Gift bill of sale template
Giving a car to a child, a parent, a spouse or a friend still means a title transfer, and the DMV still wants paperwork showing the vehicle changed hands. A gift bill of sale states that no money was paid, which is what lets most states skip sales tax. The form below is set to "gift" already; pick the state and what you are giving.
Seller
Buyer
Vehicle details
Price and terms
How to gift a car
- Make sure the title is clear. A financed car cannot be gifted until the lender releases the lien.
- Fill in the gift bill of sale above. Both parties sign and keep a copy.
- Sign the title over to the recipient. If the title has a price field, write "GIFT".
- Check whether your state has its own gift affidavit (Texas, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania and others do). The recipient files it with the title and this bill of sale.
- The recipient registers the car, usually within 10 to 30 days, and pays title and registration fees but no sales tax if the gift qualifies.
Gifts of other property
The same form works for a boat, trailer, motorcycle, horse or anything else on this site: switch "what is being sold" above. Only vehicles and vessels involve a registration office; for everything else the signed bill of sale is simply the record that ownership passed.
Gift rules by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.
Common questions
What is a gift bill of sale?+
A bill of sale that records a transfer with no payment. It names the giver and the recipient, describes the item (usually a vehicle), states that it is a gift with no consideration, and both sign. The DMV uses it to process the title transfer without charging sales tax on a made-up price.
Do I pay sales tax on a gifted car?+
Most states waive sales tax on a true gift between family members, and some waive it for any gift. Many require a gift affidavit or their own gift form along with the bill of sale; your state page links the agency. A few states tax gifts at book value unless the parties are immediate family.
Can I write $1 instead of calling it a gift?+
You can, but many DMVs treat a $1 sale as a gift anyway or assess tax on the vehicle's book value. Calling it a gift on the bill of sale is cleaner and matches what the state's gift affidavit asks for.
Does a gift bill of sale need to be notarized?+
Only in the states that notarize bills of sale generally. Some states require their separate gift affidavit to be notarized, which the ready-to-sign pack's notary page can cover.
Does the recipient still need the title?+
Yes. A gift is still a title transfer. The giver signs the title over, writes "gift" in the price field if the title has one, and the recipient registers it with the bill of sale and any state gift form.