California Bill of Sale (CA)
A free blank California bill of sale template for selling a car, truck or van, as a fillable PDF or a Word file, with what California government sources say about the sale.
- Whether California requires a bill of sale depends on the case. Details and source
- The California Department of Motor Vehicles' bill of sale form is REG 135 (Bill of Sale). Details and source
- California does not require a bill of sale to be notarized. Details and source
Forms for a California sale
California's official form
REG 135: Bill of Sale (opens in a new tab)Official form from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (external site). We don't accept or file forms.
Our blank template
The template is created in your browser, and nothing you type is sent to us.
We don't claim that the California Department of Motor Vehicles accepts this template. What its pages say about a bill of sale on other paper is above.
Last checked against the sources below on September 27, 2026. Rules can change, so confirm with the California Department of Motor Vehicles before you file.
This page covers selling a car, truck or van in California. Other items have national templates, which don't cover state rules.
After the sale in California
What the sources say happens after the sale. A step is marked Seller or Buyer where its source names that party, and each step links to its source.
- Generally, license plates remain with the vehicle they were issued to. When someone selling a vehicle wants to keep its personalized or special interest plates, the DMV says the plates should be removed from the vehicle prior to the new owner taking possession. Source: dmv.ca.gov: license-plates (opens in a new tab), dmv.ca.gov: how-to-obtain-personalized-and-special-interest-license-plates (opens in a new tab)
- Seller Sellers must notify the DMV of the sale within 5 days, on form REG 138 (Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability) or online. The DMV says this does not count as a transfer of ownership. Source: dmv.ca.gov: notice-of-transfer-and-release-of-liability-nrl (opens in a new tab), dmv.ca.gov: title-transfers-and-changes (opens in a new tab)
- Buyer The buyer has 10 days after the purchase to transfer ownership, by mail or at a DMV field office. The transfer fee is typically $15 to $28, and the DMV's checklist lists other amounts to pay. Source: dmv.ca.gov: registering-a-vehicle-purchased-from-a-private-party (opens in a new tab), dmv.ca.gov: standard_title_transfer_checklist-pdf (opens in a new tab)
- A vehicle bought from a private party for use in California is subject to use tax unless an exemption or exclusion applies, and it is generally paid when the vehicle is registered with the DMV. Source: cdtfa.ca.gov: vehicles (opens in a new tab)
What's different in California
In California the buyer has 10 days after purchasing the vehicle to transfer ownership, by mail to the DMV or at a DMV field office, and the transfer fee is typically $15 to $28. The DMV's standard title transfer checklist also puts use tax on its list of what to pay, and registration fees where the vehicle's registration has expired or is near expiration. The seller's deadline is shorter. Sellers are required by law to notify the DMV within 5 days, with a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability filed online or on the paper form REG 138, and the DMV says submitting it does not count as a transfer of ownership.
The DMV publishes its own bill of sale, REG 135, and its manual says “any bill of sale that identifies the vehicle/vessel is acceptable.”
A bill of sale does not have to be notarized or witnessed; on REG 135 the seller certifies the details under penalty of perjury. Where the title has no line for the mileage, buyer and seller record it on form REG 262 and both sign it, and the seller's notice also asks for the odometer reading on the date of sale. Generally, license plates remain with the vehicle they were issued to. Certain types of plates (personalized environmental, special recognition, or special interest) can be reassigned to another vehicle upon request by the owner and payment of appropriate fees. A blank vehicle bill of sale is on this page too.
California rules at a glance
| Topic | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bill of sale required | A bill of sale is required in some cases in California. The DMV asks for a bill of sale signed by both the seller and the person named on the title when the seller is not that person; its standard title transfer checklist also lists a Bill of Sale (REG 135) to record the purchase price and date. | dmv.ca.gov: registering-a-vehicle-purchased-from-a-private-party (opens in a new tab) dmv.ca.gov: standard_title_transfer_checklist-pdf (opens in a new tab) |
| Agency form | The California Department of Motor Vehicles' bill of sale form is REG 135 (Bill of Sale). The DMV's manual says “any bill of sale that identifies the vehicle/vessel is acceptable.” | dmv.ca.gov: bill-of-sale (opens in a new tab) |
| Notarization | California does not require a bill of sale to be notarized. On the DMV's own Bill of Sale (REG 135), the seller certifies the details under penalty of perjury. | dmv.ca.gov: bill-of-sale (opens in a new tab) dmv.ca.gov: bill-of-sale-reg-135-pdf (opens in a new tab) |
| Odometer disclosure | If the title has no line for the mileage, the buyer and seller record it on a Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment form (REG 262), which both of them sign. The seller's Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability also asks for the odometer reading as of the sale date. | dmv.ca.gov: registering-a-vehicle-purchased-from-a-private-party (opens in a new tab) dmv.ca.gov: notice-of-transfer-and-release-of-liability-nrl (opens in a new tab) |
| Title transfer | Title transfers in California are handled by the DMV, by mail or at a DMV field office. The fee is typically $15 to $28, and the DMV's title transfer checklist lists other amounts to pay. The deadline is 10 days. The 10 days run from the purchase of the vehicle. | dmv.ca.gov: registering-a-vehicle-purchased-from-a-private-party (opens in a new tab) dmv.ca.gov: standard_title_transfer_checklist-pdf (opens in a new tab) |
| Sales tax | A vehicle bought from a private party for use in California is subject to use tax unless an exemption or exclusion applies, and it is generally paid when the vehicle is registered with the DMV. The use tax rate is the sales tax rate for the address where the vehicle is registered, applied to the total purchase price. | cdtfa.ca.gov: vehicles (opens in a new tab) |
| License plates | Generally, license plates remain with the vehicle they were issued to. Certain types of plates (personalized environmental, special recognition, or special interest) can be reassigned to another vehicle upon request by the owner and payment of appropriate fees. When someone selling a vehicle wants to keep its personalized or special interest license plates, the DMV says the plates “should be removed from the vehicle prior to the new owner taking possession.” | dmv.ca.gov: license-plates (opens in a new tab) dmv.ca.gov: how-to-obtain-personalized-and-special-interest-license-plates (opens in a new tab) |
| Notice of sale | Sellers must notify the California Department of Motor Vehicles of the sale on form REG 138 (Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability) within 5 days. The notice can also be filed online, and the DMV says submitting it does not count as a transfer of ownership. | dmv.ca.gov: notice-of-transfer-and-release-of-liability-nrl (opens in a new tab) dmv.ca.gov: title-transfers-and-changes (opens in a new tab) |
What the template looks like
Vehicle Bill of Sale
This document records the sale of the vehicle described below.
Seller
Seller's full name:
Seller's address:
Seller's phone or email:
Second seller's full name, if there is one:
Buyer
Buyer's full name:
Buyer's address:
Buyer's phone or email:
Second buyer's full name, if there is one:
Show the whole template
Vehicle
Year, make and model:
Body type and color:
VIN:
License plate number:
Title number:
Odometer reading (miles, no tenths):
Odometer status (write one: actual mileage; exceeds mechanical limits; not the actual mileage):
The odometer reading and status in this bill of sale are the buyer's and the seller's own record. They do not replace the odometer disclosure that the federal rule (49 CFR 580.5) or the state asks for.
Condition as described by the seller:
Sale
Sale price:
Date of sale:
Method of payment:
The seller sells the vehicle to the buyer for the price above. The seller states that the odometer reading is as written above.
Anything else the parties agree on:
Place and date of signing:
Seller's signature and printed name
Second seller's signature and printed name, if there is one
Buyer's signature and printed name
Second buyer's signature and printed name, if there is one
California bill of sale questions
Does a California bill of sale have to be notarized?
No. The DMV says a bill of sale is not required to be notarized or witnessed. On its own form, REG 135, the seller certifies the details under penalty of perjury.
How long does a California seller have to report the sale?
Five days. Sellers are required by law to notify the DMV within 5 calendar days, with a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability filed online or on form REG 138.
When does the California DMV ask for a bill of sale?
When the seller is not the owner whose name is on the title. A bill of sale signed by both the seller and the person whose name appears on the title is then needed. The DMV's standard title transfer checklist also lists REG 135 for recording the purchase price and date.
What tax is due on a private-party vehicle purchase in California?
Use tax, unless an exemption or exclusion applies. The rate is the sales tax rate for the address where the vehicle is registered, it applies to the total purchase price, and it is generally paid when the vehicle is registered with the DMV.
Sources
Last checked against the sources below on September 27, 2026. Rules can change, so confirm with the California Department of Motor Vehicles before you file.
- dmv.ca.gov: registering-a-vehicle-purchased-from-a-private-party (opens in a new tab)
- dmv.ca.gov: standard_title_transfer_checklist-pdf (opens in a new tab)
- dmv.ca.gov: bill-of-sale (opens in a new tab)
- dmv.ca.gov: bill-of-sale-reg-135-pdf (opens in a new tab)
- dmv.ca.gov: notice-of-transfer-and-release-of-liability-nrl (opens in a new tab)
- cdtfa.ca.gov: vehicles (opens in a new tab)
- dmv.ca.gov: license-plates (opens in a new tab)
- dmv.ca.gov: how-to-obtain-personalized-and-special-interest-license-plates (opens in a new tab)
- dmv.ca.gov: title-transfers-and-changes (opens in a new tab)