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Texas Vehicle Bill of Sale

Quick answer: Texas does not require a vehicle bill of sale to be notarized; the parties' signatures are enough. Federal odometer disclosure (49 CFR Part 580) still applies at transfer for most vehicles under 20 model years old. Details below.

A vehicle bill of sale records the seller, the buyer, the VIN, the price, and the odometer reading of a private car sale in Texas. Texas does not require a vehicle bill of sale to be notarized; signing before a notary is optional extra proof.

Fill in the parties, the vehicle, and the terms, and download a printable Texas vehicle bill of sale in Word and PDF. It documents your sale; it does not replace the title transfer paperwork Texas requires.

Create your Texas vehicle bill of saleRead the full Vehicle Bill of Sale guide

Texas bill of sale requirements

Texas vehicle bill of sale requirements at a glance
NotarizationNot required; notarizing is optional extra proof
Official state formNo specific state form verified: check the Texas TxDMV website
Odometer disclosureFederal rules (49 CFR Part 580) require the seller to disclose the mileage at transfer for most vehicles less than 20 model years old; the official disclosure is normally made on the title itself

Texas transfers title with Form 130-U (Application for Texas Title), which the TxDMV provides; the bill of sale is your separate proof of the sale terms.

Verify before you rely on it

Title transfer practices change, and county offices can have their own requirements. Confirm the current Texas requirement with the TxDMV before you rely on this bill of sale for a title transfer.

Vehicle bill of sale requirements in Texas

Texas does not require the bill of sale to be notarized: the parties' signatures are enough. Notarizing remains an option if you want independent proof of who signed and when, which can matter if the sale is later disputed, but it is extra insurance rather than a requirement.

This page does not cite a specific official Texas bill of sale form, so check the Texas TxDMV website for current title transfer paperwork. The template here documents the private sale terms; the TxDMV's own forms govern the registration side.

Federal law adds the one requirement that applies in every state: under the odometer disclosure rules of 49 CFR Part 580, the seller must disclose the mileage at transfer for most vehicles less than 20 model years old. The official disclosure normally happens on the certificate of title itself; the bill of sale records the same reading so the paper trail is consistent from handshake to registration.

Texas transfers title with Form 130-U (Application for Texas Title), which the TxDMV provides; the bill of sale is your separate proof of the sale terms. Build your timeline around that reality: the bill of sale is signed at the handover, while the title work happens on the state's paperwork and schedule.

The document itself is short but every field earns its place: full names and addresses of both parties, the vehicle's year, make, model, and VIN, the price and how it was paid, the odometer reading, the as-is statement or any warranty actually given, and dated signatures. Print two copies, sign both, and keep one per party; disputes about private sales are usually disputes about what nobody wrote down.

Step by step: preparing your Texas vehicle bill of sale

Here is the order of operations for a clean private car sale in Texas, from agreement to registration.

  1. Agree on the terms. Settle the price, the payment method, and what stays with the vehicle (keys, manuals, service records). Put any promised repairs or conditions in writing in the bill of sale itself, because spoken side agreements do not survive disputes.
  2. Verify the vehicle identity. Check the VIN on the dashboard and door jamb against the certificate of title, and confirm the seller is the titled owner. A bill of sale cannot fix a title problem, so catch mismatches before money moves.
  3. Record the odometer reading. Read the odometer together at the handover and write the figure into the bill of sale. For most vehicles under 20 model years old, federal law (49 CFR Part 580) requires the seller to disclose the mileage at transfer, normally on the title itself.
  4. Complete the bill of sale. Fill in both parties, the vehicle description with VIN, the price, the odometer reading, and the as-is statement using the guided form on the main page, then print two copies for the signing.
  5. Sign it properly. Sign and date two copies at the handover, one for each party. Texas does not require notarization, though you may notarize for extra proof if you wish.
  6. Finish the title and registration work. Complete the Texas title transfer with the TxDMV: the seller signs the title over, and the buyer registers the vehicle and pays any taxes and fees. The bill of sale supports this paperwork but does not replace it, and the seller should keep their copy until the transfer is confirmed.

How this template works in Texas

Answer guided questions about the seller, the buyer, and the vehicle, enter the odometer reading, and download a printable Texas bill of sale ready to sign at the handover, in Word and PDF. Both parties should keep a signed copy.

The form, the live preview, and the full guide live on the main Vehicle Bill of Sale page.

Texas vehicle bill of sale FAQ

Does a vehicle bill of sale need to be notarized in Texas?

No, Texas does not require it: the parties' signatures make the document effective. Notarizing is optional extra proof of who signed and when.

Is a bill of sale enough to transfer ownership in Texas?

No. The bill of sale documents the private sale terms; legal ownership transfers through the certificate of title and the Texas TxDMV's registration process. Treat the two as a pair: the bill of sale proves the deal, the title work makes the buyer the owner of record.

Does Texas have an official bill of sale form?

This page does not cite a specific official Texas form, so check the Texas TxDMV website. The template here documents the sale terms either way, and it is the document both parties keep.

Who keeps the bill of sale after a private car sale in Texas?

Both parties should keep a signed copy. The seller uses it to show the vehicle left their possession on a given date (which matters for tickets, tolls, and liability after the sale), and the buyer uses it for registration, taxes, and proof of the price actually paid.

Vehicle Bill of Sale in other states