In the State of New York when you transfer, sell or buy a vehicle, a Bill of Sale form is mandatory along with the title transfer on the original Certificate of title.
Both the seller and the buyer have to complete the Bill of Sale form.
Therefore proof of ownership normally includes a completed Bill of Sale and another form.
The other form is a Certificate of Title (Form MV-999) for private sales.
Or as proof of ownership is a Retail Certificate of Sale (Form MV-50) if purchased from a dealer.
Before you purchase a vehicle, a trailer, a boat, a snowmobile or an ATV, make sure that you receive acceptable proof of ownership.
If you don’t have acceptable proof, you can have difficulties when you attempt to register the vehicle, get a title certificate or transferable registration in your name.
What information is included on a Bill of Sale Form?
An acceptable bill of sale includes all of this information:
- Year and make of the vehicle, boat or ATV
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or the Hull Identification Number (HIN)
- Date of the sale
- Purchase price
- Names and signatures of the buyer and the seller
New York Bill of Sale Form
The DMV does provide an Official New York Bill of Sale Form (Form MV-912) for official use.
The buyer and the seller can make copies of the Bill of Sale to keep in their records. They should keep the copies for a period of five years. The new owner must give the original Bill of Sale to the New York DMV with the other required proofs of ownership. A Bill of Sale is not an acceptable proof of ownership without other proofs.
Nevertheless if you receive a vehicle as a gift you also need a Bill of Sale. So, if the vehicle is transferred as a gift, indicate this on the Bill of Sale and indicate that the purchase price is ‘$0’. You must also indicate the vehicle as a gift on a Statement of Transaction – Sales Tax Form: (DTF-802).
How to complete the New York Bill of Sale Form
The New York Bill of Sale Form MV-912 is composed of four sections. Below you can learn how to complete this state-approved form:
Section 1 of the New York Bill of Sale
The first section contains the names of both the seller and the buyer. It also contains the vehicle information. So first fill out the full name of the seller. The name must be PRINTED. So use here only Capital Letters to write SELLER’S NAME. Following fill out the vehicle sale price and then the full name of the buyer. The buyer’s name must be PRINTED also. Again, this means to use only Capital Letters to write BUYER’S NAME. Next fill out the vehicle information. Complete the Year, Make, Model, and VIN or Vehicle Identification Number:
Section 2 of the New York Bill of Sale
You may fill the second section with Terms and conditions regarding the vehicle transaction if it’s the case. This section is optional:
Section 3 of the New York Bill of Sale
The third section contains the seller information. Fill out first the full name of the seller. The name must be PRINTED. This means to use only Capital Letters to write SELLER’S NAME. Then fill out seller’s address, signature and date:
Section 4 of the New York Bill of Sale
The last section contains the buyer details. So fill out first 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. Finally fill out buyer’s address, signature and date:
Please note that you can fill this Bill of Sale form by hand also. However don’t forget to use a pen with blue or black ink and not a pencil. If you fill this form on your device (phone, tablet, computer) this form is a fillable PDF that works best with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Selling your Vehicle in New York
The seller must either complete and sign the transfer ownership section of the title certificate, and sign a Bill of Sale. Or the seller must provide other acceptable proofs of ownership and transfer of ownership.
Before you trade in or sell your old vehicle, be sure to remove the license plates and the windshield registration sticker, which shows your plate number. This will help prevent you from being charged with parking tickets that do not belong to you.
Turn in the plates to a motor vehicle office unless you are transferring them to a replacement vehicle. Always turn in your plates before you cancel liability insurance or before the insurance lapses. If you do not, your registration will be suspended, and your driver license could be suspended as well!
Buying a Vehicle in New York
The buyer must sign the Bill of Sale, pay sales tax or have proof of an exemption, register and title the vehicle. It exists also the possibility to transfer a registration from another vehicle they own to their new vehicle.
The proofs of ownership needed to register and title a vehicle in the State of New York are different for different types of vehicles. For example there are different types of vehicles like cars, trailers, boats, snowmobiles, or manufactured homes. Find the acceptable proofs ownership for your vehicle type, or learn what to do if proof of ownership is not available.
Before you buy a vehicle, make sure it is not flood damaged. You can check the National Insurance Crime Bureau database to see if a vehicle is flood damaged. You will need the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Odometer Disclosure Statement in New York
Federal and State laws require that you provide the mileage and condition of the vehicle when transferring ownership. If you do not give the mileage and condition information to the new owner, or if you give false mileage information, you may be subject to fines and/or imprisonment!
Complete and sign an odometer disclosure statement if the vehicle was manufactured in or after the 2011 model year and is 20 model years old or newer! The DMV will NOT register or issue you a new title certificate unless the seller has completed, and you have signed, the damage disclosure statement on the reverse of the vehicle’s Certificate of Title. Or unless you attach a completed damage disclosure on an Odometer and Damage Disclosure Statement (MV-103). This statement indicates whether or not the vehicle’s new title certificate should be branded “Rebuilt Salvage”.
Learn more about the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
For more information go to New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles issues secure identity documents, delivers essential motor vehicle and driver related services. It also administers motor vehicle laws enacted to promote safety and protect consumers.