Washington Bill of Sale (WA)
A free blank Washington bill of sale template for selling a car, truck or van, as a fillable PDF or a Word file, with what Washington government sources say about the sale.
- The Washington State Department of Licensing's bill of sale form is TD-420-065 (Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale). Source
Forms for a Washington sale
Washington's official form
TD-420-065: Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale (opens in a new tab)Official form from the Washington State Department of Licensing (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 couldn't confirm what the Washington State Department of Licensing accepts as a bill of sale. If that matters for your sale, confirm it with the Washington State Department of Licensing.
We could not confirm in a Washington government source whether a bill of sale is required to transfer a vehicle title, or whether it has to be notarized. That does not mean the answer is no.
Last checked against the sources below on September 27, 2026. Rules can change, so confirm with the Washington State Department of Licensing before you file.
This page covers selling a car, truck or van in Washington. Other items have national templates, which don't cover state rules.
After the sale in Washington
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.
- Seller The Department of Licensing says,
“As the seller, you are legally obligated to remove the license plates from your vehicle.”
Source: dol.wa.gov: sell-vehicle (opens in a new tab) - An owner must give written notice within five business days after the sale, under RCW 46.12.650, to the Department of Licensing, a county auditor or other agent, or a subagent appointed by the director of licensing. Source: app.leg.wa.gov: 46.12.650 (opens in a new tab), dol.wa.gov: 420062 (opens in a new tab), app.leg.wa.gov: 46.04.162 (opens in a new tab), app.leg.wa.gov: 46.04.163 (opens in a new tab)
- Within 15 days of delivery of the vehicle, a person who has recently acquired it must apply for a new certificate of title. Source: app.leg.wa.gov: 46.12.650 (opens in a new tab), app.leg.wa.gov: 46.04.162 (opens in a new tab), app.leg.wa.gov: 46.04.163 (opens in a new tab)
- Use tax applies when the vehicle is registered with the Department of Licensing if sales tax was not paid at purchase, which the Department of Revenue says occurs when a vehicle is purchased from a private party. The state rate is 6.5%, plus the local use tax rate. Source: dor.wa.gov: motor-vehicle-salesuse-tax (opens in a new tab), dor.wa.gov: use-tax (opens in a new tab)
What's different in Washington
RCW 46.12.650 sets two deadlines. An owner must notify the Department of Licensing, a county auditor or other agent, or a subagent appointed by the director of licensing in writing within five business days after a vehicle is sold, and a person who has recently acquired a vehicle by purchase, exchange, gift, lease, inheritance, or legal action has 15 days from delivery of the vehicle to apply for a new certificate of title. RCW 46.12.665 requires a written odometer disclosure statement with every application for a certificate of title for a motor vehicle. The Department of Revenue says use tax applies at registration with the Department of Licensing if sales tax was not paid at the time of purchase, and that this occurs when a vehicle is purchased from a private party. Use tax is the state rate of 6.5% plus the local use tax rate.
The Department of Licensing publishes its own bill of sale, form TD-420-065, Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale, and a blank vehicle bill of sale is on this page as well. The motor vehicle sales/use tax, an additional tax on all retail sales, leases and transfers of motor vehicles, is 0.5% from January 1, 2026.
Washington rules at a glance
| Topic | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Agency form | The Washington State Department of Licensing's bill of sale form is TD-420-065 (Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale). | dol.wa.gov: buy-and-register-vehicle (opens in a new tab) dol.wa.gov: 420065 (opens in a new tab) |
| Odometer disclosure | The Department of Licensing, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director of licensing shall require a written odometer disclosure statement with every application for a certificate of title for a motor vehicle. The odometer disclosure statement must be on either the certificate of title or on a separate form approved by the Department of Licensing. A secure odometer disclosure statement is required if the certificate of title was issued after April 30, 1990. A motor vehicle having a declared gross vehicle weight of more than 16,000 pounds, a vehicle that is not self-propelled and a motor vehicle that has a model year of 2010 or older are not subject to odometer disclosure requirements at the time of ownership transfer. | app.leg.wa.gov: 46.12.665 (opens in a new tab) app.leg.wa.gov: 46.04.162 (opens in a new tab) app.leg.wa.gov: 46.04.163 (opens in a new tab) |
| Title transfer | Title transfers in Washington are handled by the Department of Licensing, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director of licensing. The deadline is 15 days. The 15 days run from delivery of the vehicle. | app.leg.wa.gov: 46.12.650 (opens in a new tab) app.leg.wa.gov: 46.04.162 (opens in a new tab) app.leg.wa.gov: 46.04.163 (opens in a new tab) |
| Sales tax | The Washington Department of Revenue says, “If sales tax was not paid at the time of purchase, use tax applies at the time the vehicle is registered with the Department of Licensing. This occurs when a vehicle is purchased from a private party or purchased outside of Washington.”Its use tax page says, “Use tax is made of the state rate (6.5%) plus the local use tax rate.”The motor vehicle sales/use tax, “an additional tax on all retail sales, leases and transfers of motor vehicles,”is 0.5% effective January 1, 2026. | dor.wa.gov: motor-vehicle-salesuse-tax (opens in a new tab) dor.wa.gov: use-tax (opens in a new tab) |
| License plates | The Washington DOL says, “As the seller, you are legally obligated to remove the license plates from your vehicle.” | dol.wa.gov: sell-vehicle (opens in a new tab) |
| Notice of sale | The Washington State Department of Licensing must be notified of the sale. RCW 46.12.650 sets the time as “within five business days after a vehicle is or has been”sold. DOL's form TD-420-062, the Vehicle Report of Sale, says, “Use this form to notify Department of Licensing (DOL) that you have sold, traded, or given up ownership of a car, truck, motorcycle, trailer, or other registered vehicle.” | app.leg.wa.gov: 46.12.650 (opens in a new tab) dol.wa.gov: 420062 (opens in a new tab) app.leg.wa.gov: 46.04.162 (opens in a new tab) app.leg.wa.gov: 46.04.163 (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
Washington bill of sale questions
How many days does a Washington owner have to report a sale?
Five business days. Under RCW 46.12.650, an owner must notify the Department of Licensing, a county auditor or other agent, or a subagent appointed by the director of licensing in writing within five business days after a vehicle is or has been sold.
How long is there to apply for a new Washington title?
15 days from delivery of the vehicle. RCW 46.12.650 says a person who has recently acquired a vehicle by purchase, exchange, gift, lease, inheritance, or legal action shall apply for a new certificate of title within 15 days of delivery of the vehicle.
Who removes the license plates when a vehicle is sold in Washington?
The seller. The Department of Licensing's page on selling a vehicle says, “As the seller, you are legally obligated to remove the license plates from your vehicle.”
What tax is due on a vehicle purchased from a private party in Washington?
Use tax. The Department of Revenue says that if sales tax was not paid at the time of purchase, use tax applies at the time the vehicle is registered with the Department of Licensing, and that this occurs when a vehicle is purchased from a private party. Use tax is made of the state rate (6.5%) plus the local use tax rate, and the motor vehicle sales/use tax, 0.5% effective January 1, 2026, is an additional tax on all retail sales, leases and transfers of motor vehicles.
Sources
Last checked against the sources below on September 27, 2026. Rules can change, so confirm with the Washington State Department of Licensing before you file.
- dol.wa.gov: buy-and-register-vehicle (opens in a new tab)
- dol.wa.gov: 420065 (opens in a new tab)
- app.leg.wa.gov: 46.12.665 (opens in a new tab)
- app.leg.wa.gov: 46.04.162 (opens in a new tab)
- app.leg.wa.gov: 46.04.163 (opens in a new tab)
- app.leg.wa.gov: 46.12.650 (opens in a new tab)
- dor.wa.gov: motor-vehicle-salesuse-tax (opens in a new tab)
- dor.wa.gov: use-tax (opens in a new tab)
- dol.wa.gov: sell-vehicle (opens in a new tab)
- dol.wa.gov: 420062 (opens in a new tab)