It is important to complete an auto bill of sale form when selling or buying a used car. For the seller, an auto bill of sale form provides proof that title to the used car has been legally transferred. For the buyer, the auto bill of sale form documents the purchase of the used car. The auto bill of sale form should contain:

1. name and address of the buyer;
2. name, address and signature of the seller;
3. complete vehicle description, including the Vehicle Identification Number(VIN);
4. description of trade-in, if any;
5. purchase price of the vehicle.

Auto bill of sale forms are required in many states to register the newly purchased used car. These states usually require a state specific auto bill of sale form that documents specific information such as the purchase price for tax assessment or to obtain the actual mileage/odometer reading of the used car. A generic auto bill of sale form will not be accepted in these states. You will need to obtain a state specific auto bill of sale form.

To register a used car in other states, all that's required is that the title assignment section on the title be completed and signed. Many of these states have added to the title assignment section of the title the information that was previously collected with separate documents (i.e. odometer disclosure statement, sales price/tax statements, etc.). In these states, an auto bill of sale form is not required to register the used car and is used by the seller/buyer to document the initial sale/purchase of the automobile.