A Tennessee motor vehicle bill of sale is a legal document that serves as proof of the transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle between a seller and a buyer. It serves as proof of the transaction when interacting with the Tennessee Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Formswift: Generate a Tennessee vehicle bill of sale with our easy template
Create a Tennessee vehicle bill of sale effortlessly with our user-friendly template. Safeguard your motor vehicle transactions and enjoy peace of mind knowing you have a legally binding record of the sale in the state of Tennessee.
For the buyer, it offers proof they now legally own the motor vehicle. For the seller, it offers protection against any liability associated with the vehicle after it's been sold. A Tennessee bill of sale form can also speed up vehicle registration and obtaining a certificate of title.
Common types of a Tennessee vehicle bill of sale
General bill of sale
This is a standard bill of sale form that includes all the necessary details of the vehicle sale, applicable to most types of vehicles, including watercraft.
As-is bill of sale
This type of bill of sale emphasizes that the vehicle is being sold without any warranties, and the buyer accepts it in its current condition.
Conditional bill of sale
A conditional bill of sale outlines specific conditions that need to be met for the sale to be valid, such as pending inspection or warranty-related repairs.
There’s no legal requirement to create a vehicle bill of sale in the state of Tennessee—it plays no role in the vehicle registration or titling processes. However, we recommend creating one to officially record the transfer of ownership.
Frequently asked questions
While you can create your own bill of sale, we recommend you use a fillable, official bill of sale template. This will ensure you include all the necessary details for a valid document.
No, a bill of sale and a title transfer are separate legal documents. The bill of sale documents the transaction, while the vehicle title transfer is the legal process of transferring the certificate of title from the seller to the buyer. Both are necessary when selling or buying a vehicle.
You don’t have to notarize vehicles you’re purchasing from within Tennessee. However, you must have your vehicle bill of sale notarized if you’re titling a vehicle from out of state. The only exception to this is if you’re titling a vehicle from Kentucky.
Yes, you can use a bill of sale form for various types of vehicles, including boats (using a boat bill of sale), motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles.
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