A bill of sale is the receipt that protects both sides of a private sale — and writing one takes ten minutes. It needs five elements: buyer and seller names, an item description (VIN for a car), the price, the date, and both signatures. Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, and West Virginia generally require notarization; Maryland does for vehicles. Here's the complete checklist, the as-is clause explained, and the mistakes that unwind sales.
| Element | What to write |
|---|---|
| 1. Parties | Full legal names as they appear on ID — "Jane A. Smith," not "Jane" |
| 2. Item description | Year, make, model, and the full 17-character VIN (HIN for boats); for general goods, make/model/serial number |
| 3. Price | Amount in numbers and in words — "Eleven thousand five hundred and 00/100 dollars" — the format clerks and banks expect |
| 4. Date and location | City and state of the sale; this fixes the date for title, tax, and liability |
| 5. Signatures | Both parties, ideally two originals — plus a witness or notary where your state requires one |
For vehicles, add the odometer reading as a disclosure. Since the 2021 NHTSA rule, federal law requires odometer disclosure for vehicles 20 model years old or newer — model year 2011 and newer during its phase-in; older vehicles are exempt. Writing "98,240 miles, actual mileage to the best of my knowledge" on the document covers it.
Fill in the fields, print a one-page document with the as-is clause and state notary block — free, no signup.
Open the Bill of Sale Generator →Most states accept a plain signed bill of sale. The commonly cited exceptions:
| State | Rule |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | Notarized bill of sale generally required for vehicle transfers |
| Maryland | Notarized bill of sale required for vehicle purchases (MVA) |
| Montana | Notarized signature required |
| Nebraska | Notarized bill of sale required for vehicle titles |
| West Virginia | Notarized bill of sale required for vehicle transfers |
A few states (Ohio, notably) don't require a bill of sale at all — the title does the legal work — but write one anyway: it's your evidence of price, mileage, and condition if a dispute or a toll bill shows up six months later. Notarizing when it isn't required costs a few dollars and never hurts.
An as-is clause says the seller makes no warranties and the buyer accepts the item's condition, faults included. It defeats "you promised the transmission was fine" arguments. It does not defeat fraud: lying about mileage, hiding a salvage or flood title, or denying accident history are misrepresentations that can unwind the sale and invite lawsuits regardless of what the document says.
The defensive pattern for sellers: sell as-is AND disclose known defects in writing on the same page. "As-is; known issues: check-engine light P0420, right-front strut noise" is nearly bulletproof. The same document without the disclosure is an invitation to a small-claims date.
The buyer's errands: title transfer and registration at the DMV (usually 10-30 days to do it without penalty), insurance bound before driving, and sales or use tax — the car sales tax calculator prices what your state collects on a private purchase. The seller's errands: file the notice of transfer or seller's report your state offers (it's what stops toll and liability mail), cancel or transfer the insurance, and keep the bill of sale copy forever.
Buying something with a branded history? A salvage title cuts resale value 20-40% even after repair — the salvage title value calculator puts a number on it, and the diminished value claim calculator covers the related insurance angle after an accident.
Five elements make it valid: the buyer and seller's full legal names, a description of the item (for a car: year, make, model, and 17-character VIN), the purchase price, the date of sale, and both signatures. For vehicles add the odometer reading — federal law has required odometer disclosure for vehicles 20 model years old or newer since the 2021 NHTSA rule (model year 2011 and newer during its phase-in).
In most states, no — a signed document is enough. Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, and West Virginia generally require notarization, and Maryland requires it for vehicle purchases. Rules change and vary by item type, so confirm with your DMV before the sale rather than after.
You can write your own — a bill of sale is a contract, and states don't mandate a particular form. Some DMVs publish optional templates, which are worth using if your state offers one, but a complete handwritten document with all five elements plus an as-is clause is legally enforceable everywhere.
Both parties. The buyer needs it to title and register the vehicle and to document what was represented; the seller keeps it as proof of the transfer date and mileage — protection against parking tickets, tolls, and liability that arrive after the sale. Sign two originals or make a copy before handing over the keys.
No. The title is the ownership document; the bill of sale documents the transaction between two named people on a date for a price. Buying a car with only a bill of sale and no title is the classic private-sale trap — you may end up unable to register a car that isn't legally yours.
It protects against warranty claims about condition, not fraud. A seller who lies about mileage, hides a salvage or flood title, or misstates accident history has made misrepresentations that can unwind the sale regardless of the as-is clause. The safest pattern: sell as-is AND disclose every known defect in writing.