Maryland Bill of Sale for a Car
A bill of sale may be required for a private car sale in Maryland, depending on the situation. Maryland MVA says a bill of sale is not always required but strongly recommended for private sales; it is required (notarized, on form VR-181) when the vehicle is less than 7 years old, the price is at least $500 below book value, and the buyer wants excise tax based on the sale price.
Verified against official Maryland sources · 2026-07-08 · Reviewed by the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team
Bill of sale
Conditional
Bill of sale notary
Conditional
Official form
VR-181 Bill of Sale
Official form: VR-181 Bill of Sale (rev. 05-25) · Free printable Maryland template →
What a Maryland car bill of sale must include
- Buyer and seller names, printed names, and signatures
- Vehicle year, make, model, body style, and VIN
- Sale price and date of sale
- Odometer reading with actual-mileage certification
- Reason the vehicle is being sold below fair market value (on VR-181)
- Notary acknowledgment when used to establish purchase price
The seller must provide the odometer reading during title assignment as required by federal law (vehicles under 20 model years old), and VR-181 itself includes an odometer reading with mileage certifications.
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 Maryland?
Sometimes. Maryland MVA says a bill of sale is not always required but strongly recommended for private sales; it is required (notarized, on form VR-181) when the vehicle is less than 7 years old, the price is at least $500 below book value, and the buyer wants excise tax based on the sale price.
Does a Maryland car bill of sale have to be notarized?
In some cases. Form VR-181 states 'If this form is used to establish the purchase price of your vehicle, a notary is required' — i.e., notarization applies when the bill of sale is used to set excise tax on a vehicle under 7 years old sold at least $500 below book value.
Is there an official Maryland bill of sale form?
Yes — VR-181 Bill of Sale (rev. 05-25) (linked above). You can also use any document that contains the same information.
What should a Maryland car bill of sale include?
At minimum: buyer and seller names, printed names, and signatures; vehicle year, make, model, body style, and vin; sale price and date of sale; odometer reading with actual-mileage certification; reason the vehicle is being sold below fair market value (on vr-181); notary acknowledgment when used to establish purchase price. The seller must provide the odometer reading during title assignment as required by federal law (vehicles under 20 model years old), and VR-181 itself includes an odometer reading with mileage certifications.
What should I check before signing the Maryland 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 Maryland DMV/DOR/DOT guidance (linked above). Requirements change by statute — confirm with the state before you sign. Cite this page: CarWhere, "Maryland Bill of Sale for a Car," carwhere.com/titles/bill-of-sale/maryland, verified 2026-07-08.