A bill of sale records who sold what to whom, for how much and when. In Georgia, the state has its own official bill of sale, Form T-7, but for most cars it is not the document that moves ownership. The signed title does that, and the deadlines that matter after a private sale are shorter than most sellers expect.
This page sets out what the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) asks of the seller and the buyer, quoted from its own pages and from Form T-7, and gives you a free Georgia bill of sale template.
The short answer
For a car titled in Georgia, the seller completes “the assignment form on the back of the original title” and cancels the registration. The buyer must “title and register the vehicle within 7 days of the purchase date at their County Tag Office”. Georgia’s official bill of sale, Form T-7, is the document the buyer needs when the vehicle “is 1985 or older and does not require a title”. For newer vehicles a bill of sale is your own record of the deal.
When Georgia requires a bill of sale
Form T-7 itself explains when a title is needed instead: a Georgia certificate of title is required for a “1986 or newer model year motor vehicle, motorcycle, camper, travel trailer, or car/tow dolly weighing 2,001 pounds or more; or a 1963 or newer model year mobile home”. For an older vehicle that does not require a title, the DOR’s list for a private (casual) sale says: “Provide Bill of Sale if the vehicle is 1985 or older and does not require a title.”
| Vehicle | What transfers ownership | Bill of sale |
|---|---|---|
| Car or truck, model year 1986 or newer | Georgia title, assigned on the back and signed by seller and buyer | Not on the DOR list. Recommended as your record. |
| Vehicle, model year 1985 or older, no title required | Bill of sale | Required. Form T-7 is the DOR’s own form; using it avoids questions at the County Tag Office. |
| Vehicle not previously registered in Georgia | Title or bill of sale, as above | For a 1985 or older vehicle, the DOR also asks for Form T-22B, Certification of Inspection. |
Form T-7 is strict in one way: it states “ANY CORRECTION OR ALTERATION WILL VOID THIS FORM” and must be “completed in its entirety, legibly printed or typed”. If you make a mistake on it, start a fresh copy.
What the seller has to do
- Complete the title assignment. The DOR tells sellers to “complete the assignment form on the back of the original title”, with the buyer’s name filled in.
- Never sign a title in blank. Under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 40-3-91(c), quoted by the DOR), any person “which delivers or accepts a certificate of title assigned in blank shall be guilty of a misdemeanor” and can be “fined not more than $100.00 or imprisoned for a period not to exceed 30 days”.
- Disclose the mileage. Sellers must “accurately disclose vehicle’s odometer reading at the time of sale on a secure transfer document”. Under federal rules, model year 2010 and older vehicles are exempt, and model year 2011 and newer vehicles are exempt once they are 20 model years old. On Form T-7 you may write “exempt” in the odometer field.
- Cancel the registration. The DOR’s seller checklist says to “Cancel Registration – Online using DRIVES e-Services or in person by completing Form MV-18J”. Ask your County Tag Office what to do with your license plate.
What the buyer has to do, and the 7-day deadline
Seven days, not thirty. The DOR says: “Title and registration must be completed within 7 days of purchase date.” Many states give 30 days; Georgia does not. Bring these to the County Tag Office in your county:
- A valid Georgia driver’s license or ID card.
- The “original valid title properly assigned to you”, with any liens released.
- Form MV-1, Title/Tag Application.
- Proof of insurance, filed by your insurer in the DOR database or an insurance binder.
- An emission inspection certificate, if your county requires one.
The DOR lists a $20 license plate fee and an $18 title fee, plus the Title Ad Valorem Tax described below. Its penalty table adds a $10 “Title Penalty for failure to apply for Georgia Title within 30 days of the vehicle’s purchase or transfer date”.
TAVT: why the price on the bill of sale does not set the tax
For a titled vehicle, Georgia does not charge sales tax on a private sale. Instead, vehicles purchased on or after March 1, 2013 and titled in Georgia pay a one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT). The DOR states: “The current TAVT rate is 7.0% of the fair market value of the vehicle.”
The key point for a private sale is how that value is set. For a used vehicle, “the fair market value is the value identified in the state motor vehicle assessment manual”. There is no trade-in reduction in a sale between individuals. In other words, the tax is worked out from the state’s value for the vehicle, not from the price you write on the bill of sale. You can get an estimate with the TAVT estimator in the DOR’s DRIVES e-Services.
| Situation | TAVT |
|---|---|
| Private (casual) sale | 7.0% of the fair market value in the state assessment manual |
| Transfer to a family member, Georgia title, TAVT already paid | Reduced rate of 0.5%, with Form MV-16 (Affidavit to Certify Immediate Family Relationship) |
| Trailers | Not subject to TAVT (Form T-7) |
| TAVT paid late in a casual sale | Penalty of 10% of the TAVT after day 30, plus 1% every month after that |
What to put in a Georgia bill of sale
Form T-7 asks for the details below. A bill of sale you write yourself should cover the same ground, so it works as evidence of the sale and of the mileage the seller declared.
- Vehicle identification number (VIN), year, make and model.
- Odometer reading with no tenths, or “exempt” for an exempt vehicle.
- Date of sale and purchase price.
- Full legal names and mailing addresses, including county, of every seller and buyer.
- Any lienholder or security interest holder.
- Signatures of seller and buyer, with a copy for each.
Common mistakes
- Counting on 30 days. The buyer has 7 days to title and register in Georgia.
- Leaving the buyer’s name off the title. An assignment in blank is a misdemeanor for both sides.
- Writing a low price to cut the tax. For a titled vehicle, TAVT on a used vehicle is based on the state’s assessment value, so it does not lower the tax, and the price should be the real one.
- Correcting Form T-7. Any correction or alteration voids it. Fill in a new one.
- Forgetting to cancel the registration. It is on the DOR’s own list for sellers.
Free Georgia bill of sale template
Fill it in online below, or download the 2026 Georgia version in PDF or Word. It covers the fields of Form T-7, including county and lienholder, and includes a checklist of the DOR steps after the sale. Nothing is uploaded and there is no signup.
Georgia bill of sale: common questions
Is a bill of sale required in Georgia?
The DOR’s casual-sale checklist asks for one when the vehicle is model year 1985 or older and does not require a title. For a titled vehicle, the DOR’s list is the signed title, Form MV-1, insurance and ID. A bill of sale is still a useful record of the price, date and mileage.
Does a Georgia bill of sale need to be notarized?
Form T-7 has no notary section, and the DOR pages for a casual sale do not ask for a notarized bill of sale. If your County Tag Office asks for something specific, follow what they tell you.
How long does the buyer have to register a car in Georgia?
Seven days from the purchase date, according to the DOR. Separate penalties apply if the title application or the TAVT is more than 30 days late.
Is there sales tax on a private car sale in Georgia?
For a vehicle titled in Georgia, no. Vehicles purchased on or after March 1, 2013 and titled in Georgia pay Title Ad Valorem Tax instead, at 7.0% of the fair market value from the state assessment manual, or 0.5% for a qualifying transfer between immediate family members. Vehicles that do not require a title, such as most 1985 and older vehicles, are not subject to TAVT and pay annual ad valorem tax instead. Ask your County Tag Office what applies.
Where do I get Form T-7?
From the Georgia DOR website. The current version is “Revised 9-2022”.
Related
- Bill of sale rules for all 50 states + DC
- Vehicle bill of sale template
- Florida bill of sale: a 30-day seller notice backed by statute
- Texas bill of sale: the 30-day vehicle transfer notification
How this page was checked
Every requirement and quotation comes from the Georgia Department of Revenue: “Responsibilities of Sellers and Buyers”, “Title and Register a Vehicle Purchased in a Casual Sale”, “Motor Vehicles Fees, Fines, and Penalties”, the TAVT page, the TAVT FAQ, the odometer disclosure page, “Transfer Vehicle Titled in Georgia” and Form T-7 (Revised 9-2022), all read in full on dor.georgia.gov. The odometer exemption also follows the federal rule in 49 CFR 580.17.
Last verified: October 2026. We do not advance this date without re-checking the sources. Fees, rates and forms are set by the Georgia DOR and can change: confirm with your County Tag Office before you go.
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, and neither is anyone else on this site: we compile primary sources and cite them so you can check them yourself.