Iowa General Bill of Sale

Iowa requires a bill of sale for private sales. Fill in the form below and download a free, one-page Iowa item bill of sale PDF that includes everything the Iowa Department of Transportation looks for. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

State

Iowa

What is being sold

General Bill of Sale

Seller

Full name

Street address

City, state, ZIP

Phone

Driver's license or ID number (optional)

Buyer

Full name

Street address

City, state, ZIP

Phone

Driver's license or ID number (optional)

Item details

Description of what is being sold

Make

Model

Condition

Quantity

Included accessories

Serial number or identifier (if any)

Price and terms

Payment

Sale price ($)

Date of sale

Sold as-is, no warranty. Recommended for every private sale. Add two witness signature lines

Known defects or extra terms (optional)

How to sell a item in Iowa

A general bill of sale works for anything that is personal property and does not have its own form: furniture, electronics, appliances, tools, bicycles, musical instruments, collectibles. It records the description, serial number if any, price, date and as-is terms so both parties have a receipt that holds up.

Seller steps

Confirm you hold clear title. If a lender is on the title, get the lien release before you list it.
Agree on the price and fill in the Iowa item bill of sale above with the buyer. Record the Serial no..
Both parties sign and each keeps a copy. Iowa does not require a notary.
Hand over any registration papers, manuals, receipts or health records that go with the item.
Hand over the item and keep your signed copy of the bill of sale for your records.

Buyer steps

Check the Serial no. against the item itself before you sign.
Keep the signed bill of sale with your records; it is your proof of ownership and purchase price.
If you bought it for a business, give the bill of sale to your bookkeeper for the asset record.

Before you sign

Describe the item the way an insurer would: brand, model, size, color, serial.
Note any defects in the terms field.
For multiple items, list them in the description or attach a sheet.
Both parties sign and keep a copy.

Why a bill of sale matters for a item

A written receipt for anything worth arguing about.
Records the serial number for electronics and bikes, which helps if they are stolen.
An as-is clause ends disputes over condition.
Businesses need it to book an asset or expense.

Want both parties to walk away with a signed copy and a notary page ready? The $9 ready-to-sign pack adds them.

Iowa at a glance

Bill of sale: Required for private sales
Notary: Notarization optional
Official state form: None published; any signed bill of sale is accepted
Where the buyer registers: Iowa Department of Transportation (iowadot.gov/mvd)

Buyer's deadline to title: 30 days from the sale
License plates: Stay with seller

Iowa requires a bill of sale for a private sale unless the county's newer title certificate includes a Transfer/Sale Date section that serves as one; without a bill of sale the county treasurer values the vehicle from a price guide. The title must be delivered at the time of sale and transferred by the buyer within 30 days. Plates stay with the seller.

Checked October 2026 against the state's own guidance. Rules change; confirm before you file.

Other Iowa forms

General Bill of Sale in other states

All states →

Iowa item bill of sale questions

Is a bill of sale required to sell a item in Iowa?+

Iowa requires a bill of sale for private sales. Iowa requires a bill of sale for a private sale unless the county's newer title certificate includes a Transfer/Sale Date section that serves as one; without a bill of sale the county treasurer values the vehicle from a price guide. The title must be delivered at the time of sale and transferred by the buyer within 30 days. Plates stay with the seller. Iowa has no mandatory form, so any complete, signed bill of sale like the one generated here is accepted.

Does a Iowa item bill of sale need to be notarized?+

Iowa does not require notarization. Two signatures are enough. If you want extra certainty, the ready-to-sign pack includes a notary acknowledgment page you can use anyway.

Does the buyer need to file a item bill of sale in Iowa?+

No. Items are not titled or registered with the state, so there is nothing to file. The signed bill of sale is the ownership record; each party keeps a copy.

When do I need a general bill of sale?+

Any time you sell something valuable enough that you would want proof of the sale: furniture over a few hundred dollars, electronics, tools, collectibles. For vehicles, boats, trailers and the other categories here, use the specific form so nothing is missed.

Is a general bill of sale legally binding?+

Yes. Once signed by both parties it is a contract documenting the sale and its terms.