Vehicle Bill of Sale
Records a private vehicle sale, with VIN, odometer reading and an as-is statement.
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This bill of sale records the sale of the vehicle described below by the seller to the buyer, on the date shown, for the price shown.
| Date of sale | October 14, 2026 |
| Place | [place] |
| Price | $ [amount] |
| Paid by | cash |
| Possession passes | [date] |
Vehicle
| Year, make and model | [year] [make] [model] |
| Body type | — |
| Colour | — |
| VIN / chassis no. | [VIN] |
| Registration no. | — |
| Title / registration doc. no. | — |
Seller
[seller name] [seller address]
Buyer
[buyer name] [buyer address]
Odometer disclosure
The seller states that the odometer reads [reading] miles, and that this reading reflects the actual mileage of the vehicle.
Both parties understand that a false odometer statement may be an offence, and each signs the disclosure below in their own name.
Condition
The vehicle is sold as-is, where-is. The seller gives no warranty of any kind, express or implied, as to its condition, roadworthiness or fitness for any purpose. The buyer has inspected the vehicle, or has chosen not to, and accepts it in its present state.
Title
The seller warrants that the vehicle is theirs to sell, that they hold good title to it, and that it is free of any finance, lien or charge.
Responsibility from the date of sale
From the moment possession passes, the buyer is responsible for the vehicle, including its insurance, its registration and anything done with it. The seller undertakes to notify the licensing authority of the change of keeper without delay, and the buyer undertakes to complete their side of the transfer.
What is a Vehicle Bill of Sale?
A vehicle bill of sale records the private sale of a car, van, motorcycle or trailer: who sold it, who bought it, what it is, what was paid, and what the odometer read on the day. It is the seller's evidence that the vehicle stopped being their responsibility on a particular date, and the buyer's evidence that they own it. Those are two different problems, and this one document answers both.
The seller's real exposure is the gap between handing over the keys and the registry updating its records. Until the change of keeper is processed, penalty notices, tolls, and enquiries about the vehicle come to the person still on the record. A dated bill of sale, signed by the buyer, is what a seller produces when a fine arrives three weeks after the car left the driveway. The buyer's exposure runs the other way: they have paid for something whose title they cannot yet prove.
Every country handles the registry step differently. In the United States the seller signs over the title certificate and the buyer registers with the state DMV, and a federal odometer disclosure applies to most vehicles under a certain age. In the United Kingdom the seller notifies the DVLA and both parties handle the V5C. In Australia each state or territory runs its own transfer process and time limit. In India the RTO handles Form 29 and Form 30. None of that happens automatically because a bill of sale exists. Do the registry step, and do it on the day.
The document does not transfer title on its own for a registered vehicle, and it is not insurance. The moment possession passes, the buyer needs cover in their own name, and the seller should cancel or transfer theirs — driving away uninsured on the strength of a signed piece of paper is a common and expensive mistake. Nor does a bill of sale make a private sale into a consumer sale: as-is means as-is, and a buyer who did not inspect or test drive has very little to fall back on.
What to put in a Vehicle Bill of Sale
These are the details this template asks for. Anything left blank is marked in red on the preview so you can see what is still missing.
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Year | For example: 2016 |
| Make | For example: Toyota |
| Model | For example: Camry LE |
| Body type optional | For example: 4-door sedan |
| Colour optional | For example: Silver |
| VIN / chassis number | For example: 4T1BF1FK5GU248817 |
| Registration / plate number optional | For example: HXR 4482 |
| Title / registration document number optional | For example: OH 8841-2290 |
| Odometer reading | For example: 118420 |
| Odometer unit | Free text |
| Odometer statement | Free text |
| Seller — full name | For example: Dana R. Whitfield |
| Seller — address | For example: 1420 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212 |
| Buyer — full name | For example: Marcus T. Ellery |
| Buyer — address | For example: 88 Grandview Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215 |
| Sale price | For example: 450 |
| How it was paid | Free text |
| Date possession passes | Free text |
| Any loan, lien or charge on the item? | Free text |
| Details of the loan or lien optional | For example: Account 44-9182 with Kinnear Credit Union, settled 3 March 2026, release letter attached. |
| Witness name optional | For example: Leave blank if there is no witness |
| Notary block | Free text |
How to write a Vehicle Bill of Sale
Record the VIN, not just the plate
The registration number can change; the VIN or chassis number cannot. Copy it from the vehicle itself — the plate at the base of the windscreen or the door pillar — rather than from the paperwork, and check the two match. A mismatch between the VIN on the car and the VIN on the documents is the single clearest warning sign in a private sale, and it is worth finding before money moves.
Write the odometer reading and say what it means
Record the exact figure, state the unit, and state whether it reflects the actual distance travelled, has rolled past its mechanical limit, or is known to be wrong. This is a formal disclosure in several jurisdictions and a false one can be an offence. Both parties sign it. A seller who suspects the reading is not genuine should say so here rather than stay silent and hope.
Deal with outstanding finance before anything else
A vehicle on finance may still belong to the lender, and in some systems it can be repossessed from a buyer who paid in good faith. Say whether the vehicle is owned outright, whether finance has been settled with a release letter attached, or whether the buyer is knowingly taking it subject to the debt. Buyers should run whatever finance or write-off check exists in their country before handing over money.
Fix the exact date and time possession passes
Write the date, and on a same-day handover the time as well. That timestamp is the line either side will point to if there is a collision, a parking fine or a toll charge that afternoon. It is also when the buyer's insurance must already be running. Do not date the document the day you agreed the sale if the car is being collected a week later.
Sign two copies and go to the registry the same day
Both parties sign both copies, and each keeps one. Then complete the registry step immediately — the seller notifies the licensing authority, the buyer registers the vehicle in their name. Photograph the signed document and the odometer before the car leaves. A seller who does all of this has an answer for anything that arrives afterwards.
Common mistakes
- Handing over the keys and leaving the change of keeper for another day, which keeps the seller liable for fines and tolls the buyer incurs.
- Copying the VIN from the registration document instead of from the vehicle, so a mismatch is never noticed.
- Accepting a personal check or a bank transfer that has not yet cleared, and releasing the car on a screenshot of a pending payment.
- Leaving the odometer statement blank, which removes the one disclosure most likely to be scrutinised later.
- Failing to check for outstanding finance, after which the lender rather than the seller becomes the buyer's problem.
Frequently asked questions
Is a bill of sale enough to transfer a car?
No, not by itself, for any vehicle that is registered. It records the agreement between the two parties, but ownership on the public record only changes when the licensing authority processes the transfer — the DMV, the DVLA, the state or territory authority, the RTO. Treat the bill of sale as the private half of the transaction and the registry step as the public half, and do both.
Do I need a bill of sale if I have signed the title over?
It is still worth having. The title or registration certificate proves ownership; it does not record the price, the odometer reading, the condition, the finance position, or the exact date and time the vehicle changed hands. Those are the details that settle arguments, and they are the details a signed-over title does not carry.
What odometer reading should I write down?
The reading on the day possession passes, taken from the dashboard at handover, not the reading from the advertisement or the last service. Write the exact figure with no rounding, state whether it is miles or kilometres, and photograph the dashboard. If the vehicle has been driven between the agreement and the handover, use the later figure and let the buyer see it.
Can I sell a car that still has finance on it?
Sometimes, but not quietly. In many systems the lender retains an interest until the loan is settled, and a buyer can lose the vehicle even though they paid for it. The clean route is to settle the finance and get a release letter before the sale. If that is not possible, the buyer must be told in writing before they commit, and the arrangement written into the bill of sale.
Does a vehicle bill of sale need witnesses?
Generally no, though some jurisdictions require a notary for a vehicle transfer and a witness costs nothing. What matters far more is that both parties sign, both keep a copy, and the registry is notified. A witnessed document that never reaches the licensing authority still leaves the seller on record as the keeper.
This page explains general practice and is not legal advice. Requirements differ between countries and, in some cases, between states — check what applies where the document will be used.