South Carolina Bill of Sale for a Car
A bill of sale may be required for a private car sale in South Carolina, depending on the situation. A bill of sale must accompany the title paperwork only when the title's assignment section does not have a space for the sales price; otherwise the sales price, odometer reading, date of sale, and both signatures on the back of the title suffice.
Verified against official South Carolina sources · 2026-07-07 · Reviewed by the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team
Bill of sale
Conditional
Bill of sale notary
No
Official form
Form 4031 - Bill of Sale
Official form: Form 4031 - Bill of Sale (Rev. 7/16) · Free printable South Carolina template →
What a South Carolina car bill of sale must include
- seller name and address
- date of sale
- VIN
- vehicle make, model, body type, and year
- buyer name and address
- statement of liens or encumbrances
- sale price, trade-in credit, and taxable total
- odometer disclosure statement
- signatures and hand-printed names of buyer(s) and seller(s) with dates
- typed or printed in black ink; alterations or erasures void the document; original must be submitted
The seller records the odometer reading at the time of sale on the back of the title per the federal rule (vehicles fewer than 20 model years old), and SCDMV Form 4031 includes its own federal odometer disclosure statement.
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 South Carolina?
Sometimes. A bill of sale must accompany the title paperwork only when the title's assignment section does not have a space for the sales price; otherwise the sales price, odometer reading, date of sale, and both signatures on the back of the title suffice.
Does a South Carolina car bill of sale have to be notarized?
No. South Carolina does not require a car bill of sale to be notarized for a standard private sale.
Is there an official South Carolina bill of sale form?
Yes — Form 4031 - Bill of Sale (Rev. 7/16) (linked above). You can also use any document that contains the same information.
What should a South Carolina car bill of sale include?
At minimum: seller name and address; date of sale; vin; vehicle make, model, body type, and year; buyer name and address; statement of liens or encumbrances. The seller records the odometer reading at the time of sale on the back of the title per the federal rule (vehicles fewer than 20 model years old), and SCDMV Form 4031 includes its own federal odometer disclosure statement.
What should I check before signing the South 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 South Carolina DMV/DOR/DOT guidance (linked above). Requirements change by statute — confirm with the state before you sign. Cite this page: CarWhere, "South Carolina Bill of Sale for a Car," carwhere.com/titles/bill-of-sale/south-carolina, verified 2026-07-07.