A Texas Bill of Sale is a form that acts as a receipt for a sale or trade of personal property between private individuals — a buyer and seller.
It documents the transfer of ownership of an item from one person to another, proving that the transfer was legal and agreed upon.
Bill of Sale – by Type (5)
Bill of Sale Requirements
You must have a bill of sale for all transactions involving selling or purchasing a Texas motor vehicle or boat but not for buying a gun. These documents are a record that the sales transaction taking place.
The seller must sign and date the bill of sale before a notary public.
A penalty of perjury statement is printed on each official vehicular bill of sale, indicating that falsifying information on such a form is considered a third-degree felony.
Committing perjury may result in jail time of up to a year or paying a fine of up to $4,000.
Information and Language
In Texas, you can legally draft your bill of sale for vehicles if you include all the pertinent information (as listed above). It is legal to prepare the document in another language.
Number of Copies
The buyer and the seller should each be given identical copies of the bill of sale. However, a third should be completed and printed because the DMV (for vehicles) or TPWD (for vessels) will require their copies.
Vehicle Registration Forms
- Application for Texas Certificate of Title,” or Form 130-U
- Bill of Sale with an Odometer Disclosure
- Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR)
- Application for a Certified Copy of Title (Form VTR-34) if a title is lost or destroyed
- All registrations fees
- Valid Driver’s License or State ID
- Proof of liability insurance
- If the sale takes place on a day when the county tax office is closed, and the seller has removed the license plate and/or sticker, a Vehicle Transfer Permit is required for you to drive the vehicle legally. It is only valid for five calendar days [1]
Boat Registration Forms
- Bill of Sale
- Boat Title and Registration Application (Form PWD 143)
- Proof of payment of all taxes and registration fees [2]
- Release of Lien (Form PWD 231) (if the vessel is subject to lien)
- Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (for new boats)
- Original title (if purchasing new)
- Verification of Vessel or Outboard Motor Serial Number (Form PWD 504) (if vessel previously registered out of state)
Sample
Below is an example of a Texas bill of sale form.
