Bill of Sale Template
A bill of sale is a signed record that ownership of an item passed from a seller to a buyer, at an agreed price, on a given date. It is not an invoice or a receipt, it is proof the sale happened at all. A worked example is below.
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Most bill of sale searches are about a car, but the same document covers any private sale of personal property, a boat, a piece of furniture, a laptop, livestock, anything sold person to person outside a store.
What goes on a bill of sale
- Seller name and address
- Buyer name and address
- A description of the item, specific enough to identify it, serial or VIN if it has one
- Sale price and date
- Condition, usually sold “as is”
- Signatures from both seller and buyer
A worked example
Seller: M. Torres. Buyer: K. Nguyen. Item: Trek mountain bike, frame number WTU192837, sold as is, no warranty. Sale price 380 dollars, paid in cash. Date: 22 July. Both parties signed and each kept a copy.
Neither the seller nor the buyer had to be a business for this to matter. If the bike is ever reported stolen or the buyer resells it, the bill of sale shows a legitimate, dated purchase.
Bill of sale or receipt
A receipt confirms payment for something already understood to belong to the buyer, common for everyday purchases. A bill of sale is used specifically where ownership itself needs proving later, higher-value items, anything with a title or registration, or a sale between private parties who have never dealt with each other before.
“As is” matters
Selling as is means the buyer accepts the item in its current condition, with no promise it will keep working. Stating that plainly on the bill of sale protects a private seller from a claim that something broke after the sale.
Create a receipt free
If you also want to give a receipt for the payment itself, the free receipt generator fills one in and downloads a PDF in under a minute.
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Frequently asked questions
Does a bill of sale need to be notarized?
Usually not, but some states require notarization for vehicle sales specifically. Check your state’s DMV or equivalent agency before registering a vehicle bought this way.
What is the difference between a bill of sale and a receipt?
A receipt confirms a payment was made. A bill of sale proves that ownership of a specific item transferred from seller to buyer, which matters most for anything with a title, registration, or resale value.
Can a bill of sale be used for anything besides a vehicle?
Yes. It covers any private sale of personal property, boats, furniture, electronics, livestock, anything sold directly between two people.