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Bill of Sale Sample: What Needs to Be Included

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Are you planning in the near future to sell a car, truck or some other expensive item such as furniture, appliances, art or equipment? Do you intend to issue a bill of sale when selling this item, but need more information regarding what this document should include? A bill of sale is a very important document, one that officially transfers ownership of an item from one person to the next. They are used for many different types of transactions, but are perhaps used most often when selling a vehicle. To help you understand this document a little better, in the following article we will briefly describe the importance of a printable bill of sale, and show you the types of items and language you should look for when searching for bill of sale forms online.

Bill of Sale Sample: Why Is the Bill of Sale So Important?

Because the bill of sale is used primarily in the buying and selling of automobiles, here we will focus on the importance of this document as it relates to vehicles only.

A bill of sale is a type of receipt given from the seller to a buyer when an automobile is purchased—a type of receipt of which both parties should keep a copy. Whether you’re the buyer or seller of an automobile or truck, the bill of sale form serves many vital purposes. Some of these include:

• Acts as a legal contract. A printable bill of sale, once transferred from seller to buyer in an automobile transaction, acts as a legal contract between the two parties. Once this document is signed by both, all of the language and provisions of the contract come into force and serve to protect both parties from any future disputes.

• Shows ownership. Before you can legally register a vehicle you have purchased you will need to show proof that you indeed own the car you are attempting to register. This ownership is what bill of sale forms represent.

• Transfers rights and responsibilities. From a buyer’s standpoint, the bill of sale is an essential document because it proves that you have been given all the rights of ownership as it relates to the vehicle. But a bill of sale is also extremely important to the seller as well. Bill of sale forms serve as proof that the responsibilities of car ownership have been transferred to the new owner. In other words, should the vehicle be involved in an accident or traffic violation, it is now the responsibility of the new owner to take care of any damages or fines. Without a bill of sale, however, the new buyer can claim that he/she was not the legal owner of the vehicle, and therefore not responsible.

• The bill of sale is legally required. Anytime you sell a vehicle, whether on a car lot, from your home or online, you are legally required to submit a bill of sale form to the Department of Motor Vehicles in your state. This informs the state that ownership of the vehicle has changed, and with it, the rights and responsibilities as it relates to the car in question.

Bill of Sale Sample: What Should Be Included?

If you have never drafted a bill of sale before, your best bet is to search online for a bill of sale sample—a blank bill of sale form that includes all of the categories needed to satisfy your legal requirement. These will not be difficult to find. There are currently hundreds of websites that offer free bill of sale samples, however, before you make a final selection, look over the document carefully to ensure it contains at least the following information:

• Seller’s Information. On a blank bill of sale form, the seller’s information, including name and complete address, should appear near the top portion of the document.

• Buyer’s Information. Most free bill of sale samples will include ample space to list the buyer’s name, address and other contact information.

• Vehicle Description. When selling a vehicle there are a few key pieces of descriptive information that need to be included. Naturally, you will need to identify the make, model and year of the car, but you will also need to list the license plate number, vehicle identification number and the final odometer reading at the time of the sale.

• Final Selling Price. The “final selling price” section of your bill of sale sample is where you will print the total amount paid by the buyer to secure ownership of the vehicle.

• Date of Sale. Anytime you sell a vehicle, the date of the sale must be printed on the bill of sale forms. This is essential because, in the event of a dispute, it is this date that will be used to determine when ownership was officially transferred.

The final portion of your bill of sale sample can list things like warranties and exclusions, followed by mandatory signature lines for the seller, buyer and at least one witness to the transaction.

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