Bill of sale for a junk car

What a bill of sale is (and isn’t)

A bill of sale is a receipt for the vehicle. It records the deal: seller, buyer, vehicle, date and price. It’s evidence the sale happened and when.

It isn’t a title. Ownership of a titled car generally passes through the title: it’s signed over, and the buyer applies for a new one. Florida’s combined Notice of Sale and Bill of Sale form says so directly: ownership status won’t change until the buyer applies for and receives a certificate of title.¹

Bill of sale vs. title vs. release of liability

These three documents do different jobs, and when you junk a car you usually need all three:

Document	What it does	Who keeps or files it
Title (signed over)	Transfers ownership	Goes to the buyer, who applies for a new title or reports the vehicle for dismantling
Bill of sale	Proves the deal, date and price	Both sides keep a copy; some states require it for titling
Release of liability / notice of sale	Tells the state you no longer own the car	Seller files it with the DMV

Florida’s HSMV 82050 is one form that does two of these jobs. It’s a notice of sale and a bill of sale.¹

What to include

Use your state’s form if it has one. Otherwise, include everything New York requires on an acceptable bill of sale (year and make, VIN, date of sale, price, and the names and signatures of buyer and seller)², plus a few items that help when you’re junking a car:

Vehicle

• year, make, model and body type
• VIN, copied from the car (not just the paperwork)
• license plate number
• title number, if you have it

People

• seller’s printed name, address and signature (all owners, if more than one)
• buyer’s printed name or business name, address and signature
• driver license or dealer/license number, if the form asks (California’s REG 135 has a space for it)³

The deal

• date of sale
• sale price, or $0 for a gift²
• “sold as is” and, if true, “sold for parts or scrap”
• who is removing the vehicle, and when

Odometer reading, if the car isn’t exempt. Florida’s form includes a federal and state odometer statement that’s required for a motor vehicle.¹ Under federal rules, model-year 2011 and newer vehicles need a mileage disclosure until they are 20 years old. For a titled car, that disclosure belongs on the title itself.⁴ See how to sign over a car title.

Keep a copy, along with a photo of the signed title and the buyer’s ID or business card.

When states require one: three examples

New York requires it. The seller must sign a Vehicle Bill of Sale (Form MV-912), even when the car is a gift. The buyer gives the original to the DMV when titling and registering the car.² See New York junk car laws.

Florida combines it with the notice of sale. Form HSMV 82050 is a Notice of Sale (seller completes sections 1 and 3) and a Bill of Sale (seller and buyer complete sections 1, 2 when it applies, and 3). It’s submitted to the local tax collector’s office.¹ Sellers must notify the state of a sale within 30 days, so using this form covers both jobs.⁵ See Florida junk car laws.

California offers one, and needs it in specific cases. California’s Bill of Sale (REG 135) records the vehicle, the buyer, the price or gift value, and the seller’s signature under penalty of perjury.³ The DMV lists it among forms that may be needed for a title transfer.⁶ For salvage and other special transfers, its procedures ask for bills of sale where needed to complete the chain of ownership.⁷ See California junk car laws.

Other states range from “required” to “recommended”. See our junk car laws pages.

Why it matters more for a junk car

When a car is headed for the crusher, people tend to skip the paperwork. That’s when problems start:

• Proof of the sale date. If the car is abandoned, ticketed or misused before it’s destroyed, the bill of sale shows it was no longer yours. File your state’s release of liability as well.
• Price disputes. Junk car offers are sometimes renegotiated at pickup. Writing the agreed price, signed by both sides, settles what was agreed. See junk car scams.
• Taxes. If you ever need to show what you received, the bill of sale is your record. See taxes on selling a junk car.
• Missing title situations. Some state procedures for selling without a title ask for supporting documents. A bill of sale from when you bought the car can help. See sell a car without a title.

Simple template

If your state has no form, a one-page document with these lines works:

I, [seller name], of [address], sell and transfer the following vehicle to [buyer name / business], of [address], on [date], for $[amount].

Year / make / model: ______ · VIN: ______ · Plate: ______ · Title no.: ______

Odometer reading (if required): ______ miles. Sold as is, for parts or scrap.

Seller signature / printed name / date · Buyer signature / printed name / date

References

1. Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Form HSMV 82050, “Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, Off-Highway Vehicle or Vessel”, https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/forms/82050.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

2. New York State DMV, “Buy, sell, or transfer vehicle ownership”, https://dmv.ny.gov/titles/buy-sell-or-transfer-vehicle-ownership ↩ ↩² ↩³

3. California DMV, “Bill of Sale (REG 135)”, https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/file/bill-of-sale-reg-135-pdf/ ↩ ↩²

4. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, “49 CFR Part 580: Odometer Disclosure Requirements” (§§ 580.5 and 580.17), https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-V/part-580 ↩

5. Florida Statutes, s. 319.22, “Transfer of title”, http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0319/Sections/0319.22.html ↩

6. California DMV, “Title Transfers and Changes”, https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/titles/title-transfers-and-changes/ ↩

7. California DMV, Vehicle Industry Registration Procedures Manual, “19.075 Salvage Certificate”, https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/vehicle-industry-registration-procedures-manual-2/salvage-nonrepairable-junk-vehicles/salvage-certificate/ ↩