Rhode Island Business Bill of Sale
Rhode Island requires a bill of sale for private sales. Fill in the form below and download a free, one-page Rhode Island business bill of sale PDF that includes everything the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles looks for, matching the fields on Bill of Sale (DMV form). Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Seller
Buyer
Business details
Price and terms
How to sell a business in Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island business bill of sale above with the buyer. Record the serial number.
- Both parties sign and each keeps a copy. Rhode Island does not require a notary.
- 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.
Rhode Island at a glance
- Bill of sale
- Required for private sales
- Notary
- Notarization optional
- Official state form
- Bill of Sale (DMV form)
- Where the buyer registers
- Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (dmv.ri.gov)
- License plates
- Stay with seller
Rhode Island's DMV publishes its own Bill of Sale form (date of sale, price, seller and buyer information) and uses it to assess sales tax at registration for private sales. Vehicles are notarized on the title only for boats, where the seller's signature on the bill of sale must be notarized. Plates stay with the seller.
Checked October 2026 against the state's own guidance. Rules change; confirm before you file.
Other Rhode Island forms
- Rhode Island Vehicle Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Motorcycle Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Boat Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Trailer Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Firearm Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Mobile Home Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island RV Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island ATV / UTV Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Dirt Bike Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Golf Cart Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Jet Ski Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Snowmobile Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Scooter / Moped Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Equipment Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Tractor Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Horse Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Dog Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island Livestock Bill of Sale
- Rhode Island General Bill of Sale
Business Bill of Sale in other states
Rhode Island business bill of sale questions
Is a bill of sale required to sell a business in Rhode Island?+
Rhode Island requires a bill of sale for private sales. Rhode Island's DMV publishes its own Bill of Sale form (date of sale, price, seller and buyer information) and uses it to assess sales tax at registration for private sales. Vehicles are notarized on the title only for boats, where the seller's signature on the bill of sale must be notarized. Plates stay with the seller. Rhode Island publishes Bill of Sale (DMV form) for this; the PDF from this page carries the same information and is accepted alongside it.
Does a Rhode Island business bill of sale need to be notarized?+
Rhode Island 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 business bill of sale in Rhode Island?+
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.