Bill of sale for a car: official state forms and rules
For private buyers and sellers who want the bill of sale rules for their state, with each rule linked to the official agency page.
A bill of sale for a car is a written record of a private sale, and the rules differ by state. Florida's form HSMV 82050 works as one when both people complete it. Washington requires one unless the price and date are on the title. We found no general Texas form; TxDMV tells sellers to keep a sale record.
Bill of sale rules by state
13 states so far. More states are being added.
California
- Official form: REG 135 Bill of Saledmv.ca.gov checked
- Required: Not confirmed yet
- Notary: Not confirmed yet
Florida
- Official form: HSMV 82050 Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, Off-Highway Vehicle or Vesselflhsmv.gov checked
- Required: Not confirmed yet
- Notary: Not required on the pages we checked; FLHSMV recommends having it notarized.flhsmv.gov checked
Georgia
- Official form: Form T-7 Bill of Saledor.georgia.gov checked
- Required: Not confirmed yet
- Notary: Not confirmed yet
Missouri
- Official form: Form 1957 Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Saledor.mo.gov checked
- Required: Not confirmed yet
- Notary: Only for major parts of a rebuilt vehicle, or when DOR asks for it.dor.mo.gov checked
New Jersey
- Official form: None found on the MVC forms listnj.gov checked
- Required: Yesnj.gov checked
- Notary: Not confirmed yet
New York
- Official form: MV-912 Vehicle Bill of Saledmv.ny.gov checked
- Required: Yesdmv.ny.gov checked
- Notary: Not confirmed yet
North Carolina
- Official form: None found on the NCDMV forms listncdot.gov checked
- Required: Not confirmed yet
- Notary: Not confirmed yet
Ohio
- Official form: None found on the BMV forms listbmv.ohio.gov checked
- Required: Not confirmed yet
- Notary: Not confirmed yet
Pennsylvania
- Official form: Not confirmed yet
- Required: Not confirmed yet
- Notary: Not confirmed yet
Texas
- Official form: None found on the TxDMV forms listtxdmv.gov checked
- Required: Not confirmed yet
- Notary: Not confirmed yet
Utah
- Official form: TC-843 Bill of Saledmv.utah.gov checked
- Required: Yesdmv.utah.gov checked
- Notary: Not confirmed yet
Virginia
- Official form: None found on the DMV forms listdmv.virginia.gov checked
- Required: Not confirmed yet
- Notary: Not confirmed yet
Washington
- Official form: 420-065 Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Saledol.wa.gov checked
- Required: Yes, unless the sale price and date are written on the titledol.wa.gov checked
- Notary: Not confirmed yet
Common questions
Do I need a bill of sale to sell a car?
It depends on the state. Washington requires one unless the sale price and the date are written on the title. For Texas and Florida we have not confirmed whether one is required.
dol.wa.gov checked
Is there an official bill of sale form?
Washington publishes the Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale, form 420-065. In Florida, HSMV 82050 works as a bill of sale when both the seller and the buyer complete it. We checked the TxDMV forms list and found no general Texas bill of sale form for a private car sale.
dol.wa.gov checked flhsmv.govsource 2 checked txdmv.gov checked
What should a bill of sale for a car include?
When FLHSMV asks for one, it must show the buyer's name, the selling price and a full description of the vehicle, signed by the seller and the buyer. TxDMV tells Texas sellers to keep a written record with the buyer's contact details, the date of sale and the VIN.
flhsmv.gov checked txdmv.gov checked
Does a bill of sale need to be notarized?
Florida doesn't require it on the pages we checked, but FLHSMV recommends it. We have not confirmed a notary rule for Texas or Washington.
flhsmv.gov checked
Sources for this page
- dmv.ny.gov/titles/
buy-sell-or-transfer-vehicle-ownership Checked - dmv.utah.gov/other-services-overview/
buying-selling/ Checkedresponsibilities/ - dmv.utah.gov/other-services-overview/
what-documents/ Checked - dol.wa.gov/forms/
view/ Checked420065/ download - dol.wa.gov/vehicles-and-boats/
vehicles/ Checkedbuying-and-selling-vehicle/ sell-vehicle - dor.georgia.gov/document/
document-document/ Checkedt-7-bill-sale/ download - dor.mo.gov/forms/
1957.pdf Checked - bmv.ohio.gov/doc-forms.aspx Checked
- dmv.ca.gov/portal/
forms/ Checked - dmv.virginia.gov/vehicles/
vehicle-forms Checked - flhsmv.gov/pdf/
forms/ Checked82050.pdf - flhsmv.gov/pdf/
proc/ Checkedtl/ tl-11.pdf - flhsmv.gov/safety-center/
consumer-education/ Checkedselling-vehicle-florida/ - ncdot.gov/dmv/
downloads/ CheckedPages/ registration.aspx - nj.gov/mvc/
about/ Checkedforms.htm - nj.gov/mvc/
vehicles/ Checkedtransowner.htm - txdmv.gov/forms Checked
- txdmv.gov/motorists/
buying-or-selling-a-vehicle Checked