A Tennessee bill of sale is a form that records a sale or trade of personal property between a buyer and a seller. Like a receipt, a bill of sale verifies the transfer of ownership of an item from one person to another and proves that the transfer was legal and agreed upon. You should use a bill of sale in the state of Tennessee whenever buying or selling a car (or any type of vehicle), a boat, a firearm, or an animal such as a horse.
Types of Bill of Sale
Tennessee Bill of Sale Requirements
In Tennessee, a bill of sale is not required to sell or purchase a vehicle or firearm, but it is required to sell, purchase, and register a vessel. There is no official form for vehicles provided by the Tennessee Department of Revenue (DOR) website, but the Tennessee County Clerk provides a form for vessels. It is still a good idea to have a bill of sale for vehicles and firearms as a record of the sales transaction.
Language Requirements
Bill of sale and other DOR and TWRA forms do not come in different languages in Tennessee, but parties to the document may use an interpreter to translate the form and the parties’ answers. The completed translation must be accompanied by a Certificate of Accurate Translation to be considered valid.
Number of Copies
You need at least three copies of a vessel bill of sale since the state requires one, and the buyer and seller should each have a copy. However, for a vehicle bill of sale, which is not required by the state, a copy for each party should suffice.
Tennessee Vehicle Bill of Sale Requirements
You can draft a bill of sale for a car or other vehicle by hand in Tennessee, and it does not need to be notarized. Just be sure your vehicle bill of sale contains the following information:
- The buyer’s and seller’s names, contact information, and signatures
- The make, model, and year of the vehicle
- The purchase date
- The sales price
- The vehicle identification number (VIN)
After Purchasing a Vehicle
In addition to a bill of sale, there are many other documents that need to be completed and submitted in order to register a vehicle in Tennessee. Here is a checklist:
Dealership Sales
For buyers:
- You must visit the local county clerk’s office to register and title your vehicle in Tennessee. The dealer is not permitted to do this for you.
- You must go to your local county clerk’s office and submit the manufacturer’s certificate of origin, along with the new vehicle invoice from the dealer, valid proof of identification, proof of residency, and payment of all applicable fees and taxes.
- You must submit your old vehicle’s registration if you plan to transfer plates to your new vehicle.
Private Sales
For sellers:
- You must fill out the seller-appropriate areas of the certificate of title and sign it over to the buyer.
- If the vehicle is less than ten years old, you must fill out the odometer disclosure statement or Form RV-F1317001.
- Provide the name and contact information of the lien holder to the buyer (if applicable).
For buyers:
- Some counties may require emissions testing, which you must complete before the titling and registration process. You will have to visit or call your local county clerk’s office to see if emissions testing is mandatory where you live. You must pay the county clerk in advance for testing.
- The DOR allows you to title and register a vehicle simultaneously since the process is the same. You must provide the local county clerk with your emission paperwork (if applicable), an odometer disclosure statement, or Form RV-F1317001 for any vehicle under ten years old, the current registration, a valid certificate of title completed by the seller, proof of identification, proof of residence, and payment for all applicable fees and taxes. Insurance is not required at the time of registration and titling.
- If your vehicle was purchased from or is a gift from your spouse or a lineal relative, you will not have to pay sales or use tax.
- If any of the required titling or registration documents are unavailable, you can obtain a temporary vehicle permit for 30 days to locate the paperwork. To apply, you need to provide your Tennessee license, ownership documents for your vehicle, an Application for Temporary Operation Permit, or Form RV-F1314401, and the $10 fee.
- If you are active military, and you live in another state but are stationed in Tennessee, you are not required to re-register your vehicle in the state, as long as your registration and insurance remain current in your home state. You are also exempt from all Tennessee sales and use tax.
Tennessee Boat Bill of Sale Requirements
A boat bill of sale is required for all vessel transfers between private parties in Tennessee. Your boat bill of sale must include the following criteria:
- A full description of the vessel, including colors and the hull material
- The buyer’s and seller’s names, contact information, and signatures
- The purchase date
- The sales price
- The make, make, and year built
- The hull identification number (HIN)
- Motor and trailer information (if applicable)
Some forms provided by the Tennessee Department of Revenue contain a penalty of perjury; however, since there is no official vehicle bill of sale form, you can choose whether or not you would like to include one on your form at your discretion. However, the state takes perjury on DOR forms seriously, as indicated by Tennessee Code 55-12-135, when it states, “Any person who knowingly submits a false statement under oath to the commissioner commits perjury and shall be subject to the penalties therefor.
The commissioner may, upon determining from the records that a person has knowingly made a false statement, suspend the person’s driver license for a period not to exceed six (6) months.”
After Purchasing a Vessel
Dealership sales:
For buyers:
- If you buy your vessel from a dealership, they will likely complete most of the registration process for you.
- If you do have to complete the registration process by yourself, you will need a registration application provided by the dealership, and they will have to stamp your application to prove that your sales tax was paid.
- You must pay the applicable registration fees and submit all paperwork as detailed below.
Private sales:
For sellers:
- Since Tennessee vessels do not require titling, you must pass along to the buyer another document to prove ownership, such as a bill of sale, a previous registration, or an out-of-state title.
For buyers:
- All mechanically or electrically propelled vessels and all sailboats that operate on the waters of Tennessee for more than 60 days must be registered with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). Registration may be completed in person at your local county clerk’s office, by mail, or online. Vessels do not require titling.
- The exceptions to vessel registration include boats propelled by oars or paddles, boats registered in other states and countries that operate on state waters for less than 60 days, and sailboats from states that do not require numbering that is not operating on Tennessee waters for their principal use.
- To register your vessel, you will need a certified Application for Boat Certificate of Number (issued once the sales tax is paid and not available online), a bill of sale, or other proof of ownership, such as an invoice, certificate of origin, sales receipt, or a previous registration or previous out-of-state title, photos of vessels built after 1972 where the HIN is no longer affixed or not in proper US Coast Guard format, and payment for all applicable fees and taxes. You will be given a temporary yellow registration valid for 60 days while your paperwork is processed.
- The amount paid for taxes varies depending on the county that you live in. There may also be a certification fee. Tax is usually determined as a percentage (the state average is 7%) of the fair market value of the boat on the date that it was moved to Tennessee. The local county clerk will stamp your application as proof of payment. If your vessel has never been registered in Tennessee, you must provide documentation that sales tax was paid in the state where it was formerly registered, or you must pay Tennessee sales tax.
- Registration fees are as follows for vessels in Tennessee:
- 16 feet or less
- 1 year: $13, 2 years: $24, 3 years: $35
- 16 feet to 26 feet
- 1 year: $25, 2 years: $48, 3 years: $71
- 26 feet to 40 feet
- 1 year: $38, 2 years: $72, 3 years: $107
- 40 feet or more
- 1 year: $51, 2 years: $97, 3 years: $142
- Duplicate registration card or decals: $6
Tennessee Gun Bill of Sale Requirements
In Tennessee, firearm permits and registration are not required. Because of this, the state does not require a firearm bill of sale, and there are no official forms.
A firearm bill of sale should include the following information:
- The buyers’ and sellers’ names, contact information, and signatures
- The make, model, caliber, and serial number
- The sales date
- The purchase price
Free Tennessee Bill of Sale Forms
