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Wisconsin · Paperwork

Wisconsin bill of sale — requirements and free generator

Wisconsin says it plainly: the state’s bill of sale form "is provided for your convenience, it is not a required form." What is required is the price — written on the title itself, because "the Department of Revenue checks titles and investigates suspiciously low sale prices." The seller has a second duty unique to private sales: filing seller notification with WisDOT online after selling to another individual, which documents the handoff before the buyer ever titles. The buyer’s side moves fast — WisDOT says a vehicle that will be operated should be titled and registered within two business days of purchase, and the whole transfer can be done online through eMV Public without visiting a DMV counter. Costs run higher than neighbors: the title transfer fee is $214.50 (raised from $164.50 on October 1, 2025), plus 5% state sales tax and the county tax where the vehicle is kept. Nothing gets notarized: not the title, not the optional bill of sale, nothing.

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

Wisconsin: bill of sale — recommended · notarization: not required

WisDOT’s MV2928 bill of sale is explicitly optional — the selling price goes on the title, and the Department of Revenue investigates suspiciously low prices. Private sellers must file seller notification; buyers should title within two business days if operating.

Official state form: MV2928 (optional) — for DMV title/registration paperwork, use the official form; keep this generated document as your signed record of the deal.

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MOTOR VEHICLE BILL OF SALE

State of Wisconsin

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.

Wisconsin requirements for a private sale

  • ✓The selling price goes on the title — "The Department of Revenue checks titles and investigates suspiciously low sale prices" (wisconsindot.gov, Sell your vehicle).
  • ✓The seller must complete seller notification with WisDOT for a private sale from one individual to another — filed online, it records the sale date and buyer before the buyer titles.
  • ✓The seller fills in the odometer mileage statement (federal requirement) and brand disclosure, and signs and dates the title; owners joined by "and" must all sign.
  • ✓The buyer "should title and register it within two business days after purchase" if the vehicle will be operated — the transfer can be completed online via eMV Public.
  • ✓Title transfer fee: $214.50 (raised from $164.50 on October 1, 2025), per WisDOT’s title fees page.
  • ✓5% Wisconsin sales tax plus the county tax for the county where the vehicle is kept, collected with the title application.
  • ✓The seller removes the license plates; unexpired plates may transfer to a similar vehicle the seller owns, otherwise destroy them.

Notarization: not required

Wisconsin never asks for a notary in a private vehicle sale — the title, the odometer statement, and the optional MV2928 bill of sale all close with plain signatures. The state’s price-integrity mechanism is the Department of Revenue auditing title prices, not a notary seal.

Official form

Wisconsin’s Form MV2928, "Instructions for Selling a Vehicle," includes a sample bill of sale that WisDOT explicitly labels a convenience, not a requirement. It lists the useful contents — buyer, seller, vehicle, price, date — which this generator captures along with signatures and an as-is clause.

Worked example: selling a car in Wisconsin

Say you sell a 2015 Honda Odyssey EX-L in Madison for $8,400. You write $8,400 on the title — not $1,000, because the Department of Revenue investigates suspiciously low title prices — complete the odometer statement, sign, hand it over, and file seller notification on the WisDOT site that evening. The buyer runs the transfer through eMV Public within two business days: 5% state tax plus Dane County’s 0.5% comes to $462, plus the $214.50 title fee and registration. Total transfer cost to the buyer: about $677 before registration — which is exactly why the priced, dated bill of sale both of you kept matters if the DOR ever asks who paid what, when.

Wisconsin bill of sale FAQ

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

No — WisDOT’s own form MV2928 says the bill of sale "is provided for your convenience, it is not a required form." The required paper trail is the title with the real selling price on it, plus the seller notification filed with WisDOT. The bill of sale is your personal proof of the deal.

What is Wisconsin seller notification and why does it matter?

It is WisDOT’s online report that you sold your vehicle to another individual — the sale date and buyer details go on record immediately, instead of waiting for the buyer to title. If the buyer collects parking tickets or abandons the car before transferring, the notification is what points liability away from you.

Can I put a low price on the title to save the buyer tax?

Do not — WisDOT warns on its selling page that the Department of Revenue checks titles and investigates suspiciously low sale prices. An audited lowball price becomes the buyer’s tax problem plus interest, and potentially fraud exposure for both parties. Genuine low prices (mechanical damage, salvage history) are fine; document why.

How fast does the buyer have to title in Wisconsin, and what does it cost?

Within two business days of purchase if the vehicle will be driven, per WisDOT. The transfer runs online through eMV Public: $214.50 title fee (up from $164.50 in October 2025), plus 5% state sales tax and your county’s tax, plus registration for your plate type.

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