Brixaz

Virginia · Paperwork

Virginia bill of sale — requirements and free generator

Virginia builds the bill of sale directly into its tax math. The DMV collects a 4.15% motor vehicle Sales and Use Tax (SUT) — minimum $75 — on the sale price every time a vehicle changes hands, so the price has to be documented somewhere the DMV trusts. First choice is the title itself: the seller fills in the buyer’s name and address, the exact odometer reading ("do not guess or estimate"), the date, and the sale price or the word "gift". If the price is missing or wrong on a vehicle more than 5 years old, the DMV accepts a handwritten bill of sale signed by both parties or Form SUT 1 (Vehicle Price Certification). Newer vehicles get stricter treatment: less than 5 years old (based on model year) and priced more than $1,500 off the N.A.D.A. trade-in value means a sworn SUT 1A affidavit. Under Va. Code § 46.2-628 the seller hands over the endorsed title when the vehicle is delivered — willfully failing to is a Class 3 misdemeanor — and the buyer must title before driving, with Virginia residents applying within 30 days.

Not legal advice — general information for Virginia. Last reviewed: July 2026.

Virginia: bill of sale — required in some cases · notarization: not required

Needed as price proof when the title price is missing or wrong (vehicles over 5 years old: handwritten bill of sale or Form SUT 1). Vehicles less than 5 years old (by model year) priced $1,500+ off NADA trade-in value need the SUT 1A affidavit. 4.15% SUT (min $75) at titling.

Official state form: SUT 1 (Vehicle Price Certification) — for DMV title/registration paperwork, use the official form; keep this generated document as your signed record of the deal.

Selling this car? Reach local buyers free

Everything runs in your browser — names, addresses, and prices are never saved on Brixaz servers. This is general information, not legal advice.

Live preview — updates as you type

MOTOR VEHICLE BILL OF SALE

State of Virginia

1. The Parties. This Bill of Sale is made effective as of ______________________ (the “Sale Date”) by and between ______________________, with a mailing address of ________________________________________ (the “Seller”), and ______________________, with a mailing address of ________________________________________(the “Buyer”).

2. The Property.The Seller agrees to sell, transfer, and deliver to the Buyer the following described property (the “Property”):

  • Year: ________
  • Make: ______________________
  • Model: ______________________
  • Color: ____________
  • Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): ______________________
  • Odometer Reading: ____________ miles

3. Consideration. The Buyer agrees to pay the Seller the total sum of $____________ USD, receipt of which is acknowledged by the Seller as full payment for the Property.

4. Ownership. The Seller certifies that the Seller is the legal owner of the Property, that the Property is sold free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, and claims, and that the Seller has full right and authority to sell and transfer it.

5. Odometer Disclosure Statement

Federal law (49 U.S.C. § 32705) requires that you state the mileage upon transfer of ownership. Failure to complete an odometer statement, or providing a false statement, may result in fines and/or imprisonment. I, ______________________, certify to the best of my knowledge that the odometer reading of ____________ miles:

  • ☑ reflects the ACTUAL mileage of the vehicle;
  • ☐ exceeds the odometer’s mechanical limits;
  • ☐ is NOT the actual mileage — WARNING: ODOMETER DISCREPANCY.

6. Condition. The Buyer accepts the Property in its present condition, “AS-IS, WHERE-IS”, with all faults. The Seller makes no warranties, express or implied, including any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, except the warranty of ownership stated above.

Seller’s Signature

Printed Name: ______________________

Date: ____________________

Buyer’s Signature

Printed Name: ______________________

Date: ____________________

Generated with the free Brixaz bill of sale generator (brixaz.com/tools/bill-of-sale). General information, not legal advice. For vehicles, the certificate of title transfers ownership — this document is supporting proof of the sale.

Virginia requirements for a private sale

  • ✓The seller completes the title assignment with the buyer’s name and address, the exact odometer reading ("do not guess or estimate"), the date of sale, and the sale price — or "gift" (dmv.virginia.gov, Buying/Selling a Vehicle).
  • ✓Va. Code § 46.2-628: the seller must endorse the assignment and deliver the certificate of title to the buyer at the time the vehicle is delivered; willful failure is a Class 3 misdemeanor.
  • ✓The buyer must obtain title and registration before operating on Virginia highways; residents must apply within 30 days of the purchase or transfer (Va. Code § 46.2-600).
  • ✓The DMV collects 4.15% Sales and Use Tax on the gross sales price at titling, with a $75 minimum — trade-ins and private discounts do not reduce the taxable price.
  • ✓Vehicle more than 5 years old with a missing or incorrect title price: submit a handwritten bill of sale signed by seller and buyer (price, year, make, model, VIN, sale date) or Form SUT 1.
  • ✓Vehicle less than 5 years old (based on the model year) priced outside a $1,500 variance from N.A.D.A. trade-in value: a sworn Affidavit for Procurement of Title (SUT 1A) is required at titling.
  • ✓After the sale the seller removes the plates, notifies the DMV of the sale, and notifies their insurance company.

Notarization: not required

Virginia does not notarize private-sale paperwork: not the title assignment, not a handwritten bill of sale, not Form SUT 1. The SUT 1A affidavit for newer vehicles priced far off book value is a sworn statement on the DMV’s form, but an ordinary sale at a normal price never sees a notary.

Official form

Virginia’s closest thing to an official bill of sale is Form SUT 1, the Vehicle Price Certification (dmv.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/forms/sut1.pdf), used to certify the price when the title assignment is incomplete on an older vehicle. The DMV explicitly accepts a handwritten bill of sale with both signatures as an equal alternative — which is what this generator produces.

Worked example: selling a car in Virginia

Say you buy a 2016 Toyota Corolla LE in Richmond for $7,800. The seller fills the title assignment completely — your name, the odometer, the date, $7,800 — and hands it over with the keys, as § 46.2-628 requires. At the DMV you pay 4.15% SUT: $323.70. If the seller had left the price line blank, the ten-year-old Corolla would just need a handwritten bill of sale or SUT 1 to certify the price. Two contrasts worth knowing: a $1,200 winter beater still pays the $75 minimum SUT (4.15% would only be $49.80), and a 2023 truck bought $2,500 under N.A.D.A. trade-in value triggers the SUT 1A affidavit before the DMV will title it.

Virginia bill of sale FAQ

Is a bill of sale required to sell a car in Virginia?

Only in specific cases — but they are common ones. If the vehicle is more than 5 years old and the title’s sale price is missing or wrong, the DMV wants a handwritten bill of sale signed by both parties or Form SUT 1. Even when the title is complete, a signed bill of sale is the cleanest proof of what you actually paid.

How much is the tax when buying a car from a private seller in Virginia?

4.15% of the sale price, collected by the DMV when the buyer titles the vehicle, with a minimum of $75. Private-party sales are not exempt. The tax rides on the price documented on the title or bill of sale — which is why Virginia checks prices on newer vehicles against N.A.D.A. values.

What is the SUT 1A affidavit and when do I need it?

It is the Affidavit for Procurement of Title, required when a vehicle less than 5 years old (based on the model year) sells for a price outside a $1,500 variance from its current N.A.D.A. trade-in value. It is Virginia’s guard against understated prices on newer cars — the seller and buyer swear to the real number.

What is the deadline to title a car in Virginia after buying it?

Before you operate it on any Virginia highway — and if you are a Virginia resident, within 30 days of the purchase in any case (Va. Code § 46.2-600). The seller’s side has no waiting period at all: the endorsed title must be delivered the moment the vehicle is.

Sources

Next step

Selling in Virginia? Reach local buyers free

Post your car, boat, trailer, or anything else on Brixaz — free listings, no commissions, local pickup.

All statesPost your car free

Nearby states: Maryland · North Carolina · Tennessee · Notice to vacate letter

Post