Missouri bill of sale forms are used to document the legal sale of any personal property in the state of Missouri. A Missouri bill of sale serve as proof of ownership, and are also required for registering a vehicle or boat after purchase. Depending on the nature of the property being sold, your bill of sale may need to be notarized before it is signed by both parties and made official.
Table of Contents
- Missouri Bill of Sale Requirements
- Missouri Vehicle Bill of Sale
- Missouri Boat Bill of Sale
- Missouri Gun Bill of Sale
1. Missouri Bill of Sale Requirements
In Missouri, it is required by the state to report the sale of a vehicle within 30 days of the vehicle’s purchase. A bill of sale is typically used for this purpose, though it is not necessarily mandated otherwise. The state’s Department of Revenue (DOR) provides an official form on its website, though you can also create your own. Vessels in Missouri can also use the same form for the same purposes.
Language Requirements
The DOR does not provide bills of sale or any other forms in Spanish or any other languages. However, you may provide your own interpreter to translate bills of sale in any language that a party may understand, as long as any document being submitted to the state for official use is written in English.
Number of Copies
The number of copies necessary depends on whether or not you are using a bill of sale to report the sale of a vehicle. In this case, a copy must be filed with the DOR, and a copy should be made for each party. Otherwise, a copy for the seller and a copy for the buyer should suffice.
2. Missouri Vehicle Bill of Sale
A vehicle bill of sale must only be notarized in Missouri when they are used as documentation for a temporary permit or to show ownership of the major parts of a rebuilt vehicle. Any vehicle bill of sale should contain the following information:
- The names, contact information, and signatures of the buyer and seller
- The year, make, and model of the vehicle
- The vehicle identification number or VIN
- The title number
- The purchase price or information on any vehicle traded for your vehicle
- The purchase date
After Purchasing a Vehicle
Besides obtaining a proper bill of sale, there are many other steps that you must complete in order to register a vehicle or vessel in Missouri. Here is a complete rundown:
Dealership Sales
For buyers:
- Dealerships in Missouri will not register and title your vehicle for you. Instead, you will have to bring the manufacturer’s statement of origin to your local license office along with the items listed below that are required for the registration process.
- The dealer may obtain a temporary permit for your vehicle that is good for 30 days while you complete the registration and titling process.
Private Sales
For sellers:
- You must provide the buyer with a signed certificate of title with your name, the odometer reading, and the sale date printed in the assignment area, a safety inspection certificate that is less than 60 days old, an emissions inspection certificate, also under 60 days old, if you reside in the city of St. Louis or the counties of Franklin, Jefferson, St. Charles, or St. Louis, and a notarized lien release, or Form 4809, if applicable.
- You must remove your plates from the vehicle prior to the sale, whether they are valid or expired.
- You must report the sale of any vehicle to the DOR within 30 days of the transaction. You can do this by submitting either a Notice of Sale (Form 5049), or a Bill of Sale (Form 1957).
- If you are gifting the vehicle to the buyer, you must print the word “GIFT” in the sale price area of the certificate of title and submit a General Affidavit (Form 768) or a written statement indicating the vehicle’s gifted status. It does not require notarization.
For buyers:
- You have 30 days to title your vehicle after purchase as well as pay all applicable taxes. If you do not comply, there will be a title penalty of $25 imposed which increases by $25 dollars for every subsequent 30 day period you are late, with a maximum penalty of $200.
- To register and title your vehicle in Missouri, you must go to your local license office with your certificate of title signed by the seller, proof of ownership, which can include either a Bill of Sale (Form 1957) or Notice of Sale (Form 5049), an Application for Title and License, or Form 108, a safety inspection certificate, not more than 60 days old, unless the vehicle is less than 5 years old, proof of residence, proof of insurance, an emissions inspection certificate, if applicable (see above), a paid personal property tax receipt, or a statement of non-assessment from your county of residence, or the city of St. Louis, for the previous year, and a Number/Odometer Reading Inspection if the vehicle was originally from an another state or country.
- You must pay a sales tax of 4.225%, along with local sales tax based on your purchase price. The DOR provides an online calculator for estimating your sales tax. Additional fees include a title fee of $8.50, registration and license plate fees that vary depending on the vehicle’s horsepower and weight, a title processing fee of $2.50, a registration processing fee of $3.50, which is good for 1 year, or $7.00 for a 2-year registration.
3. Missouri Boat Bill of Sale
For a vessel, you may use the same official Bill of Sale form, Form 1957, or you may draft your own boat bill of sale. Whatever you choose, each document must feature the following:
- The names, contact information, and signatures of the buyer and seller
- The year the vessel was built, and the make and model of the vessel
- The hull identification number or HIN
- The title number
- The purchase price
- The purchase date
Many DOR forms in Missouri contain a penalty of perjury statement, though the official bill of sale does not. That said, the state does take perjury seriously, as stated in Mo. Rev. Stat. section 575.060, where it says, “A person commits the offense of making a false declaration if, with the purpose to mislead a public servant in the performance of his or her duty, such person… (s)ubmits any written false statement, which he or she does not believe to be true.” The punishment for perjury on state forms varies, but it is considered a Class D felony.
After Purchasing a Vessel
Private Sales
For buyers:
- In Missouri, you must title and register any vessel longer than 12 feet and all outboard motors except trolling and electric outboard motors. Exceptions include vessels that are amphibious, owned by residents of other states or countries that are housed and operated in the state for less than 60 consecutive days, owned by the United States government, propelled by oars or paddles, regardless of length, and sailboats less than 12 feet long. U.S. Coast Guard documented vessels only require titling, but not registration.
- You must register your vessel in Missouri within 60 days of purchase. If you do not comply, you must pay a title penalty of $10 on the 61st day. You will also have to pay an additional $10 each month you are late with $30 as the maximum amount charged.
- To title and register your vessel, you must submit the following documents to your local license office: the certificate of title, signed over to you by the seller, a Bill of Sale (Form 1957) or Notice of Sale (Form 5049) to prove ownership, an Application for Missouri Boat/Vessel or Outboard Motor Title and Registration (Form 93), and either a tax receipt showing payment of your property taxes, or a statement of non-assessment from either the city of St. Louis, if that’s where you reside, or the county in which you live.
- You must pay a sales tax of 4.225%, plus additional local sales tax, rated by your city or county of residence, but not the county where you purchased the vessel. You may use the sales tax calculator provided online to get a better estimate. Additional fees include the vessel title fee of $7.50, a decal fee based on the length of the vessel, with a replacement decal fee of $8.50, and a processing fee of $3.50.
- Once your vessel is registered, you will receive you “MO” number, your decals, and a pocket registration card. Your registration must be renewed every 3 years before June 30th in the year specified on the decal. You are not required to renew decals.
- You may purchase a temporary permit from the DOR to operate your vessel on Missouri’s waterways for up to 30 days. The temporary permit must expire prior to the 60th day after the purchase of the vessel. You will need to file a Special Permits application, or Form 1275, and purchase a Temporary Watercraft Certificate of Number for a fee of $8.50, which is a $5.00 permit fee plus a $3.50 processing fee.
4. Missouri Gun Bill of Sale
In Missouri, you are not required to register or obtain a permit for any handgun or shotgun. As such, you are not required to draft a bill of sale or submit one to the state. However, you may draft your own firearm bill of sale for your records. Your document should feature the following criteria:
- The buyer’s and seller’s names, contact information, and signatures
- The make, model, caliber, and serial number
- The purchase price
- The sales date