What to put on a used-car bill of sale

The core of every bill of sale

• Parties: full legal names and addresses of the dealership and the buyer.
• Vehicle: year, make, model, VIN, colour, stock number and the odometer reading in miles or kilometres.
• Date: the date of sale and, where relevant, delivery.
• Price: the vehicle price, then each fee, warranty or accessory on its own line.
• Taxes: each tax shown separately with its rate.
• Trade-in and deposit: the allowance, any lien payout, and money already received.
• Condition and warranty: an as-is statement or the warranty terms offered.
• Signatures: both parties, with printed names.

Where it gets regulated

Dealer sales are held to a higher standard than private ones. Some regions prescribe the content or even the form, require disclosure of the vehicle's history, or specify how as-is sales may be described. For example, Ontario dealers work with the UCDA and OMVIC, Alberta dealers with AMVIC, and British Columbia dealers with the VSA. Dealer Garage includes a template for each province and territory; see dealer paperwork by region.

Mistakes to avoid

• Leaving the odometer blank or writing the wrong unit.
• Rolling fees into the price instead of listing them.
• Not giving the buyer a copy.
• Using a generic form where your region requires its own.

Making it quicker

Re-typing the same names and VINs onto forms is where errors creep in. Dealer Garage builds the bill of sale from the deal so the numbers match everywhere. See the bill of sale feature.

A short checklist for the desk

1. Names and addresses match the IDs.
2. VIN and odometer match the car.
3. Price, each fee and each tax listed separately.
4. Trade-in, deposit and balance shown.
5. Warranty or as-is wording matches the other documents.
6. Both signatures and the date.
7. A copy handed over.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state, province and territory and change over time; confirm what applies to you with your regulator or a qualified adviser.