Published Last updated
Written by Lumr Team
Lumr provides a quick and easy way to back up almost every private sale in Washington, whether you’re selling a vehicle, a trailer, livestock, or something else. Our Washington bill of sale template gives you the groundwork. All you need to do is fill in the details and print it off.
Where will it be used?
In Washington, a bill of sale is a document that puts who owns what, and for how much, into writing. A purely verbal agreement is legal, but it leaves both the seller and the buyer vulnerable to disputes.
It doesn’t replace a title where one exists, but works alongside it. The Department of Licensing, Washington’s DMV, still needs its own paperwork to move legal ownership and the bill of sale backs up the price for tax purposes.
There are different types of bill of sale forms for different items. However, most must include:
Notarization isn't part of the bill of sale itself. A signed document with both parties' names is enough for the Department of Licensing to accept it toward a title transfer.
This form comes in several versions, one for each type of property. The most common categories are:
It’s worth noting that Washington uses the Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale Form (TD-420-065), which covers a car and a boat in one form.
This is the standard bill of sale for items that don’t come with a title. For example, a folding kayak, a drum set, or a load of firewood. The fields covered under the requirements above are everything the document needs.
Photos taken at the time of sale back up whatever the written description says, especially for anything without a serial number to fall back on. That combination holds up better than a description alone if the item's condition ever gets questioned later.
If you’re selling a car, use one of these. Include the make, model, year, VIN, and odometer reading alongside the sale price and date. Double-check every figure against the title.
Once it's signed, the buyer has 15 days to transfer the title (with a $50 penalty on day 16 followed by $2 a day thereafter), and the seller has 5 business days to file a Report of Sale (otherwise the seller can remain liable for the buyer’s tickets and tolls).
Buyers can process the paperwork at a licensing office, by mail, or through a Quick Title office for an extra fee if they need same-day service.
A boat bill of sale goes through the same Department of Licensing counter that handles cars, since the state doesn't split marine registration off to its own agency. Most vessels operated on state waters need both a title and an annual registration.
Record the hull identification number, year, make, model, length, and sale price. A watercraft excise tax of 0.5% of the boat's fair market value applies annually on top of the one-time use tax collected at the sale.
In Washington, a motorcycle bill of sale uses the identical Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale form as any other vehicle. List the engine number next to the VIN, since frame and engine numbers can differ, along with the make, model, year, mileage, and sale price.
The 15-day title deadline and the odometer disclosure rule for 2011-and-newer models apply here too, so don't assume a motorcycle sale skips either requirement.
Every trailer sold in Washington needs to be registered, no matter how light it is, though titling is only necessary above a certain weight:
The bill of sale needs the trailer's VIN, weight, and body style no matter which category it falls into. When a boat rides along on that trailer, give each one its own price on the paperwork instead of a single combined figure.
Let Lumr's Washington bill of sale template handle the basics. Just fill in your details and get a bill of sale ready to print and sign. Here’s how:
Choose the type of property you are selling: car, boat, trailer, motorcycle, or general item. Each type may require different identifying information on the bill of sale.
Enter the full legal names and current addresses of both parties. Check these details carefully so the form clearly identifies everyone involved in the sale.
Describe the property and include any identifying numbers that apply, such as a VIN, hull identification number, or serial number.
State the agreed sale price and how payment will be made. If the item is being given as a gift, note this on the form and include its value where appropriate.
Specify whether the seller is making any warranties about the item. If no warranties are being offered, you can state that the property is being sold "as-is."
Have the required parties sign and date the completed bill of sale. You can then download and print your Washington bill of sale and keep copies for your records.
The bill of sale doesn't end the seller's responsibilities on its own. File the Report of Sale (Form TD-420-062) with the Department of Licensing within 5 business days of the sale date.
You must remove your plates from the vehicle before it changes hands. They belong to the person registered on the account, not to the vehicle itself, so transfer them onto a replacement car for a small fee or turn them in at a licensing office.
Missing the Report of Sale deadline doesn't undo the transaction, but it does leave the seller connected to the vehicle on paper. That gap is what causes trouble if the buyer racks up tickets or crashes before their own paperwork clears.
Go over the following answers to commonly asked questions regarding bills of sale below to help you complete your document.
For most private sales, yes, since the Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale is what the Department of Licensing uses to record the sale price and finalize a title transfer. Skipping it can also mean skipping proof of what was actually agreed.
No, not the bill of sale itself. The separate title paperwork is different: any signature not made in front of a DOL licensing agent in person needs a notary instead.
Yes, and that catches new buyers off guard more than almost anything else. A buyer needs a temporary permit or new plates before driving off, since none come attached to the vehicle itself.
Yes, and plenty of private sellers use one, especially for an older vehicle sold without any promises about its condition. A Washington as-is bill of sale needs to say so plainly in the document. However, it doesn’t protect a seller who knowingly hides a serious problem.
There's no strict deadline, but keep it as long as tax or insurance questions could come up, often several years for a titled car, boat, or trailer. Storing a photo alongside other sale paperwork works just as well as keeping the original.
Only if both sides agree to unwind it, or if fraud or a serious misrepresentation is involved. A signed bill of sale is a binding record, so a change of heart from one party alone doesn't cancel it.
Answer a few questions and download your document in minutes.