Fill it in, print it, sign it — car, boat, or any property
A valid bill of sale needs five things: the buyer and seller's names, a description of the item (VIN and odometer for a car), the price, the date, and both signatures. A handwritten one is legal in every state — but Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, and West Virginia generally require notarization (Maryland for vehicles). Fill the form below and print a clean, ready-to-sign document with the as-is clause and notary block added where your state needs them. Not legal advice — verify requirements with your DMV.
| Element | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Buyer and seller legal names | Identifies the contracting parties; use full names as they appear on ID |
| Date and location of sale | Fixes the transfer date for title, tax, and liability purposes |
| Item description / VIN | Distinguishes this exact item; for vehicles, year, make, model, and VIN |
| Odometer reading (vehicles) | Since the 2021 NHTSA rule, an odometer disclosure is federally required for vehicles 20 model years old or newer (model year 2011 and newer during its phase-in) |
| Purchase price | Drives sales/use tax and documents what changed hands |
| "As-is" disclosure | States the buyer accepts the item's condition; put known defects in writing anyway |
| Signatures of both parties | Makes it a contract; some states also want a witness or notary |
| State | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | Bill of sale generally must be notarized (vehicle transfers) |
| Maryland | Notarized bill of sale required for vehicle purchases (MVA) |
| Montana | Notarized signature required on the bill of sale |
| Nebraska | Notarized bill of sale required for vehicle titles |
| West Virginia | Notarized bill of sale required for vehicle transfers |
| Most other states | Signed bill of sale accepted; some (e.g., Ohio) don't require one at all — but always make one |
Rules change and vary by item type. Confirm with your DMV or a local attorney before relying on any single list — this generator adds the notary block automatically for the states above, and it never hurts to have it notarized anyway. Not legal advice.
A bill of sale is a simple contract, but the simple ones are the ones people botch — missing VINs, no price in words, an as-is clause nobody wrote down until after the argument. This tool assembles the document from your fields, formats the price in words the way banks and DMVs expect, and prints clean on one page.
Pick the item type, fill in the details, and read the preview as you type. For vehicles, include the full 17-character VIN and the true odometer reading — both are what a DMV clerk checks first. The print button produces a one-page document (use your browser's Save as PDF if you'd rather email it). Sign two originals: one for the buyer to take to the DMV, one for the seller's records.
Selling a 2016 Toyota Camry with 98,240 miles for $11,500 in Ohio: the generated document reads the price as "Eleven thousand five hundred and 00/100 dollars," includes the odometer disclosure line, the as-is clause, and two signature blocks. Ohio doesn't require notarization, so no notary block prints. Change the state to Montana and one appears automatically, because Montana titles require a notarized signature. That one field is the difference between a document the county clerk accepts and one that sends you home.
After the sale, the buyer's next stop is tax and title. The car sales tax calculator prices what the DMV will collect, and if the car you're selling has a branded title, the salvage title value calculator shows what that history does to the price you can ask.
Yes. No state requires a special form — a bill of sale is a contract, and a handwritten one with the required elements (parties, item description, price, date, signatures) is enforceable. What matters is completeness and, in a handful of states, notarization. A printed form just makes sure nothing gets left out.
Only in some states. Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, and West Virginia generally require a notarized bill of sale, and Maryland requires notarization for vehicle purchases. Most states accept a plain signed document. Rules change and vary by item type, so confirm with your DMV before the sale — this generator adds the notary block automatically for those states.
No, and the difference matters. The title transfers legal ownership of a vehicle; the bill of sale documents the transaction — price, date, condition, and parties. Never accept a bill of sale in place of a missing title when buying a car. Some states do accept a bill of sale plus other paperwork for very old vehicles, but that's the exception, not the rule.
Both parties. The buyer needs it to register and title the vehicle and to document what was promised; the seller keeps a copy as proof of transfer date, mileage, and — critically — that the vehicle was sold, which matters for parking tickets, tolls, and liability until the title transfer is filed. Sign two originals or make copies.
It means the seller makes no warranties about condition — the buyer accepts the item with all faults, visible or not. It does not license fraud: misrepresenting the mileage, hiding a salvage title, or lying about accidents can still unwind the sale. Sellers should disclose known defects in writing even on an as-is sale.
Often, yes. Many states compute sales or use tax on private vehicle purchases from the price on the bill of sale, and tax collectors are entitled to be skeptical of "$500" Camrys — some states penalize declared amounts far below book value. Keep the document truthful and keep a copy.