An Arizona bill of sale is a written record of a private sale that Arizona uses to complete a title or registration transfer. You’ll need one to retitle a vehicle when the title has no price field or is missing, to register a used boat with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and to transfer nearly any livestock under state law. For ordinary personal property like furniture or a private firearm, no law requires one, but a written record is still the sensible choice.
When Arizona Requires a Bill of Sale
For motor vehicles, the bill of sale carries the most weight when the vehicle lacks a standard title or when the existing title has no space to record the purchase price. In those cases, it becomes the primary proof of the transaction and supports the buyer’s application for a new title through the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD). Even when the title is clean, providing a bill of sale alongside the signed title is standard practice in private sales and gives both parties a paper trail.
Watercraft transfers require one too. The Arizona Game and Fish Department, which handles boat registrations, defines a bill of sale as a written agreement listing the buyer and seller names, the manufacturer, the hull identification number, the purchase price, any sales tax paid, and the seller’s signature.1Arizona Game and Fish Department. Fees and Forms If you bought a used boat that was previously registered in Arizona, you’ll need to bring the bill of sale when you register it in your name.2Arizona Game and Fish Department. Boating Registration Frequently Asked Questions
Livestock has its own rule. Under A.R.S. § 3-1291, every sale or transfer of livestock must be accompanied by a written and acknowledged bill of sale from the seller to the buyer. The only exception is dairy calves under thirty days old.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 3 Section 3-1291 – Bill of Sale Required in Transfer of Livestock
For other personal property, Arizona imposes no legal requirement. Private firearm transactions carry no state record-keeping duty on the seller, for example, but a written record of make, model, serial number, and both parties’ names is worth having if questions come up later.
Which Vehicle Form to Use and What Goes On It
MVD publishes two official bill of sale forms for vehicle transactions:
- Form 38-1306, the Title Transfer Bill of Sale, is designed for vehicles currently titled in Arizona. It captures the buyer’s and seller’s names, addresses, and driver license numbers, plus the vehicle’s VIN, year, make, and model.4Arizona Department of Transportation. Bill of Sale 38-1306
- Form 48-2004, the Bill of Sale, is used as supporting documentation for a title transaction. It captures similar information but records body style rather than model and includes both parties’ dates of birth.5Arizona Department of Transportation. Bill of Sale 48-2004
Both are available from MVD offices, authorized third-party providers, and the ADOT forms library online.6Arizona Department of Transportation. Bill of Sale Fill every field legibly. An incomplete or unreadable form can be rejected at the counter, which means another trip.
Arizona’s title application statute also requires the buyer to provide an odometer mileage disclosure statement when applying for a certificate of title to a previously registered vehicle.7Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-2051 – Application for Certificate of Title Federal law exempts vehicles 20 model years old or older and those with a gross vehicle weight rating over 16,000 pounds. For everything else, the seller must disclose the odometer reading as part of the title paperwork.
Notarization and Witnessing
Arizona requires the seller’s signature on a title transfer document to be witnessed by either a notary public or an MVD agent.8Arizona Department of Transportation. Buying or Selling a Used Vehicle You have two practical options. You can visit a notary before going to MVD, or you can sign the paperwork at an MVD office or authorized third-party location, where a designated agent can witness the signature on the spot. A.R.S. § 28-370 authorizes MVD officers, agents, and designated employees to serve as witnesses for title and registration documents.9Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-370 – Oaths and Acknowledgments; Power of Attorney; Definitions
If you choose a notary, Arizona caps notary fees at $10 per notarial act; notaries can charge anywhere from nothing up to that cap.10Arizona Secretary of State. Notary Public Services Fees Schedule Bring valid government-issued photo ID. Without a witnessed or notarized signature, MVD will not process the transfer.
The 15-Day Deadline and Late Penalties
Once you buy a vehicle in Arizona, you have 15 days to apply for a new title in your name. The deadline applies whether or not you plan to drive the vehicle right away.4Arizona Department of Transportation. Bill of Sale 38-1306 The statute requires the buyer to present the signed certificate of title or title transfer form, together with the required fee, to MVD within that window.11Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-2058 – Transfer of Title; Odometer Mileage Disclosure Statement; Education
Miss it and penalties start. Under A.R.S. § 28-2162, the late fee is $8 for the first month of delinquency and $4 for each additional month, capped at $100.12Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-2162 – Delinquent Registration; Penalty; Lien; Failure to Apply for Certificate of Title The cap is modest, but the bigger risk is driving a vehicle still tied to someone else’s name.
You can submit paperwork at any MVD office or at an authorized third-party provider. Third-party offices charge their own convenience fees on top of state fees.
Fees and Taxes at the Counter
The state title fee is $4.13Arizona Department of Transportation. Vehicle Title On top of that you’ll pay registration fees, which vary by vehicle type and value, and any late penalties if you missed the 15-day window.
The larger charge is usually the vehicle use tax. The state use tax rate is 5.6%, and city and county rates can add to it. MVD collects the tax at the time of title transfer or registration. The Arizona Department of Revenue notes that casual sales between private parties are not taxable under the transaction privilege tax framework, so whether you owe use tax on a private purchase depends on the specifics of your transaction.14Arizona Department of Revenue. Vehicle Use Tax and Calculator Questions and Answers The Department of Revenue offers a Vehicle Use Tax Calculator online. Bringing the bill of sale to MVD helps them process the calculation.
Filing a Sold Notice After You Sell
Sellers skip this step most often, and it’s the one that causes the most trouble later. After you sell a vehicle, file a Sold Notice (Form 46-8502) with MVD. Without it, MVD records still show you as the owner, which means parking tickets, towing fees, or worse if the buyer misuses the vehicle before registering it.15Arizona Department of Transportation. Sold Notice
The fastest route is online through AZMVDNow.gov. You can also complete the sold notice on the back of your vehicle registration card and mail it to MVD, or download Form 46-8502 and submit it by mail or in person.16Arizona Department of Transportation. Selling a Car? Protect Yourself and Complete a Sold Notice You’ll need the buyer’s name and address. Do it the same day you hand over the keys.
Watercraft Bill of Sale
Boat transfers go through the Arizona Game and Fish Department rather than MVD, and the required fields differ from a vehicle bill of sale. A watercraft bill of sale must include the buyer’s and seller’s names, the manufacturer, the hull identification number, the length of the vessel, the purchase price, and the seller’s signature. If you bought from a watercraft dealer, the bill of sale must also show sales tax was paid.2Arizona Game and Fish Department. Boating Registration Frequently Asked Questions
Game and Fish provides its own watercraft forms, separate from MVD’s vehicle bill of sale forms.1Arizona Game and Fish Department. Fees and Forms Don’t use an MVD vehicle form for a boat: the fields differ, and registration goes to a different agency.
Livestock Transfers and Brand Inspections
Arizona treats livestock documentation strictly. A.R.S. § 3-1291 requires a written and acknowledged bill of sale to accompany every livestock sale or transfer, with the sole exception of dairy calves under thirty days old.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 3 Section 3-1291 – Bill of Sale Required in Transfer of Livestock “Acknowledged” means the document must be formally recognized, not simply written and signed.
For branded range cattle, the Arizona Department of Agriculture also requires a Form I inspection for any change of ownership, custom slaughter, or shipment out of state. A self-inspection certificate will not satisfy that requirement. Non-range, dairy, and feedlot cattle can use a self-inspection certificate for ownership transfers. In every case, the inspection form is separate from the bill of sale and does not replace it. You need both.17Arizona Department of Agriculture. Livestock Inspections Information