Virginia Bill of Sale
A Virginia bill of sale should include the final sale price, date of sale, buyer and seller’s information, and vehicle information.
Written by Hillary Kobayashi
Reviewed by Carrie Adkins
A
Virginia
bill of sale should include the final sale price, date of sale, buyer and seller’s information plus their signatures, and vehicle information. A bill of sale is an important document to have on hand while participating in a private vehicle sale. While you’re not required by law to draft a bill of sale in every state, it’s always a good idea to complete one as a record of the transaction.
What is a bill of sale?
A bill of sale is pretty much a receipt for the private sale of a car. It includes important information about the car that is being sold, including the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), odometer reading, and purchase price.
The bill of sale will also include information about the buyer and seller along with their signatures.
A bill of sale does not legally transfer ownership of a vehicle—only transferring the
certificate of title
does that. A certificate of title certifies legal ownership of the car, while a bill of sale simply states the terms of your agreement in a private car sale. Is a bill of sale required in Virginia?
No, Virginia does not legally require private sellers to draft a bill of sale. That being said, preparing a bill of sale is still a good idea, especially because the buyer will need to show proof of the vehicle’s purchase price to the DMV when they title and register the car.
While a bill of sale is not legally required, you might as well fill one out for this purpose. It’s also a good idea to have one for your own records.
What is required in a Virginia bill of sale?
The state of Virginia does not provide an official bill of sale document, but you can use the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles’
Vehicle Price Certification
form.Otherwise, you can prepare a handwritten or generic bill of sale that includes the following information:
- Final sale price
- Names and signatures of both the buyer and seller
- Contact information of both the buyer and seller, including addresses and phone numbers
- Full vehicle description, including make, model, body type, color, year, and odometer reading
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Date of sale
What should I do after I get a bill of sale?
After you finish the bill of sale, you’ll need to complete a
title transfer
to legally transfer ownership of the car from the seller to the buyer. Keep in mind that a bill of sale merely acts as a receipt of the transaction; it does not legally transfer ownership of the car.
Make sure you follow Virginia’s regulations for ownership transfer. If you sold the car, you might have to head to the DMV to report the sale and turn in or terminate your license plates. If you bought the car, you’ll need to register it with the DMV and pick up new license plates.
Keep a copy of the bill of sale for your records. If you run into a legal dispute somewhere down the road, and you’ll want a copy of the bill of sale as proof of the terms of your agreement with the other party.
“Jerryis my new best friend. It was a smooth transaction, and I got the insurance I need to finally purchase my new car!” —JP C.
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