A Georgia bill of sale (Form T-7) is a legal document used to record the sale of any personal property in the state of Georgia. You can use these Georgia bills of sale to sell a vehicle, boat, firearm, or other items. Depending on which bill of sale you need, you may need a notary public stamp before ownership can be legally transferred to the buyer.
Types of Bill of Sale
Georgia Bill of Sale Requirements
Georgia requires all vehicle and vessel sales transactions to be recorded with a bill of sale. Bills of sale are to be submitted to the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) in order to register vehicles and to the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) for registering vessels.
The DOR provides an official form, Form T-7, on its website, and the WRD provides the Certified Form for Vessels, though you can draft your own bills of sale if you choose to do so. The document simply records that the purchase has taken place and serves as a valuable receipt for both the seller and the buyer.
Language Requirements
Like all DOR and WDR forms, official bills of sale are only printed in English, though translators can be brought to the offices to aid in the filling out of forms.
Number of Copies
Once the buyer signs the original bill of sale, the seller should make two copies. The seller should keep one for his or her records and give the buyer one to do the same. The buyer will then file the original with the local tax commissioner’s office as part of the vehicle’s registration process.
Georgia Vehicle Bill of Sale Requirements
In Georgia, a bill of sale for a car does not need to be notarized. Like the state form provided, any hand-drafted bill of sale will have to contain the following information:
- The names, contact information, and signatures of the seller and the buyer
- The year, make, and model of the vehicle
- The sales date
- The purchase price
- An acknowledgment of liens
- Lien information
After Purchasing a Vehicle
Besides drafting your bill of sale, there are several other steps involved in the Georgia vehicle registration process. Here is a step-by-step guide:
Dealership Sales
For buyers:
- If you buy a vehicle from a dealership, they will likely handle all applicable paperwork for you.
Private Sales
For sellers:
- You are required to fill out Form MV-18J, the Application of Voluntary Registration Cancellation, in order to sell, gift, or donate your vehicle, or trade it in. Be sure to cancel your insurance first to avoid fines and penalties.
- You must fill out all pertinent sections of the title before giving it to the buyer. If the vehicle is less than 10 years old, you will have to provide the odometer reading. This is noted in the title. A title is not necessary if the vehicle was manufactured prior to 1986.
- You must provide the buyer with a bill of sale.
For buyers:
- You can register the vehicle without a title, using a bill of sale, or a certificate of origin, if the vehicle is a 1985 model or older. Otherwise, you will need to get the title from the seller.
- You will also need to get the registration from the seller. If the registration is missing or damaged, you can go to the local Tax Commissioner’s office after the vehicle is inspected by law enforcement and they run the vehicle identification number or VIN.
- If the vehicle will be registered in one of the metro Atlanta-area counties, it will need to pass an emissions test in order to be registered.
- You will need to fill out Form MV-1, the Motor Vehicle Title/Tag Application.
- Bring Form MV-1, the title (if applicable), registration, bill of sale, proof of insurance, proof of Georgia residency, and the emission test results (if applicable) to the local Tax Commissioner’s office. You will have to pay the title fee of $18, the registration fee of $20, and the license plate transfer fee of $20, along with applicable sales tax based upon the purchase price stated on the bill of sale.
- If you fail to register your vehicle within 7 days of purchasing it, the state will assess penalty fees which must be paid before you can legally transfer the title to your name.
Georgia Gun Bill of Sale Requirements
Since firearm laws in Georgia do not require you to register, nor carry a permit for any firearm that is not legally categorized as a handgun, a gun bill of sale is not a legal necessity. However, you may issue a bill of sale as a courtesy to the buyer. Most firearm bills of sales should include the following:
- The buyers’ and sellers’ names, contact information, and signatures
- The make, model, caliper, and serial number
- The purchase price
- The sales date
Free Georgia Bill of Sale Forms
