What we found
A bill of sale is the written record of a sale. For a car, the certificate of title is what transfers ownership in almost every state; the bill of sale is usually supporting evidence of the price and date. Only a handful of states make it a standard requirement for a private sale, and where a notary is involved, it is usually the title that has to be notarized, not the bill of sale.
Arkansas, Connecticut, Maine, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York and Iowa (where it is part of the title) expect a bill of sale for a private sale.
Untitled older vehicles, a title with no price field, an incomplete assignment, or a lost title.
Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wyoming notarize the title assignment. Florida, Indiana, New Hampshire and Virginia say the bill of sale needs no notary.
Where there is no official form, a bill of sale with the vehicle details, price, date and both signatures is what agencies ask for.
Bill of sale forms and requirements by state
Verified September 2026 against each state’s motor vehicle agency or statute, linked in the table. “Not specified” means the official pages we read do not address it; “No state form located” means we did not find one, not that none exists. Rules change: confirm with the agency before you rely on a row.
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| State | Official form | Required for a private sale? | Notary on the bill of sale? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No general form located | Only for vehicles exempt from title (older than 35 model years): a copy must be carried in the vehicle (rule 810-5-1-.246) | Not specified |
| Alaska | None on the DMV forms page | No: “A Bill of Sale is not valid for ownership transfer”, though recommended (Alaska DMV) | Not specified |
| Arizona | Bill of Sale 48-2004 | Used as supporting documentation for a title transaction (ADOT) | The form has a notary or MVD agent block |
| Arkansas | DFA Bill of Sale | Yes: a bill of sale with VIN, date, price and both signatures (DFA) Arkansas guide | Not specified |
| California | REG 135 | Not always: the DMV lists it among the forms that “may be required”, and any bill of sale that identifies the vehicle is accepted (CA DMV). California guide | No notary block on the form |
| Colorado | DR 2173 (secure form, bought from vendors, not downloadable) | Only if the sale date and price are not on the back of the title (CO DMV) | Not specified |
| Connecticut | H-31 | Yes: required with proof of ownership for a new registration (CT DMV) | Not specified |
| Delaware | No state form located | Used for the price: without it, and with no price on the title, fees are based on NADA value (DE DMV) | Titles do not require a notary |
| District of Columbia | No state form located | Recommended for private sales (DC DMV) | Not specified |
| Florida | HSMV 82050 (also the seller’s 30-day notice) | Only with an “open” title or an altered price (procedure TL-11). Florida guide | No |
| Georgia | T-7 | Only for vehicles that are not titled (model years before 1986). Georgia guide | Not specified |
| Hawaii | Handled by each county | Not specified at state level | Hawaii County recommends notarizing the title assignment |
| Idaho | ITD 3738 | Only when a properly released title cannot be obtained (ITD) | Not specified |
| Illinois | No state form located | No: form VSD 190 plus tax form RUT-50 (IL SOS) | Titles do not require a notary |
| Indiana | State Form 44237 | Only for vehicles not subject to title; it cannot replace a required title (IN BMV) | No |
| Iowa | Bill of sale section on the Iowa title | Yes: the title’s bill of sale section or a purchase agreement (Iowa DOT) Iowa guide | Not specified |
| Kansas | TR-312 | Only for antique vehicles (35 years or older) without a title, or when the title has no space for the price (KDOR). Kansas guide | Not specified |
| Kentucky | No state form located | Not specified; the signed title and form TC 96-182 are used | The title signatures must be notarized (KYTC) |
| Louisiana | No state form located | No, if the price is on the title assignment (LA OMV) | Yes, if you use one; the title is also assigned before a notary |
| Maine | Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale | Yes: a signed bill of sale, plus the title for vehicles 25 years old or newer (Maine BMV) | No notary block on the form |
| Maryland | VR-181 | Not always, but strongly recommended (MVA) | Only if used to establish the purchase price |
| Massachusetts | No state form located | Only for title-exempt older vehicles, or titles with no price field (Mass.gov) | Not specified |
| Michigan | No state form located for cars (TR-207 covers trailers, watercraft and snowmobiles) | Not listed for private car sales (MI SOS) | Not specified |
| Minnesota | No state form located | Not specified | Not specified |
| Mississippi | No state form located | Not specified for cars | Not specified for cars |
| Missouri | Form 1957 | No for titling; the seller can use it to report the sale within 30 days (MO DOR). Missouri guide | Only for rebuilt-vehicle parts or when requested |
| Montana | MV24 | No for the buyer; the seller must keep a record of the sale (MVD) | Only for bonded titles (MV10) or electronic record transfers |
| Nebraska | DMV Bill of Sale (optional) | Yes: a bill of sale or Form 6 (NE DMV) | Form has a notary box; not stated as required |
| Nevada | VP 104 | Not enough on its own: it must accompany the title or other ownership documents | Not specified |
| New Hampshire | TDMV 22A (non-titled vehicles) | Only for vehicles without a title, model year 1999 or older (NH DMV) | No (RSA 261:148) |
| New Jersey | No state form located | Yes: the seller gives the buyer the signed title and a bill of sale (NJ MVC) | Not specified |
| New Mexico | MVD-10009 | Only when the title assignment is incomplete (NM MVD) | Not specified |
| New York | MV-912 (from dmv.ny.gov) | Yes: “The new owner must give the original bill of sale to the DMV” (NY DMV) New York guide | Not specified |
| North Carolina | No state form located | Not among the title transfer requirements (NCDMV) | The title must be notarized |
| North Dakota | SFN 62502 | Not specified | Not specified |
| Ohio | No state form located | Only in specific cases, such as a purchase from an out-of-state dealer (Ohio BMV) | Electronic-title transfers (BMV 3770) are notarized |
| Oklahoma | Form 718 (electronic titles only) | Only for electronic titles, where it replaces the paper title (Service Oklahoma) | Yes, Form 718 must be notarized |
| Oregon | 735-501 | Only when the seller’s name is not on the title (ODOT). Oregon guide | Not specified |
| Pennsylvania | No state form located | No: notarized title plus form MV-4ST (PennDOT) | The title is signed before a notary |
| Rhode Island | RI DMV Bill of Sale | Not specified; since 2024 all vehicles are titled (RI DMV) | Not specified |
| South Carolina | Form 4031 (SCDMV) | Not specified | Not specified |
| South Dakota | Form 1025 | Accepted as one route: a title in your name, a properly assigned title or a bill of sale (SD DOR) | Not specified |
| Tennessee | None on the title and registration forms page | Not specified | Not specified |
| Texas | No state form located | No: signed title plus Form 130-U with the price (TxDMV). Texas guide | Not specified |
| Utah | TC-843 | Not specified; sales tax is based on the declared price (Utah DMV) | Not specified |
| Vermont | VT-005 (with odometer statement) | Used to transfer ownership and state mileage (VT DMV) | No: signed under penalty of perjury |
| Virginia | No state form located | Only as one way to prove the price: a buyer’s order, bill of sale or declared price (VA DMV) | No: a handwritten signed statement works |
| Washington | TD-420-065 | Listed by DOL among the buyer’s documents; it does not transfer the title or act as a report of sale (DOL). Washington guide | Not specified |
| West Virginia | DMV-7-TR | Only when the price is under 50% of NADA value (then notarized); a copy of both parties’ licenses must be attached | Only in that case |
| Wisconsin | Included in the MV2928 selling instructions | No: “not a required form” (WisDOT). Wisconsin guide | Not applicable |
| Wyoming | No state form located | Not specified | The title assignment is notarized (W.S. 31-2-104(a)) |
No official form in your state?
Fill in a free bill of sale online with the details agencies ask for: parties, vehicle, VIN, price, date, odometer and signatures.
Create a vehicle bill of sale →Bill of sale: common questions
Do I need a bill of sale to sell a car?
In most states the signed title is the key document and the bill of sale is optional but recommended as proof of the price and date. A few states expect one for a private sale, including Arkansas, Connecticut, Maine, Nebraska, New Jersey and New York. Check the table for your state.
Does a bill of sale have to be notarized?
Usually not. Where a notary is required it is normally for the title assignment (for example Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wyoming). A notarized bill of sale is needed only in specific cases, such as Maryland when it is used to set the taxable price, West Virginia when the price is below half of the NADA value, and Oklahoma’s electronic-title form.
Can I write my own bill of sale?
Yes, in most states. Nebraska’s own form says sellers are not required to use it, Connecticut accepts a bill of sale drawn up by the parties with the required details, and Virginia accepts a handwritten statement signed by both parties. Include the vehicle description and VIN, the price, the date, and both names and signatures.
Does a bill of sale transfer ownership of a car?
Not on its own in most states: the title does. Alaska says expressly that a bill of sale “is not valid for ownership transfer”, and Washington’s form states that it does not transfer the title.
Related
- Bill of sale template: general personal property
- Vehicle bill of sale: with online generator
- State guides: Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oregon, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin vehicle bill of sale
How this page was checked
Each row was read on the state’s own motor vehicle agency website, form or statute, linked in the table, in September 2026. Where an agency page did not address a question, the table says “Not specified” rather than guessing.
Last verified: September 2026. We do not advance this date without re-checking the sources.
LegalTemplateVault is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Compiled and edited by Daniel Mercer, editor of LegalTemplateVault. He is not an attorney: what we do is compile primary sources and cite them so you can check them yourself.