What Is a Trailer Bill of Sale?
A trailer bill of sale documents the transfer of ownership of a trailer from the seller to the buyer. It lists key details about the trailer itself, including the trailer’s make, model, year, and VIN or serial number. This document is also a reference point for the sale price, payment method, and date of sale.
Both parties can use this form as proof that the trailer was sold under agreed-upon terms. It also provides the supporting documentation needed to register or title the trailer with the buyer’s state.
Legal Templates’s free trailer bill of sale has the necessary sections and terms for a valid record of a sale. Use our forms to verify the transfer of ownership for your trailer.
Types of Trailers to Include in Your Bill of Sale
Use a trailer bill of sale to document the sale of the following types of trailers:
- Utility trailers: Utility trailers are open-top trailers, often used to move furniture or haul garden supplies.
- Enclosed trailers: Enclosed trailers have coverings that protect the cargo inside from the weather and road elements.
- Boat trailers: Boat trailers contain special features to transport boats safely.
- Dump trailers: Dump trailers include hydraulic lifts to transport and dump materials like gravel and dirt.
- Flatbed trailers: Flatbed trailers are flat and open to transport oversized items that don’t fit in standard trailers.
If you want to document a change of ownership involving a motor vehicle that doesn’t fit the description of a trailer, you can use a vehicle bill of sale form.
Trailer Bill of Sale Forms – By State
State requirements for titling, registering, and transferring trailers can vary depending on the state where the sale occurs. Use the table below for state-specific trailer bill of sale templates.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
How to Write a Bill of Sale for a Trailer
Writing a trailer bill of sale document requires you to clearly and accurately record the terms. Create an effective trailer bill of sale with the following steps:
- Gather buyer and seller information: Provide the names, addresses, and phone numbers of both the buyer and seller. Identify each party and their role in the transaction.
- Describe the trailer: Include the make, model, year, width, weight, deck size, vehicle identification number (VIN), and license plate for the trailer being transferred. You can also provide the hitch type, load capacity, axle rating, tongue weight, and frame material.
- Note any add-ons: Some trailers may come with add-ons, like a ramp gate, side rails, tie-down points, spare tires, a jack, or a toolbox mounted on the tongue. Specify these add-ons to ensure the buyer knows what they’re getting.
- Outline the trailer condition: Mark whether the trailer is in new, excellent, very good, good, or fair condition. You can also include specific notes on the condition or additional documents, such as an odometer disclosure statement.
- Define the terms of the sale: Note whether the trailer is a gift, and provide information about the buyer’s payment method, warranties, and the date of the sale. If no warranties are included, state that the trailer is being sold as-is.
- Sign and notarize the form: Once the terms have been recorded, both the buyer and seller must sign the bill of sale. Some states may also require a witness or a notary acknowledgment for the document to be considered valid.
Sample Trailer Bill of Sale
Legal Templates’s free trailer bill of sale form offers a customizable template for a buyer and seller to document their transaction. Download our template, available in PDF and Word format, to create proof of your sale.
