Free Bill of Sale Template (Vehicle, Boat, and General)

A bill of sale is a short legal document that records the transfer of ownership of an item from a seller to a buyer. It proves a sale happened, at what price, and on what date. Whether you are selling a used truck, a fishing boat, business equipment, or a spare laptop, a bill of sale protects both sides if a dispute or a tax question ever comes up.

This guide answers the question directly: how do I write a bill of sale? You will get a copy-and-paste template for three common situations, a plain-English breakdown of what each section does, and clear rules on signatures and notarization.

How Do I Write a Bill of Sale?

Writing a bill of sale takes about five minutes. Follow these steps and fill in your own details:

Name the parties. Full legal name and mailing address of both the seller and the buyer.
Describe the item. Be specific - the more detail, the harder it is to dispute later.
State the price. Write the amount in both numbers and words (for example, "$4,500 - four thousand five hundred dollars").
List the payment method. Cash, check, bank transfer, or installments.
Add condition and warranty language. Most private sales are sold "as-is."
Set the date and place of sale.
Sign. Both parties sign; add witnesses or a notary if your state requires it.

According to Nolo and FindLaw, those core elements - parties, property description, price, date, and signatures - are what make the document legally useful. A bill of sale is not binding on anyone who has not signed it, so the signature line is not optional.

What to Include in Every Bill of Sale

No matter what you are selling, every version should contain:

Buyer and seller details - names, addresses, and signatures.
A clear description of the property - enough that no one could confuse it with another item.
The sale price - in numerals and written out.
Payment terms - paid in full or in installments, and the method used.
Date and location of the transaction.
A condition statement - usually "sold as-is, without warranty."
A title/lien statement - the seller confirms they legally own the item and it is free of loans or claims.

Keep two copies: one for the buyer, one for the seller. If money changes hands over time, note the balance and due dates.

General Bill of Sale Template

Use this for furniture, electronics, equipment, livestock-free business assets, or any personal property.

GENERAL BILL OF SALE

Date of sale: ____________________

Seller: __________________________  Address: __________________________
Buyer:  __________________________  Address: __________________________

Description of item(s) sold: ______________________________________
(Include brand, model, serial number, quantity, and condition.)

Sale price: $__________ (__________________________ dollars)
Payment method: [ ] Cash  [ ] Check  [ ] Transfer  [ ] Installments

The seller certifies that they are the legal owner of the item(s) and that
the item(s) are free of any liens or claims. The item(s) are sold AS-IS,
with no warranty expressed or implied.

Seller signature: ________________  Date: __________
Buyer signature:  ________________  Date: __________

Vehicle Bill of Sale Template

Cars, trucks, motorcycles, and trailers need extra identifiers because your DMV will use them to transfer the title.

VEHICLE BILL OF SALE

Date of sale: ____________________

Seller: __________________________  Address: __________________________
Buyer:  __________________________  Address: __________________________

Vehicle:
  Year/Make/Model: _______________________________
  VIN: ___________________________________________
  Odometer reading: _____________ miles
  Color: ____________  License plate: ____________

Sale price: $__________ (__________________________ dollars)
Payment method: ___________________________________

Sold AS-IS. Seller certifies clear title, free of liens, and that the
odometer reading is accurate to the best of their knowledge.

Seller signature: ________________  Date: __________
Buyer signature:  ________________  Date: __________
Notary / witness (if required): ________________

Always record the VIN, mileage, and plate number - these are the fields the DMV cross-checks when the buyer registers the vehicle.

Boat Bill of Sale Template

Boats use a Hull Identification Number (HIN) instead of a VIN, and you often need to account for the motor and trailer separately.

BOAT BILL OF SALE

Date of sale: ____________________

Seller: __________________________  Buyer: __________________________

Vessel:
  Make/Model/Year: _______________________________
  Hull Identification Number (HIN): ______________
  Length: __________  Registration #: ____________
  Motor make/model/serial: _______________________
  Trailer (VIN, if included): ____________________

Sale price: $__________ (__________________________ dollars)

Sold AS-IS. Seller certifies clear title, free of liens.

Seller signature: ________________  Date: __________
Buyer signature:  ________________  Date: __________

Do You Need to Notarize a Bill of Sale?

For most private sales, no. As of 2026, notarization rules vary widely by state, and only a handful require it for vehicles.

Louisiana requires the act of sale to be signed before a notary and two witnesses.
Nebraska requires both buyer and seller to sign in front of a notary for all private vehicle sales.
West Virginia requires notarization only when the price is well below the vehicle's book value.
Wyoming and Kentucky notarize the seller's signature on the title rather than a separate bill of sale.

Every other state generally accepts an unnotarized private-party bill of sale, according to a 2026 state-by-state review. Because rules change, confirm the current requirement with your own state's DMV before you sign. Notarizing is never wrong - it simply adds a layer of proof that both signatures are genuine.

Bill of Sale vs. Invoice vs. Receipt

These three documents get confused, but they do different jobs:

A bill of sale transfers ownership and is used for one-off sales of specific property.
An invoice is a request for payment before money changes hands. If you run a business and bill customers regularly, learn how to make an invoice instead.
A receipt simply confirms payment was received.

If you sell items as a registered business rather than a private individual, your bookkeeping needs are different. It is worth understanding how to register a business so your sales, taxes, and liability are handled correctly from the start.

Formatting and Storage Tips

Keep the document clean and professional. A consistent layout - sender details at the top, item and price in the middle, signatures at the bottom - reads clearly and is easier to reference later. If you produce these often, our letter format guide covers the same structural principles for any formal business document.

Save a signed PDF copy in cloud storage and keep the paper original somewhere safe. For higher-value sales, photograph the item's condition on the day of transfer and attach the images to your file.

Conclusion

A bill of sale is one of the simplest yet most protective documents in business and personal life. Fill in the parties, describe the item precisely, state the price, add an "as-is" clause, and sign - that is genuinely all it takes to create a valid record. Check your state's notarization rule for vehicles and boats, keep two copies, and you are covered.

Copy the template that matches your sale, fill in the blanks, and you are ready to close the deal today. If this sale is part of a growing side business, take the next step and set up your operations properly - starting with how to register a business.