Bill of Sale Template

A bill of sale is the receipt that proves ownership changed hands. Answer a few questions about the buyer, the seller, the item, and the price, and Easy Legal AI builds the document for you in PDF and Word.

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When you need a bill of sale

Any time property moves between two people without a dealer or title company in the middle, the bill of sale is the only record that the sale happened, when it happened, and on what terms. Most private-party disputes come down to whether anyone wrote it down.

Most state DMVs also require a bill of sale to register a vehicle bought from a private seller, and several require it to calculate sales tax on the price actually paid rather than book value.

Selling or buying a car, motorcycle, boat, trailer, or ATV privately
Selling business equipment, tools, or inventory
Transferring livestock, a firearm (where permitted), or a horse
Gifting an item and needing a record of the transfer for tax purposes
Documenting an "as-is" sale so the seller isn't chased later for repairs

What information you'll need

Full legal name and address of the buyer and the seller
Date of sale and the location where the sale took place
A specific description of the item — for vehicles, the VIN, year, make, model, and odometer reading
The purchase price, or a statement that the item is a gift
How payment was made: cash, check, transfer, or trade
Whether the sale is "as-is" or carries any warranty

Things people get wrong

The single most important clause in a private sale is the "as-is" disclaimer. Without it, a buyer who finds a problem a week later can argue the seller implied the item was in working order. With it, the buyer accepts the condition at the time of sale.

For vehicles, the odometer statement matters: federal law requires an odometer disclosure for most vehicles under 20 years old, and an inaccurate one carries real penalties. Record the mileage exactly as it reads.

A bill of sale is not a title. It records the sale; the title transfer still happens at the DMV. Keep a signed copy each — the buyer needs it to register, the seller needs it if the car gets a ticket the following week.

A note on legal advice

Easy Legal AI is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or attorney representation. This page and the documents it creates are self-help tools. Laws differ by state and change over time — for a high-value dispute or an unusual situation, have a licensed attorney in your state review the document before you rely on it.

Frequently asked questions

›Does a bill of sale need to be notarized?

In most states, no. A handful — including Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Montana, West Virginia, and Wyoming — require notarization for vehicle bills of sale in at least some circumstances. If you're unsure, notarizing costs a few dollars and never hurts.

›Is a handwritten bill of sale valid?

Yes, if it contains the parties, the item, the price, the date, and both signatures. The reason people use a template is that handwritten versions usually leave out the as-is language, the odometer statement, or the VIN, which is exactly what causes problems later.

›Who keeps the original bill of sale?

Both parties should sign two copies so each has an original. The buyer usually needs theirs for registration and sales tax; the seller keeps theirs as proof of the date they stopped being responsible for the item.

›Does a bill of sale transfer ownership by itself?

For untitled property like furniture, tools, or equipment, yes. For titled property like cars and boats, the bill of sale documents the sale but the title assignment and DMV paperwork complete the transfer.

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