records who owned the car before, who owns it now, the sale price, and the date the ownership changed hands. The DMV uses it to confirm that the person requesting a title transfer actually bought the vehicle from someone who had the right to sell it.
You need a bill of sale whenever you buy or sell a car privately — that is, directly from one person to another rather than through a dealership. The DMV will not process a title transfer without one. If you buy from a dealer, the dealer provides their own paperwork instead, and you do not need a separate bill of sale.
A bill of sale protects both the buyer and the seller. For the buyer, it proves the purchase was legitimate and that you paid for the vehicle. For the seller, it proves they transferred ownership and are no longer responsible for the car once you take it over.
Key Takeaways
- Every state has its own bill of sale form, and you must use your state's version when you buy or sell a car privately.
- The form must be signed by both the seller and the buyer, and both signatures usually need to be notarized before the DMV will accept it.
- You can obtain your state's bill of sale form from the DMV website, your local DMV office, or sometimes from the Secretary of State office.
- The bill of sale must include the vehicle identification number (VIN), the sale price, the date of sale, and the printed names and addresses of both parties.
- Notarization requirements vary by state — some states require it, others do not, so check your state DMV website before you sign.
Where to get your state's bill of sale form
Each state maintains its own bill of sale form, and you must use the one for your state. Using a form from another state or a generic template from the internet may cause the DMV to reject your title transfer request.
The easiest place to find your state's form is your state DMV website. Search for "bill of sale" on the site and look for a PDF or Word document you can read and print. Most states post the form for free. If you cannot find it online, visit your local DMV office in person — staff can give you a printed copy or tell you where to obtain one.
Some states also post the bill of sale form on the Secretary of State website instead of the DMV site. If you cannot locate it through the DMV, try searching your state's Secretary of State office. A few states allow you to use a bill of sale from your state's motor vehicle dealer association instead of an official government form, but this is less common.
What information must go on the form
All state bill of sale forms ask for the same core information, though the layout and exact wording differ. You will need to fill in the vehicle identification number (VIN), which appears on the title and on the driver's side dashboard. You will also need the vehicle's make, model, and year, the odometer reading at the time of sale, and the sale price.
Both the buyer and the seller must print their full legal names and current addresses on the form. Some states also ask for driver's license numbers or phone numbers. The seller must sign and date the form, and the buyer must sign and date it as well. Do not leave any required field blank — the DMV will return an incomplete form.
Write the sale price as a dollar amount, even if the vehicle was a gift or traded for something other than money. Some states require you to list the actual price paid; others allow you to write "gift" if no money changed hands. Check your state's form instructions to see which applies.
Notarization requirements by state
Whether you need a notary to sign off on your bill of sale depends on your state. Some states require both the buyer's and seller's signatures to be notarized before the DMV will accept the form. Other states do not require notarization at all. A few states notarize only the seller's signature or only in certain situations.
Check your state DMV website or the instructions printed on the bill of sale form itself to learn whether notarization is required. If it is, you must visit a notary public before you submit the form to the DMV. Notaries are available at banks, credit unions, UPS stores, and some libraries. The notary will verify your identity, watch you sign the form, and add their official stamp and signature. This usually costs between $5 and $15 per signature.
If your state does not require notarization, you can sign the form in front of a witness instead, or you may not need a witness at all. Read the form's instructions carefully — some states that do not require notarization still ask you to have a witness present when you sign.
Common mistakes that delay or reject your transfer
The most frequent reason the DMV rejects a bill of sale is a mismatch between the VIN on the form and the VIN on the vehicle's title. Double-check that you have copied the VIN correctly from the title or the dashboard. Even a single digit off will cause a rejection.
Incomplete information is another common problem. If you leave the sale price blank, the buyer's address blank, or the date blank, the DMV will return the form. Some states also reject forms if the buyer and seller signatures do not match the names printed on the form — for example, if you print "Robert" but sign "Bob," the DMV may flag it as a mismatch.
Using the wrong state's form or a form that is too old can also cause rejection. If you moved to a new state, use your new state's form, not the one from where you lived before. Some states update their forms every few years, so if you have an old copy saved on your computer, read a fresh one from the DMV website to be safe.
If notarization is required in your state and you submit an unnotarized form, the DMV will reject it. Conversely, if your state does not require notarization and you have the form notarized anyway, that is fine — it does not hurt, and some people do it for extra protection.
Scams and safety concerns with bill of sale documents
Be cautious if someone offers to sell you a vehicle with a bill of sale but no title. A legitimate private sale always includes the title document. If a seller says the title is "lost" or "on the way," that is a red flag. You cannot legally own the vehicle without the title, and the DMV will not process your transfer without it.
Never sign a blank bill of sale form or one with blank fields that the seller promises to fill in later. Once you sign, you are legally responsible for whatever information appears on the form. If the seller later fills in a false sale price or their name incorrectly, you could face problems when you try to register the vehicle.
Do not accept a bill of sale that lists a sale price far below the vehicle's actual value, even if the seller offers this as a "favor" to help you pay lower taxes. This is tax fraud, and both you and the seller can face penalties. The DMV and tax authorities compare reported sale prices to market values, and suspicious discrepancies trigger audits.
If you are buying a used car, verify that the seller's name on the title matches the name on the bill of sale. If they do not match, the seller may not have the legal right to sell you the vehicle. Ask the seller to explain the discrepancy before you hand over any money.
What happens after you submit the bill of sale to the DMV
Once you have completed and signed the bill of sale, you submit it to the DMV along with the vehicle's title and any other documents your state requires for a title transfer. The DMV will review the form to make sure all required information is present and correct. If everything is in order, they will process the transfer and issue a new title in the buyer's name.
The time it takes to process a title transfer varies by state and by how busy your local DMV office is. Some states complete transfers within a few days; others take two to four weeks. You can usually check the status of your transfer online through your state DMV website if you have a confirmation number or case number.
Until the new title is issued, the seller remains the registered owner of the vehicle in the DMV's records. This is why it is important to submit your paperwork promptly after purchase — if something happens to the vehicle before the transfer is complete, the seller could still be held liable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a bill of sale form I found online instead of my state's official form?
No. The DMV will only accept your state's official bill of sale form. Using a generic template or a form from another state will result in rejection. read the form from your state DMV website or pick one up at your local DMV office to may support it is the correct version.
What if the seller and I cannot agree on the sale price to write on the form?
The sale price on the bill of sale must reflect what was actually paid or agreed upon. If you negotiated a price and then changed your mind, you need to agree on a new price before signing. The form is a legal document, and both parties must be honest about the transaction amount.
Do I need to notarize the bill of sale if my state does not require it?
No, but you can if you want to. Notarization adds an extra layer of proof that both parties signed willingly and that their identities were verified. If your state does not require it, notarization is optional. Some buyers and sellers choose to do it anyway for protection against fraud.
What if I lost the bill of sale after I bought the car?
If you have already submitted it to the DMV and received your new title, you do not need the original bill of sale anymore. If you need a copy for your records, you can request a duplicate from the DMV or contact the seller and ask them to provide a copy they kept. If you lost it before submitting it to the DMV, ask the seller to sign another copy.
Can the seller and buyer sign the bill of sale at different times?
This varies by state. Some states allow the seller to sign first and the buyer to sign later, as long as both signatures are present before you submit the form to the DMV. Other states prefer both parties to sign on the same day. Check your state's form instructions or call your local DMV to confirm what is allowed.