Legal Templates

North Carolina Motorcycle Bill of Sale

Create a motorcycle bill of sale for North Carolina from an attorney-drafted template.

Updated April 19, 2023 | Legally reviewed by Susan Chai, Esq.

A North Carolina Motorcycle Bill of Sale is a bit like a receipt; it proves that a legal sales transaction has taken place between two parties concerning the motorcycle in question.

Table of Contents

What is a North Carolina Motorcycle Bill of Sale Form?

Overall, a North Carolina motorcycle bill of sale outlines relevant information about the buyer, seller, and motorcycle, and documents the transfer of ownership.

Note that both the buyer and seller will need to sign the bill of sale.

Is a Motorcycle Bill of Sale Form Required in North Carolina?

Title and registration with the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) are required before a motorcycle can be legally operated in North Carolina.

The required document to show proof of ownership is the motorcycle’s certificate of title. A bill of sale is not required but is still useful to show the change in ownership from the seller to the buyer.

Do You Need a Bill of Sale to Register a Motorcycle in North Carolina?

For registration with the DMV,  the motorcycle’s certificate of title is required.

A bill of sale is not needed to register a motorcycle in this state.

Registrations must be renewed annually and can be renewed online, by submitting the appropriate paperwork in the mail, or at a DMV license plate agency location in your area.

To transfer the title and complete registration, provide the following documentation:

Like many states, North Carolina requires proof that the owner has met the minimum liability insurance requirements at the time of registration.

The coverage requirements are at least $25,000  for property damage caused by the motorcycle, at least $30,000 in coverage for bodily injury to one person, and at least $60,000 for bodily injury to two or more people.

How Do I Transfer Ownership of a Motorcycle in North Carolina?

To transfer title (ownership) of a motorcycle, both parties must enter the appropriate information on the back of the original certificate of title.

The necessary details include the buyer’s name and address, the date of the sale, and the seller’s signature and hand-printed name.

Note that in some cases an odometer reading and a damage disclosure statement may be required. If that is the case, they will be attached to the title when everything is filed with the DMV.

At that point, the appropriate forms may be completed and all associated fees can be paid. The title and ownership of the motorcycle will then be transferred from the seller to the buyer.

Motorcycle Title Transfer With a Bill of Sale Only

The state of North Carolina does not allow someone to transfer a title with a bill of sale.

Other documents are required, including proof of residency, proof of liability insurance, and, in some cases, proof that property taxes on the motorcycle have been paid.

Does a North Carolina Motorcycle Bill of Sale Need to Be Notarized?

The state of North Carolina does not require a motorcycle bill of sale to be notarized.

However, notarization is recommended as it confirms that the signatures at the bottom of the form are valid and authentic.

Buying and Selling a Motorcycle in North Carolina

While every transaction is different, there are a number of key best practices you’ll want to keep in mind when dealing with something as significant as buying or selling a motorcycle.

Meeting with the Potential Buyer

First, the buyer and seller should meet in person before the transaction takes place.

This is a great way to make sure the seller is confident that they have found a serious buyer, thus avoiding the waste of anyone’s time.

Inspection and Negotiation

This in-person meeting is also an opportunity for the buyer to confirm that the motorcycle matches the description they were given, either online or in a printed advertisement.

Once both parties are satisfied, they can further negotiate things like the sale price and the date and time when ownership will be transferred.

How to Write a Motorcycle Bill of Sale in North Carolina

Writing a motorcycle bill of sale in North Carolina requires you to make sure that a number of key pieces of information are accounted for.

Step 1 – Fill in Buyer and Seller Information

The section at the top of the North Carolina motorcycle bill of sale includes spaces to print the full legal names of both the buyer and seller, along with their addresses and contact information.

Step 2 – Fill in Motorcycle Information

Next, you can fill out the part of the form that lists specifics about the motorcycle itself.

There are spaces available to go into more detail on the make, model, color, odometer reading and year.

You also need to enter the vehicle identification number (VIN).

Step 3 – Complete the Form

Finally, you can fill out the last section to finish your North Carolina motorcycle bill of sale.

There is space for additional terms of sale such as purchase price and payment method.

Once the form is completed, both the buyer and seller can print their names, sign, and date the appropriate lines at the bottom of the page.

Summary

By recording all of the pertinent details about such a significant transaction, a North Carolina motorcycle bill of sale helps protect both the buyer and seller in the event that something goes wrong.

So, if you’d like to make your own transaction easier, use our motorcycle bill of sale template.

North Carolina Motorcycle Bill of Sale Sample

Below is an example of a North Carolina motorcycle bill of sale.

north carolina motorcycle bill of sale