Mississippi Bill of Sale for a Car
A bill of sale may be required for a private car sale in Mississippi, depending on the situation. Mississippi law (Miss. Code §63-17-1) requires the seller to furnish — and the buyer to keep — a signed bill of sale for a vehicle sale. For a routine title transfer, though, the Department of Revenue works primarily from the properly assigned certificate of title and may not request the bill of sale as a separate document. A bill of sale is explicitly required (and must be notarized) for bonded-title applications and imported vehicles, and for non-titled units like boat trailers.
Verified against official Mississippi sources · 2026-07-08 · Reviewed by the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team
Bill of sale
Conditional
Bill of sale notary
Conditional
Official form
None (any document)
Official source: www.dor.ms.gov · Free printable Mississippi template →
What a Mississippi car bill of sale must include
- Buyer name and address
- Seller name and address
- Vehicle year, make, and model
- Vehicle identification number (VIN)
- Sale date
- Sale price
- Any other identifying marks on the vehicle (per §63-17-1)
- Name and address of the person from whom the seller acquired the vehicle (per §63-17-1)
- Seller signature (notarized if used for an imported-vehicle title)
Mississippi requires an odometer disclosure statement with title applications (the DOR FAQ requires one when titling a vehicle from another state), consistent with the federal baseline covering vehicles under 20 model years old (MY 2011 and newer).
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 Mississippi?
Sometimes. Mississippi law (Miss. Code §63-17-1) requires the seller to furnish — and the buyer to keep — a signed bill of sale for a vehicle sale. For a routine title transfer, though, the Department of Revenue works primarily from the properly assigned certificate of title and may not request the bill of sale as a separate document. A bill of sale is explicitly required (and must be notarized) for bonded-title applications and imported vehicles, and for non-titled units like boat trailers.
Does a Mississippi car bill of sale have to be notarized?
In some cases. No notarization is required for a standard private-sale title assignment or bill of sale, but the DOR requires a notarized bill of sale when titling an imported vehicle.
Is there an official Mississippi bill of sale form?
Mississippi 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 Mississippi car bill of sale include?
At minimum: buyer name and address; seller name and address; vehicle year, make, and model; vehicle identification number (vin); sale date; sale price. Mississippi requires an odometer disclosure statement with title applications (the DOR FAQ requires one when titling a vehicle from another state), consistent with the federal baseline covering vehicles under 20 model years old (MY 2011 and newer).
What should I check before signing the Mississippi 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 Mississippi DMV/DOR/DOT guidance (linked above). Requirements change by statute — confirm with the state before you sign. Cite this page: CarWhere, "Mississippi Bill of Sale for a Car," carwhere.com/titles/bill-of-sale/mississippi, verified 2026-07-08.