Washington Bill of Sale for a Car
A bill of sale may be required for a private car sale in Washington, depending on the situation. Buyer and seller must both sign a Bill of Sale unless the sale price and date are included on the title, and the bill of sale supports the seller's legally required Report of Sale (due within 5 days of the sale) and the sale-price valuation used for use tax.
Verified against official Washington sources · 2026-07-08 · Reviewed by the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team
Bill of sale
Conditional
Bill of sale notary
No
Official form
TD-420-065
Official form: TD-420-065, Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale · Free printable Washington template →
What a Washington car bill of sale must include
- Vehicle information including VIN
- License plate number
- Sale/transfer date
- Sale price (zero if gift or inheritance)
- Seller name, address, and signature
- Buyer (new owner) name, address, and signature
- Each party keeps a copy
Odometer disclosure follows the federal baseline (required for vehicles under 20 model years old) and is made on the title or an odometer disclosure document at transfer; the DOL sell-a-vehicle page does not add state-specific odometer rules.
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 Washington?
Sometimes. Buyer and seller must both sign a Bill of Sale unless the sale price and date are included on the title, and the bill of sale supports the seller's legally required Report of Sale (due within 5 days of the sale) and the sale-price valuation used for use tax.
Does a Washington car bill of sale have to be notarized?
No. Washington does not require a car bill of sale to be notarized for a standard private sale.
Is there an official Washington bill of sale form?
Yes — TD-420-065, Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale (linked above). You can also use any document that contains the same information.
What should a Washington car bill of sale include?
At minimum: vehicle information including vin; license plate number; sale/transfer date; sale price (zero if gift or inheritance); seller name, address, and signature; buyer (new owner) name, address, and signature. Odometer disclosure follows the federal baseline (required for vehicles under 20 model years old) and is made on the title or an odometer disclosure document at transfer; the DOL sell-a-vehicle page does not add state-specific odometer rules.
What should I check before signing the Washington 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 Washington DMV/DOR/DOT guidance (linked above). Requirements change by statute — confirm with the state before you sign. Cite this page: CarWhere, "Washington Bill of Sale for a Car," carwhere.com/titles/bill-of-sale/washington, verified 2026-07-08.