Louisiana Business Bill of Sale
Louisiana requires a bill of sale for private sales. Fill in the form below and download a free, one-page Louisiana business bill of sale PDF that includes everything the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles looks for. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Seller
Buyer
Business details
Price and terms
How to sell a business in Louisiana
A business bill of sale transfers the tangible and intangible assets of a small business, such as equipment, inventory, furniture, the trade name, customer list and goodwill, from the seller to the buyer at closing. It is the document that goes with the purchase agreement and is what the buyer shows to banks, landlords and the state when the business changes hands.
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 Louisiana business bill of sale above with the buyer. Record the serial number.
- Sign it in front of a notary. Louisiana requires the notarized bill of sale for this kind of sale.
- Hand over any registration papers, manuals, receipts or health records that go with the business.
- Hand over the business and keep your signed copy of the bill of sale for your records.
Buyer steps
- Check the description against the business 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
- Attach an inventory and equipment list as a schedule for anything beyond a one-line description.
- Say clearly whether the buyer assumes any debts, leases or contracts.
- Both parties sign in their capacity (owner, member, president) if an entity is involved.
- This is the bill of sale, not the purchase agreement. For a sale above a few thousand dollars, have a lawyer draft the purchase agreement and use this as the closing document.
Why a bill of sale matters for a business
- Transfers the assets at closing in one signed document.
- Lists exactly what is and is not included, which prevents post-sale fights.
- Needed to transfer the DBA, licenses, lease and utility accounts.
- Supports the buyer's asset basis for taxes and the seller's gain calculation.
Want both parties to walk away with a signed copy and a notary page ready? The $9 ready-to-sign pack adds them.
Louisiana at a glance
- Bill of sale
- Required for private sales
- Notary
- Notarization required
- Official state form
- None published; any signed bill of sale is accepted
- Where the buyer registers
- Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (www.expresslane.org)
- License plates
- Stay with seller
Louisiana's Office of Motor Vehicles expects the title to be signed and notarized and a separate bill of sale (or act of donation for a gift) that is also notarized. Both parties usually sign in front of the notary at the same time. Boats use the Wildlife and Fisheries notarized bill of sale.
Checked October 2026 against the state's own guidance. Rules change; confirm before you file.
Other Louisiana forms
- Louisiana Vehicle Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Motorcycle Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Boat Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Trailer Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Firearm Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Mobile Home Bill of Sale
- Louisiana RV Bill of Sale
- Louisiana ATV / UTV Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Dirt Bike Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Golf Cart Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Jet Ski Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Snowmobile Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Scooter / Moped Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Equipment Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Tractor Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Horse Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Dog Bill of Sale
- Louisiana Livestock Bill of Sale
- Louisiana General Bill of Sale
Business Bill of Sale in other states
Louisiana business bill of sale questions
Is a bill of sale required to sell a business in Louisiana?+
Louisiana requires a bill of sale for private sales. Louisiana's Office of Motor Vehicles expects the title to be signed and notarized and a separate bill of sale (or act of donation for a gift) that is also notarized. Both parties usually sign in front of the notary at the same time. Boats use the Wildlife and Fisheries notarized bill of sale. Louisiana has no mandatory form, so any complete, signed bill of sale like the one generated here is accepted.
Does a Louisiana business bill of sale need to be notarized?+
Louisiana requires the bill of sale to be notarized in most private vehicle sales. The ready-to-sign pack includes a notary acknowledgment page formatted for Louisiana.
Does the buyer need to file a business bill of sale in Louisiana?+
No. Businesses 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.
Is a business bill of sale the same as a purchase agreement?+
No. The purchase agreement sets the deal: price, terms, representations, non-compete. The bill of sale is the closing document that actually transfers the assets. Small deals sometimes use the bill of sale alone; larger ones should have both.
Does it transfer the LLC or corporation?+
No. This transfers assets. Selling the entity itself is a membership-interest or stock sale and needs different documents. Most small-business sales are asset sales.
Do I need to notify the state?+
Usually the DBA (assumed name) and any licenses or permits have to be reassigned or re-filed, and some states have bulk-sale notice rules. Check with the secretary of state and your accountant.