North Carolina Bill of Sale for a Car
A separate bill of sale is not required for a private car sale in North Carolina — the signed-over title transfers ownership. No bill of sale is required for a private sale of a titled vehicle; ownership transfers via the completed, notarized title assignment (a bill of sale showing price is required only with a manufacturer's certificate of origin for new/untitled vehicles).
Verified against official North Carolina sources · 2026-07-07 · Reviewed by the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team
Bill of sale
Not required
Bill of sale notary
No — title only
Official form
None (any document)
Official source: www.ncdot.gov · Free printable North Carolina template →
What a North Carolina car bill of sale must include
- Buyer's (recipient's) name and address on the title assignment
- Date of sale or delivery
- Seller's notarized signature and hand-printed name
- Odometer reading (if required)
- Damage disclosure statement
Mileage must be disclosed at transfer on the title assignment or on form MVR-180 (Odometer Disclosure Statement); pre-2011 vehicles are exempt at 10 years and 2011-and-newer models are exempt at 20 years, per the form.
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 North Carolina?
No — ownership transfers on the certificate of title. No bill of sale is required for a private sale of a titled vehicle; ownership transfers via the completed, notarized title assignment (a bill of sale showing price is required only with a manufacturer's certificate of origin for new/untitled vehicles).
Does a North Carolina car bill of sale have to be notarized?
Yes. The seller's signature in the assignment on the back of a North Carolina title must be notarized.
Is there an official North Carolina bill of sale form?
North Carolina 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 North Carolina car bill of sale include?
At minimum: buyer's (recipient's) name and address on the title assignment; date of sale or delivery; seller's notarized signature and hand-printed name; odometer reading (if required); damage disclosure statement. Mileage must be disclosed at transfer on the title assignment or on form MVR-180 (Odometer Disclosure Statement); pre-2011 vehicles are exempt at 10 years and 2011-and-newer models are exempt at 20 years, per the form.
What should I check before signing the North Carolina 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 North Carolina DMV/DOR/DOT guidance (linked above). Requirements change by statute — confirm with the state before you sign. Cite this page: CarWhere, "North Carolina Bill of Sale for a Car," carwhere.com/titles/bill-of-sale/north-carolina, verified 2026-07-07.