Free bill of sale generator
Free Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale Template
Fill in the guided form below, watch the document build itself in the live preview, and download a print-ready PDF. Covers cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, trailers and more, in every US state.
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Next up: State of sale
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Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale
State of ________________
This Bill of Sale is made on ________________.
Seller(s)
________________
Buyer(s)
________________
For and in consideration of ________________, the receipt of which is acknowledged, the Seller hereby sells, transfers, and conveys to the Buyer all right, title, and interest in the vehicle described below. The purchase price includes all applicable state and local sales taxes.
- Type: Car
- Make: ________________
- Model: ________________
- Year: ________________
- Color: ________________
- VIN: ________________
- Odometer: ________________ miles
The Seller provides the following warranty: ________________
The Seller represents that the Seller is the lawful owner of the vehicle, that it is free of all liens and encumbrances, and that the Seller has the right to sell it.
Seller signature(s)
________________
Buyer signature(s)
________________
Odometer Disclosure Statement
Federal and state law require that you state the mileage in connection with the transfer of ownership. Failure to complete or providing a false statement may result in fines and/or imprisonment.
This statement relates to the following vehicle: ________________, VIN ________________.
Mileage at the time of sale: ________________ miles.
The Seller certifies that, to the best of their knowledge, the odometer reading is the actual mileage of the vehicle.
Seller signature(s)
________________
Buyer signature(s)
________________
Certificate of Acknowledgment
State of
County of
On , 20 , before me, , a Notary Public in and for the State of , personally appeared who proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) whose name(s) is/are subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their authorized capacity(ies), and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument the person(s), or the entity upon behalf of which the person(s) acted, executed the instrument.
I certify under PENALTY OF PERJURY under the laws of the State of that the foregoing paragraph is true and correct.
WITNESS my hand and official seal.
Guides by vehicle type
What is a bill of sale?
A bill of sale is the written record of a private sale: who sold what to whom, for how much, and on what date. For a vehicle, it works like a detailed receipt - it identifies the car, boat, or trailer by its VIN, hull number, or serial number, states the purchase price, and carries both parties' signatures. It doesn't replace the title (the title is what legally transfers ownership in most states), but it is the document both sides keep as proof of the deal itself.
For the seller, that proof matters more than people expect. Until the buyer registers the vehicle, parking tickets, toll violations, and even accident liability can still land on the previous owner's record. A signed, dated bill of sale is how you show the vehicle changed hands on a specific day. For the buyer, it documents the real purchase price - which is what the tax office uses to assess sales tax - and protects against a seller later disputing the terms.
When do you need one?
- Any private-party vehicle sale. Dealerships handle their own paperwork; when two individuals trade a used car, the bill of sale is the paperwork.
- Boats, trailers, ATVs, and other titled or registered property. The builder adapts to fifteen vehicle types, switching between VIN, hull ID, and serial-number formats as needed.
- Gifting a vehicle. Even at a price of $0, a bill of sale documents the transfer date and protects the giver from future liability.
- “As-is” sales. Putting the as-is clause in writing is the seller's protection against warranty claims after the sale.
- States that ask for it. A few states require a bill of sale to register the vehicle; most others recommend it. Your state's page lists the exact rule.
What the builder generates
You get more than a single page. Alongside the bill of sale itself, the builder produces the federal odometer disclosure required for most motor vehicles under 20 model years old, and a buyer's acknowledgment confirming receipt of the vehicle and its condition. Where your state requires or commonly uses notarization, the document includes a notary block ready to sign. Every download is a clean, print-ready PDF with no watermark.
The form only asks what applies: choose “Boat” and the VIN field becomes a hull ID and the odometer section disappears; choose “Car” and the odometer disclosure comes back. Your draft saves automatically in your browser as you type, so you can close the tab and finish later - nothing is uploaded or stored on our servers.
State rules and requirements
Notarization, title-transfer deadlines, and sales-tax rates all vary by state. Each state page covers the local rules and opens the builder pre-set for that state:
- Arizona
- California
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington
Pages for all 50 states and Washington D.C. are linked from the homepage directory.
Bill of sale questions
Do I need a bill of sale to sell my car?
In most states it isn't legally required to transfer a titled vehicle, but you want one anyway. It is the only record of what you sold, for how much, and on what date, and that date is what separates the seller's liability from the buyer's. A few states do ask for one at registration, so check your state's page before you sign.
Is a handwritten bill of sale valid?
Generally yes, if it contains the same information and both parties sign it. The practical problem is that handwritten ones tend to miss a field, and a missing VIN or sale date is exactly what causes trouble at the counter later. A typed document also avoids arguments about what a scrawled digit was meant to be.
What is the odometer disclosure, and do I need it?
It is a federal statement of the mileage at the time of transfer, which the seller makes and the buyer acknowledges. It applies to most vehicle sales including private ones, with exemptions based on vehicle age and type. The builder generates it alongside the bill of sale when the vehicle type calls for it, though many states also capture the reading on the title itself.
Can I use this for a boat, trailer, ATV, or motorcycle?
Yes. The builder covers fifteen vehicle types and asks for the identifier that matches: a VIN for road vehicles, a hull identification number for watercraft, and a serial number for equipment that carries neither. Whether your state titles or only registers a given type varies, so confirm with the agency that handles it.
Does a bill of sale transfer ownership?
No. For a titled vehicle the signed title is what moves ownership through your state's system, and that filing still has to happen. The bill of sale records that the sale took place and on what terms, which is what protects both sides if anything is disputed afterwards.
Does it need to be notarized?
That depends entirely on your state. A few require a notarized bill of sale before they will transfer a title, some require it only in narrow situations, and plenty never ask. Each state page lists the local rule, and the generated document includes a notary block where one is expected.
Rules differ by state, and FormBarn is not a law firm. Check your state's page for the local requirements before you sign.