Alabama Bill of Sale for a Car
A bill of sale may be required for a private car sale in Alabama, depending on the situation. A bill of sale (or equivalent invoice) is required to support registration and verify purchase price, and a legible copy must be kept in the vehicle for the first 20 calendar days after purchase when the vehicle is not subject to Alabama's title law (older, title-exempt vehicles); titled vehicles transfer via the assigned certificate of title.
Verified against official Alabama sources · 2026-07-08 · Reviewed by the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team
Bill of sale
Conditional
Bill of sale notary
No
Official form
None (any document)
Official source: www.revenue.alabama.gov · Free printable Alabama template →
What a Alabama car bill of sale must include
- purchaser name(s)
- purchaser complete physical address
- date of sale (month, day, year)
- complete vehicle description: VIN, make, year, model/series, body type
- seller name(s) including DBA
- seller complete address
- signatures of seller(s) and purchaser(s)
- purchase price of vehicle
Odometer disclosure is made in the title assignment and title application (vehicles 20 model years old or older are exempt); ALDOR also publishes a separate Odometer Disclosure Statement (MVT 5-5) for when the title lacks a compliant odometer section.
Before you sign: run the VIN
Once you sign, the car — and its problems — are yours. The $9.99 Full VIN Report shows open recalls for that VIN, plus complaints and service bulletins for the model, and the original window sticker where available, in about a minute. One-time, no subscription. Run the report →
FAQ
Do you need a bill of sale to sell a car privately in Alabama?
Sometimes. A bill of sale (or equivalent invoice) is required to support registration and verify purchase price, and a legible copy must be kept in the vehicle for the first 20 calendar days after purchase when the vehicle is not subject to Alabama's title law (older, title-exempt vehicles); titled vehicles transfer via the assigned certificate of title.
Does a Alabama car bill of sale have to be notarized?
No. Alabama does not require a car bill of sale to be notarized for a standard private sale.
Is there an official Alabama bill of sale form?
Alabama does not publish a single official statewide car bill of sale form. Any document containing the required details — VIN, price, date, and both parties' names and signatures — is acceptable. Avoid third-party "form fee" services; the details, not the template, are what the state needs.
What should a Alabama car bill of sale include?
At minimum: purchaser name(s); purchaser complete physical address; date of sale (month, day, year); complete vehicle description: vin, make, year, model/series, body type; seller name(s) including dba; seller complete address. Odometer disclosure is made in the title assignment and title application (vehicles 20 model years old or older are exempt); ALDOR also publishes a separate Odometer Disclosure Statement (MVT 5-5) for when the title lacks a compliant odometer section.
What should I check before signing the Alabama bill of sale?
Confirm the VIN on the document matches the dashboard and door-jamb VIN character-for-character, and check the vehicle's history first: the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report shows open recalls for that VIN, plus complaints and service bulletins for the model and the original window sticker where available. Once you sign, the car — and its problems — are yours, so they're cheaper to find before you sign.
Sources: bill-of-sale, notarization, and odometer requirements from Alabama DMV/DOR/DOT guidance (linked above). Requirements change by statute — confirm with the state before you sign. Cite this page: CarWhere, "Alabama Bill of Sale for a Car," carwhere.com/titles/bill-of-sale/alabama, verified 2026-07-08.