A Bill of Sale is a document that records the details of a motor vehicle transaction between two parties. The Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) does not require a Bill of Sale to transfer a title or complete any motor vehicle transaction. But for the protection of the seller and the buyer, the Arizona MVD does provide a specific Bill of Sale Form 48-2004. We strongly recommend to write a Bill of Sale for your safety because as a seller you need protection from liability for anything the buyer does with the vehicle after the transaction.
The Arizona MVD provides a sold notice for liability purposes, but a Bill of Sale lets you access important information like buyer’s name and contact information, date you sold the vehicle and the price paid.
Arizona Bill of Sale Form
To obtain an Arizona Bill of Sale Form – Arizona MVD Form 48-2004.
The following information should generally appear on the Arizona Bill of Sale Form:
- Name of the seller and the Driver License Number.
- Complete address of the seller.
- Name of the buyer and the Driver License Number.
- Complete address of the buyer.
- Complete vehicle description, including Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), make, model, year, series number and body type.
- Date of sale.
- Signature of the seller or of the authorized representative.
- Notary public seal identifying seller’s signature.
Therefore as a seller you have to complete a sold notice which is not a Bill of Sale. However a sold notice informs the Arizona MVD that you have sold your vehicle. Moreover the sold notice protects you from liability for any accidents, traffic tickets or other activities of the buyer. Furthermore you have only 10 calendar days from the date you sold the motor vehicle to submit the sold notice!
You can submit a sold notice by using the Arizona MVD Sold Notice online tool (you need an account or to create one in order to submit a sold notice) – click here to Submit a sold notice.
Or you can submit a sold notice by filling in the back of the vehicle registration form and mailing it to the address on the form. You can also download, print and complete an Arizona MVD Sold Notice Form 46-8502.
IMPORTANT: The sold notice does not transfer ownership; only a title transfer does that, and transferring the title is the buyer’s responsibility.
Selling your Vehicle in Arizona
As a seller the Arizona MVD requires you to have your signature notarized and you have to give the buyer the title because it is no longer yours.
The seller should keep the license plate because it can be transferred to another vehicle and the Arizona MVD might give a refund for the license plate. Check for more information at any Arizona MVD or authorized third-party agency. Or instead complete and mail in a Plate Credit Refund Request (Form 96-0353).
Vehicle Buying Tips in Arizona
As a buyer you should never accept only a Bill of Sale in place of a title. You must get the properly signed and notarized title from the seller. You should make sure the seller’s ID matches his or her name on the title.
Also as a buyer you should check for liens because Arizona holds the buyer responsible for paying any liens on a vehicle bought from a private seller. To avoid buying a car with a lien use the state’s Lien Motor Vehicle Inquiry System.
You should also check the title to make sure it’s properly completed. Make sure the vehicle description is accurate and the vehicle identification number (VIN) matches the number on the vehicle. Look for words like “dismantling”, “rebuilt salvage”, “salvage”, and consider having the vehicle fully inspected. Look at the title’s legal status. Does it say “AND”, “AND/OR” or just “OR”? “OR” means either party can sign the title, but “AND” and “AND/OR” means both parties must sign the title!
Once you buy a motor vehicle its registration is no longer valid! You must transfer the title and register the vehicle on your name within 15 business days of taking ownership. To do so you can get a Restricted Use 3-day Permit for driving the vehicle to the MVD or authorized third-party agency to complete the necessary steps. More details about the Restricted Use 3-day Permit here.
How to complete the Arizona Bill of Sale Form
The Arizona Bill of Sale Form 48-2004 is composed of three sections and below you’ll understand how to complete this form:
Section 1
The first section contains the vehicle information. Here you’ll need to fill out the VIN or Vehicle Identification Number, Year, Make, and Body Style or Body type. Then you need to fill out the sale date and the sale payment amount sum. Further you need to complete the buyer’s information. Fill out the full name of the buyer. The buyer’s name must be PRINTED. This means to use only Capital Letters to write BUYER’S NAME. Then fill out the buyer’s driver license number and date of birth. Lastly complete buyer’s address, city, state and ZIP code:
Section 2
In the second section complete the seller’s details. Fill out first the full name of the seller. The name must be PRINTED. Again this means to use only Capital Letters to write SELLER’S NAME. Then complete seller’s driver license number and date of birth. Finally fill out seller’s address, seller’s city, state and ZIP code. Also fill out the seller’s signature:
Section 3
The last section is reserved for a Notary or an Arizona MVD Agent and must not be completed:
Please note that you can fill out this Bill of Sale form by hand. However don’t forget to use a pen and not a pencil. If you are filling out this form on your device (phone, tablet, computer) this form is a fillable PDF that works best with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Discover more about the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division
For more information go to Arizona Motor Vehicle Division
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is a multimodal transportation agency serving one of the fastest-growing areas of the country. ADOT is responsible for planning, building and operating a complex highway system in addition to building and maintaining bridges and the Grand Canyon Airport. A major component of the organization is the Motor Vehicle Division, which provides title, registration and driver-license services to the general public throughout the state of Arizona.