Buying a car requires an approved bill of sale DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) form from any of the states in the US. This bill serves as evidence of the sale and purchase of a vehicle. It would be wise to get the form either as a seller or a buyer.
What is the DMV Bill of Sale?
The bill of sale DMV is vital for car sales because it provides proof of the purchase of a vehicle at any point in time. It is designed, so both the buyer and seller have evidence of a car sale according to each state’s laws and the DMV.
Choose your state to find all the details about buying or selling a vehicle:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Washington DC.
The following information should appear on the bill of sale DMV form:
- Name of seller
- The home address of the seller
- The home address of the seller
- Name of buyer
- The home address of the buyer
- Vehicle information, including vehicle identification number (VIN), the model of car, and year
- Date of sale
- Price paid
- Signature of the seller or authorized representative.
DMV in the United States
DMV is an arm of jurisdiction mandated with vehicle registration and driving licensing in the United States. There are over 287.3 million registered vehicles in the US at the moment, with over 227.5 million licensed drivers (as of 2018), note, the DMV maintains and oversees many other functions asides from these two.
What are the requirements for Bill of Sale DMV?
These are the following requirements for the bill of sale DMV:
- Name of the seller (please note, if it’s a dealer, then the seller must be the licensed dealer name).
- The home address of the seller
- Name of the buyer
- The home address of the buyer
- Complete vehicle description including Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), make, model, year, series number, and body type
- Vehicle odometer reading at the time of sale
- Date of sale
- Signature of the seller or authorized representative
- Notary public seal identifying the seller and his signature of necessary.
How to register a vehicle
To register a vehicle purchased from a vehicle dealer:
- Present the title duly notarized and assigned to your name.
- Please fill out the Title Application (MVR-1), stating all retention rights, and sign it before a notary public
- If the vehicle is less than ten years old, present a disclosure document to do a meter signed by the buyer and seller.
- File a Damage Disclosure Statement (MVR181).
- Present a bill of sale that shows the price of the vehicle.
- If there are no liens, the title will be issued and mailed to the owner’s name.
How to write a bill of sale DMV
The DMV requires the following forms during the sale of a vehicle;
- Completed title,
- Odometer disclosure form REG 262 (please note this is required for vehicles ten years or below, make sure to contact your local DMV for a copy of this),
- A smog certification for vehicles more than four models old (there is an exemption to this though unless you obtain one within the last 90 days), lastly, the release of liability form REG 138 is required for all sellers.
The seller of a vehicle may draft his bill of sale as long as it contains the following information:
- Vehicle information such as model, make vehicle identification number, and odometer reading.
- Name, address, and buyer’s signature.
- Name, home address, and signature of seller
- Selling price and date sold
- Obtaining a copy of the Original bill of sale DMV
- Fill a Title copy records request form (J-23T)
- Fill section 2 and 3 or 4 of the form and requester section; include your phone number on the form
- Return the form with copies of 2 forms of ID, as stated on the form.
- Enclose the required $20 fee, and in 4-6 weeks, you will receive a copy of the bill of sale you requested.
Note: Please include a copy of the original registration showing the issuance’s date to begin the search (if available).
Conclusion
Not only is the bill of sale DMV used to show proof of payment of a vehicle, but it also acts as an essential document for both buyer and seller. Many states in the US require a bill of sale when submitting a Title transfer.