Florida Bill of Sale
When you’re buying and selling vehicles in Florida, there is a lot of paperwork that you need to complete and submit before you can successfully sell your vehicle or transfer the vehicle’s title under your name.
One of these documents is the bill of sale. While a bill of sale isn’t legally required, and doesn’t replace a title transfer, it is highly recommended and protects both the buyer and seller from fraud, theft, or mistakes.
Purpose of the Bill of Sale
Bills of sale benefit both the sellers and buyers of vehicles. For a seller, it’s proof that a sale has been made, and that the owner surrenders the ownership of the vehicle to another person. For the buyer, the bill of sale serves as a basic requirement for either registering the vehicle or transferring the title of the newly-purchased vehicle.
The bill should be completed and signed by the seller before being signed by the buyer. When completing the bill of sale/notice of sale, the following information must be provided:
- Basic vehicle details including its make, model, year, body style, and color
- Certificate of title number (found on the vehicle title)
- Odometer disclosure statement
- Seller and buyer’s names and addresses, signatures, and date of signing
- Sell date and price
Bill of Sale for the Seller of the Vehicle
The bill of sale serves as a form of protection for the seller of the vehicle. Once the document has been completed, signed, notarized, and submitted, it frees the seller from the ownership of the vehicle and all the liabilities attached to it. The seller will no longer be held liable for any ticket received by the new owner, as well as any accident involving the vehicle.
It is the seller’s responsibility to visit the tax collector’s office and submit the notice of sale. Upon receipt of the signed notice of sale, a Florida-authorized driving office will then cancel the registration of the vehicle. This restricts the vehicle from being driven on public roadways unless the title has been transferred and new registration has been filled out.
Bill of Sale for the Buyer of the Vehicle
For the buyer of the vehicle, the bill of sale will serve as both a reminder for the pending title transfer, as well as protection from any liabilities from the previous owner. Within 30 days of purchase, the buyer must visit the tax collector’s office for title transfer, vehicle registration, to provide proof of insurance (if appropriate), and pay the sales tax. Processing the title transfer after 30 days will carry a late transfer penalty fee.
