The best free bill of sale template is the one your own state's motor vehicle agency publishes, because it already asks for the details that agency wants, such as California's REG 135 or Maine's Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale. If your state doesn't publish one, a plain template works as long as it names both parties, describes the item with its identification number, states the price and date, and carries both signatures.
A bill of sale is the receipt for a private sale of something valuable, most often a car, a boat or a trailer. It protects the seller as much as the buyer: it records that ownership changed hands, when, and for how much. You don't need to buy one from a legal forms site. Several states give theirs away as a free PDF, and the forms tell you a lot about what a good template should contain.
Where to get a free official bill of sale
California: REG 135
California's DMV publishes the Bill of Sale (REG 135) as a free PDF. It asks for the vehicle or vessel identification number, year model, make, licence plate and, for motorcycles, the engine number. It records the seller and buyer names, the date and the selling price. If the vehicle is a gift, it asks for your relationship to the buyer and the gift value instead. The seller certifies the details under penalty of perjury and adds a driver licence, ID or dealer number, and the form comes with a second copy to cut off and keep for your records.
Maine: Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale
Maine's Secretary of State publishes a one-page Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale. It covers the parties, the purchase price, and the year, make, model, VIN, body type and colour. It states that municipal, county and state taxes, including sales taxes, aren't included in the price. It also carries an odometer disclosure, with boxes for a reading that has rolled past its mechanical limit or isn't the true mileage, and a line where the seller certifies there's no active lienholder.
Texas: forms for parts and junk vehicles
Texas publishes bills of sale for specific situations rather than one general form. The Component Part(s) Bill of Sale (VTR-63) covers parts such as a motor, transmission, fender or hood, and must go in with the Rebuilt Vehicle Statement (VTR-61) when the parts are used in a vehicle being retitled. Every part on one form must come from the same vehicle and go to one purchaser. The Bill of Sale for a Junk Motor Vehicle (VTR-203) may only be used by a dealer or a used automotive parts recycler. Both forms warn that falsifying information is a third degree felony in Texas.
What official forms ask for, side by side
| Detail | California REG 135 | Maine bill of sale | Texas VTR-63 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identification number | Yes (VIN or hull) | Yes (VIN) | Yes (VIN) |
| Year, make, model | Year and make | Year, make, model, body, colour | Year, make, body style, model |
| Price | Selling price or gift value | Purchase price, taxes excluded | Not a price form, lists parts |
| Odometer disclosure | No | Yes | No |
| Lien statement | No | Yes | No |
| Seller declaration | Under penalty of perjury | Signature and date | Falsifying is a felony |
The deadlines the template doesn't mention
A bill of sale isn't the end of the paperwork, and this is the part that catches sellers out. California's DMV says any change in ownership must be reported within 10 days and the title updated, and that sellers must also submit a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability within 5 days. Until that notice is in, the DMV has no record that the car is no longer yours.
California also lists the bill of sale among the documents for a vessel transfer, alongside the certificate of ownership, fees and use tax, and says new titles usually arrive by mail within 15 to 30 days. Other states set their own deadlines, so check your agency's title transfer page on the day you sell.
What every bill of sale should include
If your state doesn't publish a form, build your own template from what the official forms have in common:
- The full names and addresses of the seller and the buyer.
- A description of the item, with its identification number, year, make and model.
- The sale date and the agreed price, or a note that it's a gift.
- The odometer reading for a vehicle, with a note if it isn't the true mileage.
- A statement that there's no lien on the item, if that's true.
- Signatures and dates from both parties, and a copy for each of you.
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Common mistakes
- Signing as the buyer before the seller has finished the odometer and lien sections. Maine's form tells buyers not to sign until everything above is complete.
- Leaving the price blank or writing a token figure. The form records the sale, and tax offices may look at it.
- Using a generic template when your state has its own form that the agency expects.
- Treating the bill of sale as the title transfer. It isn't, and the reporting deadline still applies.
My advice
Start on your own state's DMV or Secretary of State website before you download anything from a forms site. If there's an official bill of sale, use it, because it's free and it already matches what the agency checks. Make two copies, sign both, and file the ownership change the same day. It's ten minutes of paperwork that saves you from parking tickets on a car you sold weeks ago.
Need proof of purchase too? See where to make a receipt for free.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a free bill of sale template?
Check your state's motor vehicle agency first. California publishes REG 135 and Maine publishes a Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale, both as free PDFs. If your state has none, use a plain template with the details listed on this page.
Does a bill of sale need to be notarized?
It depends on the state. The California and Maine forms on this page ask for signatures and dates, with California's seller signing under penalty of perjury. Check your own state's form for any notary line.
What should a bill of sale include?
Both parties' names and addresses, the item's identification number, year, make and model, the date and price, an odometer reading for vehicles, a lien statement, and both signatures.
Is a bill of sale enough to transfer a car?
No. It records the sale, but the title still has to be transferred. In California, ownership changes must be reported within 10 days and sellers must file a release of liability within 5 days.
Can I use a bill of sale for car parts in Texas?
Yes. Texas has a Component Part(s) Bill of Sale, form VTR-63, for parts from one vehicle sold to one purchaser, filed with the Rebuilt Vehicle Statement when the vehicle is retitled.
