Motorcycle bill of sale: what it needs to say

A motorcycle bill of sale needs the VIN, the odometer reading, the price, the date of delivery and both signatures — and in most states it is a supporting document, not the thing that transfers ownership. The title is.

Published August 15, 2026·4 min read

A motorcycle bill of sale is the written record of the sale: who sold what to whom, for how much, on what date, and in what condition. It proves the transaction and the price — the DMV needs the price for sales tax — but in nearly every state the signed title, not the bill of sale, is what transfers ownership. Treat them as two separate steps and neither one can be skipped.

The information a motorcycle bill of sale must carry

Seller and buyer: full legal names and addresses, exactly as they appear on the title and on the buyer's ID.
The motorcycle: year, make, model, body/engine displacement, color, and the VIN. On a motorcycle the VIN is stamped on the steering neck and repeated on the frame; check it against the title before money moves. A transposed digit means a rejected title application.
The odometer reading at the moment of sale, and whether it is actual mileage, exceeds mechanical limits, or is not the actual mileage.
The price, in figures and words, plus how it was paid. If the bike is a gift or a trade, say so and describe what was exchanged.
The date of sale and delivery — the day risk and liability move to the buyer.
Condition and warranty language (below).
Signatures of both parties, with the date. Some states want the buyer's signature too, and it costs nothing to have it.

The odometer disclosure is federal, and it now covers 20 years

Federal law (49 CFR Part 580) requires a written odometer disclosure on transfer of ownership. The exemption used to end at 10 model years; under the rule that took effect on 1 January 2021, vehicles of model year 2011 and newer must carry the disclosure for 20 years. Older vehicles remain on the previous 10-year rule and are now exempt.

Most states put the disclosure on the title itself, which is where it belongs. Repeating the reading on the bill of sale is still worth doing: it is your dated record of what the clock showed when the keys changed hands.

"As is" — what it does and does not do

A private seller is not a dealer, and most state used-car warranty statutes and implied warranties can be disclaimed between private parties with clear "as is, where is, with all faults" language. That clause is why a written bill of sale protects the seller more than the buyer.

What it does not do: shield a seller who actively lies or conceals a known defect. Misrepresenting a salvage or rebuilt title, rolling back an odometer, or hiding a frame crack you know about is fraud, and no disclaimer cures it. Selling honestly and writing "as is" is the combination that holds up.

For the longer version of that clause and the language to avoid, see selling a car "as is".

Does it need to be notarized?

Usually not, but this is one of the few genuinely state-by-state answers. A handful of states require notarization of the title signature or of the bill of sale for a vehicle transfer — Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are the names that come up most often, and the rules change. Check your state DMV page before you sign, and if in doubt, notarize: it costs a few dollars and never invalidates anything.

The detail on which document gets notarized, and why the answer differs from the answer for cars, is in does a bill of sale need to be notarized.

Texas, specifically

Texas does not require a bill of sale to transfer a motorcycle, but the buyer must file Form 130-U (Application for Texas Title and/or Registration) at the county tax office within 30 calendar days of the sale, with the signed title. Motor vehicle sales tax is charged at 6.25% on the sales price or the standard presumptive value, whichever the Comptroller's rules apply — which is exactly why a written price on a bill of sale is useful. The seller should also file a vehicle transfer notification with the TxDMV within 30 days; until that is on file, tickets and toll bills follow the seller's name.

After the sale: the step sellers forget

Remove your plate if your state keeps plates with the seller, cancel the insurance only after the title transfer is recorded, and file the release-of-liability or transfer notification your state provides. That filing is what stops the next owner's parking tickets from arriving at your address.

→ Vehicle bill of sale — guided form for motorcycles, cars and trailers, with odometer disclosure and as-is language. PDF and Word, one-time payment. See also the guide.