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Washington · Paperwork

Washington bill of sale — requirements and free generator

Washington is a bill-of-sale-required state with two clocks running at once. The Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale, Form TD-420-065 from the Department of Licensing, is part of the standard title-transfer packet and documents the price the state will tax. Clock one belongs to the seller: under RCW 46.12.650, the report of sale must reach DOL within five business days of the sale — file it online in minutes — or the seller stays on the hook for the buyer’s tolls, tickets, and camera infractions. Clock two belongs to the buyer: apply for a new title within 15 calendar days, or RCW 46.17.140 stacks a $50 penalty on day 16 plus $2 for each day after, capped at $125. At transfer, the buyer pays use tax at the sales-tax rate of their home address (6.5% state plus local), plus the additional statewide motor vehicle sales/use tax — 0.5% as of January 1, 2026. DOL taxes the purchase price only when it is believable against fair market value; lowballed prices get taxed on average retail value instead. No notary is needed on either document.

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

Washington: bill of sale — required · notarization: not required

The Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale (TD-420-065) is part of the title-transfer packet and documents the price for use tax (enter $0 for gifts).

Official state form: TD-420-065 — for DMV title/registration paperwork, use the official form; keep this generated document as your signed record of the deal.

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

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MOTOR VEHICLE BILL OF SALE

State of Washington

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.

Washington requirements for a private sale

  • ✓A completed Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale (Form TD-420-065) is part of the title-transfer packet — it records the price for use tax, or $0 for gifts (WA DOL).
  • ✓The seller (or buyer) files a report of sale with DOL within 5 business days of the sale (RCW 46.12.650) — online via dol.wa.gov, at a vehicle licensing office, or by mail.
  • ✓The buyer applies for a new certificate of title within 15 calendar days; late transfers pay $50 on day 16 plus $2/day, up to $125 (RCW 46.17.140).
  • ✓Use tax is collected at transfer at the buyer’s local combined sales-tax rate, plus the additional statewide motor vehicle sales/use tax of 0.5% effective January 1, 2026 (WA DOR).
  • ✓DOL accepts the bill-of-sale price if the vehicle’s fair market value is under $7,500 or the price is within 20% of fair market value; otherwise tax is based on average retail value.
  • ✓Federal odometer disclosure applies to model year 2011 and newer vehicles; Washington’s secure title assignment includes the mileage fields.

Notarization: not required

Washington requires no notary on the bill of sale or the title. The state’s fraud protection runs through the five-business-day report of sale and the fair-market-value check on the taxed price, not through notarized signatures.

Official form

Washington DOL publishes the official Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale, Form TD-420-065 (dol.wa.gov). It covers vehicles and boats, has spaces for two sellers and two buyers, and instructs gift transfers to enter $0 — this generator mirrors those fields and adds an as-is clause.

Worked example: selling a car in Washington

Say you buy a 2017 Subaru Outback in Spokane for $13,000. The seller signs the title over, you both complete Form TD-420-065, and the seller submits the report of sale on dol.wa.gov that evening — day one of five. Within 15 days you take the packet to a vehicle licensing office. If your address has a 9.0% combined rate, you pay roughly 9.5% with the 0.5% motor vehicle tax: about $1,235, plus title and filing fees. Because $13,000 is within 20% of the Outback’s fair market value, DOL taxes your actual price; had the bill of sale said $4,000, DOL would tax the average retail value instead. Wait until day 20 to transfer and RCW 46.17.140 adds $58 ($50 + $2 × 4).

Washington bill of sale FAQ

Is a bill of sale required to transfer a car title in Washington?

Yes — the Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale (TD-420-065) is part of the standard transfer packet the licensing office expects, because it documents the price your use tax is calculated on. For a gift, you still file it, with $0 as the price, and use tax may instead be based on fair market value.

What happens if the seller skips the report of sale?

Until a report of sale is on file, the seller remains the registered owner in DOL records — meaning the buyer’s tolls, red-light camera tickets, parking fines, and even impound liability can land on the seller. RCW 46.12.650 gives five business days; filing online at dol.wa.gov takes minutes and is free.

How much is use tax on a private-party car purchase in Washington?

The combined sales-tax rate at your home address (6.5% state plus local — roughly 8%–10.5% around the state) plus the additional motor vehicle sales/use tax, which rose from 0.3% to 0.5% on January 1, 2026. It is collected when you title the vehicle. DOL checks the price against fair market value from industry data before accepting it.

Can I put a low price on the bill of sale to pay less tax?

It does not work — and it is fraud. DOL accepts your stated price only if the vehicle’s fair market value is under $7,500 or your price is within 20% of that value; otherwise it taxes the average retail value from Price Digests. A genuine below-market deal (mechanical damage, family discount) can be documented with a use tax declaration explaining the condition.

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