Skip to content
DOCUGRIP©

Bill of sale template

A bill of sale records that the seller has sold an item to the buyer: what it is, the price, and the condition it was sold in. Fill in the details below and it is laid out as a PDF with signature blocks for the seller and the buyer, ready to download or to send for signature.

This template is a general starting point, not legal advice. Laws differ between countries and states, so have it checked before signing anything important.

Fill in the details

Anything you leave empty becomes a blank line in the document, to fill in by hand or during signing.

Opens the signature request with this document and a signature box for each party already placed.

Preview

Bill of Sale

This Bill of Sale is made on __________ between __________, of __________ ("Seller"), and __________, of __________ ("Buyer").

1. Sale

For the price of __________, Seller sells and transfers to Buyer all of Seller’s rights, title and interest in the following property (the "Property"): __________.

2. Payment and Delivery

Buyer will pay the price by __________. Delivery: __________. Ownership of the Property and the risk of loss or damage pass to Buyer when Seller has received the full price and the Property has been delivered to Buyer.

3. Seller’s Promises

Seller promises that Seller is the lawful owner of the Property, has the right to sell it, and that the Property is free of any lien, security interest or claim by anyone else. If anyone makes such a claim, Seller will deal with it at Seller’s own cost.

4. Condition of the Property

Buyer has had the opportunity to inspect the Property. Seller has told Buyer about the following known defects: __________.

EXCEPT FOR THE PROMISES IN SECTION 3, THE PROPERTY IS SOLD "AS IS" AND "WITH ALL FAULTS", AND SELLER GIVES NO OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TO THE EXTENT THE LAW ALLOWS.

5. Title, Registration and Required Disclosures

If the Property is a vehicle, boat, trailer or other item that must be titled or registered, Seller will sign over the certificate of title and give Buyer any other documents needed for the transfer. Buyer is responsible for registering the transfer and paying the taxes and fees that apply to Buyer.

Any odometer disclosure or other statement that the law requires for the transfer is made separately, on the title or on the form the law requires, and is not replaced by this Bill of Sale.

6. General

This Bill of Sale is governed by __________. It is the entire agreement between Seller and Buyer about the sale of the Property and binds them and anyone who takes over their rights. If any part of it cannot be enforced, the rest stays in effect. It may be signed in counterparts and with electronic signatures, each of which is treated as an original.

Seller

__________

Buyer

__________

When a bill of sale helps

A bill of sale is the buyer’s proof of purchase and the seller’s proof that the item is no longer theirs. It is useful for private sales of cars, motorcycles, boats, trailers, furniture, electronics and business equipment. For a car or a boat it is signed alongside the title transfer, not instead of it.

Details that prevent disputes

Most arguments after a private sale come from what the paperwork left out.

  • Describe the item precisely: make, model, year, color and the serial number or VIN.
  • List every defect you know about. A defect written into the bill of sale is hard to call hidden later.
  • Check the motor vehicle or boating agency where the item will be registered. Some states ask for their own bill of sale form, and a few require the signatures to be notarized.
  • Most vehicles of model year 2011 or later need an odometer disclosure when ownership changes, usually made on the title itself.

Frequently asked questions

In most states a signed bill of sale is valid without a notary. A few states require notarization for vehicle or boat sales, or ask for their own form, so check with the agency where the item will be registered before the sale.

No. A title is the official state record of who owns a vehicle or boat. A bill of sale records the deal between seller and buyer: the price, the date and the condition. For titled items you usually need both.

For most private sales in the United States, yes. If an agency requires an original ink signature or a notarized form for registration, follow that requirement for the documents you file with the agency.

Related templates

All templates