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Tennessee Equipment Bill of Sale

Tennessee does not require a bill of sale, but the Tennessee Department of Revenue recommends one. Fill in the form below and download a free, one-page Tennessee equipment bill of sale PDF that includes everything the Tennessee Department of Revenue looks for. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

Tennessee
Equipment Bill of Sale

Seller

Buyer

Equipment details

Price and terms

How to sell a equipment in Tennessee

An equipment bill of sale records the sale of machinery, tools or heavy equipment: skid steers, excavators, generators, trailers of tools, shop machines. It lists the make, model, serial number, hours and attachments, states the price and the as-is terms, and gives the buyer a receipt for their books and the seller proof the equipment is gone.

Seller steps

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

Buyer steps

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

Before you sign

  • Copy the serial number from the manufacturer's plate, not from a listing.
  • Record hour meter readings on anything with an engine.
  • List every attachment, bucket and accessory in the sale.
  • If the buyer is a business, use the business name as the buyer.

Why a bill of sale matters for a equipment

  • Businesses need a bill of sale to book the asset and claim depreciation.
  • Heavy equipment is not titled in most states, so this is the ownership record.
  • Serial numbers on the bill of sale help if the equipment is later reported stolen.
  • An as-is clause on used machinery protects the seller from repair claims.

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

Tennessee at a glance

Bill of sale
Not required, strongly recommended
Notary
Notarization optional
Official state form
None published; any signed bill of sale is accepted
Where the buyer registers
Tennessee Department of Revenue (www.tn.gov/revenue/title-and-registration.html)
License plates
Stay with seller

Tennessee county clerks title a used vehicle on the assigned title and odometer statement; a notarized bill of sale is required only when the seller has no title and the buyer applies for certification of ownership. Gifts and low-price sales use the Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers. Plates stay with the seller.

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

Other Tennessee forms

Equipment Bill of Sale in other states

All states →

Tennessee equipment bill of sale questions

Is a bill of sale required to sell a equipment in Tennessee?+

Tennessee does not require a bill of sale, but the Tennessee Department of Revenue recommends one. Tennessee county clerks title a used vehicle on the assigned title and odometer statement; a notarized bill of sale is required only when the seller has no title and the buyer applies for certification of ownership. Gifts and low-price sales use the Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers. Plates stay with the seller. Tennessee has no mandatory form, so any complete, signed bill of sale like the one generated here is accepted.

Does a Tennessee equipment bill of sale need to be notarized?+

Tennessee 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 equipment bill of sale in Tennessee?+

No. Equipment 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 heavy equipment titled?+

Generally no. Construction and farm equipment is sold on a bill of sale, sometimes with the manufacturer's statement of origin. A few states title road-going equipment like truck tractors.

Do I need a UCC search before buying equipment?+

For anything expensive from a business seller, yes. A lender may hold a lien on the equipment. The bill of sale includes the seller's statement that it is free of liens, but a UCC search confirms it.