Massachusetts Bill of Sale for a Car
A bill of sale may be required for a private car sale in Massachusetts, depending on the situation. For most private sales the assigned certificate of title suffices, but the RMV requires a bill of sale when the vehicle is title-exempt due to age (submitted with the previous owner's registration) or when the previous title has no space for the sales price.
Compiled from Massachusetts DMV guidance — verify current rules with the state · 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.mass.gov · Free printable Massachusetts template →
What a Massachusetts car bill of sale must include
- Vehicle year, make, and VIN
- Sales price
- Date of sale
- Buyer and seller printed names and signatures
- Odometer reading
Federal and Massachusetts law require the seller to state the mileage on the transfer document at transfer of ownership, with both buyer and seller signing and printing their names (federal baseline: vehicles under 20 model years old).
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 Massachusetts?
Sometimes. For most private sales the assigned certificate of title suffices, but the RMV requires a bill of sale when the vehicle is title-exempt due to age (submitted with the previous owner's registration) or when the previous title has no space for the sales price.
Does a Massachusetts car bill of sale have to be notarized?
No. Massachusetts does not require a car bill of sale to be notarized for a standard private sale.
Is there an official Massachusetts bill of sale form?
Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts car bill of sale include?
At minimum: vehicle year, make, and vin; sales price; date of sale; buyer and seller printed names and signatures; odometer reading. Federal and Massachusetts law require the seller to state the mileage on the transfer document at transfer of ownership, with both buyer and seller signing and printing their names (federal baseline: vehicles under 20 model years old).
What should I check before signing the Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts DMV/DOR/DOT guidance (linked above), with some details confirmed via official-domain search where the state site blocked direct access. Requirements change by statute — confirm with the state before you sign. Cite this page: CarWhere, "Massachusetts Bill of Sale for a Car," carwhere.com/titles/bill-of-sale/massachusetts, verified 2026-07-08.