Rhode Island Bill of Sale for a Car
A bill of sale is required to title or register a privately purchased car in Rhode Island. A bill of sale is always required to register a vehicle purchased in a private-party sale, in addition to the assigned title for model year 2001 or newer vehicles (title not required for pre-2001 vehicles from non-title jurisdictions).
Verified against official Rhode Island sources · 2026-07-07 · Reviewed by the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team
Bill of sale
Required
Bill of sale notary
No
Official form
Bill of Sale
Official form: Bill of Sale (RI DMV form, rev. 11-3-2023; no form number) · Free printable Rhode Island template →
What a Rhode Island car bill of sale must include
- date of sale
- sale price
- seller(s) printed name, signature, and address (both must sign if two owners)
- vehicle year, make, model, body type, cylinders, color
- VIN
- buyer(s) printed name, signature, and address
- odometer disclosure statement
- all fields completed; alterations or erasures void the bill of sale
Rhode Island follows the federal rule (vehicles fewer than 20 model years old), and the RI DMV bill of sale form itself contains the federal odometer disclosure statement (actual mileage, exceeds mechanical limits, or not actual mileage).
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 Rhode Island?
Yes. A bill of sale is always required to register a vehicle purchased in a private-party sale, in addition to the assigned title for model year 2001 or newer vehicles (title not required for pre-2001 vehicles from non-title jurisdictions).
Does a Rhode Island car bill of sale have to be notarized?
No. Rhode Island does not require a car bill of sale to be notarized for a standard private sale.
Is there an official Rhode Island bill of sale form?
Yes — Bill of Sale (RI DMV form, rev. 11-3-2023; no form number) (linked above). You can also use any document that contains the same information.
What should a Rhode Island car bill of sale include?
At minimum: date of sale; sale price; seller(s) printed name, signature, and address (both must sign if two owners); vehicle year, make, model, body type, cylinders, color; vin; buyer(s) printed name, signature, and address. Rhode Island follows the federal rule (vehicles fewer than 20 model years old), and the RI DMV bill of sale form itself contains the federal odometer disclosure statement (actual mileage, exceeds mechanical limits, or not actual mileage).
What should I check before signing the Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island DMV/DOR/DOT guidance (linked above). Requirements change by statute — confirm with the state before you sign. Cite this page: CarWhere, "Rhode Island Bill of Sale for a Car," carwhere.com/titles/bill-of-sale/rhode-island, verified 2026-07-07.