Alabama Motorcycle Bill of Sale: Contents, Notarization, and Registration

An Alabama motorcycle bill of sale is the written record of a private-party motorcycle sale, and the buyer needs it to register the bike at the county licensing office within 20 calendar days of the purchase.¹ Miss that window and the county adds a $15 late penalty on top of the normal fees. The document also protects the seller by proving the motorcycle is no longer theirs as of the sale date.

What the Document Must Contain

A county licensing official needs enough information on the page to identify both parties, calculate sales tax, and match the motorcycle to its records. Include all of the following:

Full legal names of the buyer and seller, as they appear on government-issued ID.
Current residential addresses for both parties, with city, state, and ZIP code.
The sale price in dollars.
The date of sale (this starts the 20-day registration clock).
Year, make, and model of the motorcycle.
The 17-character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

Standard forms are available at county licensing offices and through the Alabama Department of Revenue, and you can also write your own as long as every field above is on it.² The VIN usually sits stamped on the steering neck or on a plate near the front fork; copy it character by character and check it against the title. One wrong digit will stall registration because the county system won’t find a match. Use blue or black ink, keep the writing legible, and make sure both parties walk away with a signed copy.

Odometer Disclosure

Federal law requires the seller of a motor vehicle to give the buyer a written odometer disclosure at the time of sale.³ Alabama uses form MVT-5 for this, and it is a separate document from the bill of sale. On the form, the seller certifies one of three things: that the reading reflects actual mileage, that the mileage exceeds the odometer’s mechanical limits (common with older five-digit odometers that have rolled over), or that the reading is not actual mileage because the odometer was broken or replaced. Giving false mileage can lead to fines and imprisonment under the Federal Truth in Mileage Act.⁴

Older motorcycles are exempt. Federal regulations drop the disclosure requirement for any vehicle whose model year is at least 20 years older than the current calendar year, so a sale happening in 2026 does not need an odometer statement for any motorcycle from model year 2006 or earlier.⁵

Does It Need to Be Notarized?

Alabama has no statewide law requiring a notary seal on a motorcycle bill of sale. For a bike with a clean, current title, most counties accept a signed document without notarization. The answer changes for title-exempt motorcycles, where the bill of sale is essentially the only ownership proof the buyer has. Some county licensing offices require or strongly recommend notarization in that situation before they will process the registration.

Because this is handled county by county rather than by statute, call the licensing office where the motorcycle will be registered and ask. When notarization is required, the seller signs in front of a licensed notary and presents a government-issued photo ID so the notary can verify identity and apply the seal.

Title-Exempt Motorcycles

Alabama does not issue titles for motorcycles with a model year more than 35 years old.⁶ As of January 1, 2026, that covers any motorcycle from model year 1990 or earlier. These bikes still get registered and tagged, but no state title exists for them, which makes the bill of sale the primary ownership document.

Vague paperwork causes real problems here. Without a title in the background, a thin bill of sale can make it very hard to prove ownership if a dispute comes up later. For a title-exempt bike, make sure the document carries the VIN, a detailed description of the motorcycle, and the signatures of both parties, and seriously consider notarization since many county offices expect it for these older machines.⁷ Keep the original permanently; it is your only proof of ownership.

Registering the Motorcycle After the Sale

Take the signed bill of sale to the county licensing official’s office within 20 calendar days of the purchase date.¹ Bring the title (if the motorcycle is titled), your driver’s license, and proof of insurance. The office will register the bike, issue a plate or validation decal, and collect taxes and fees. Missing the 20-day deadline triggers a flat $15 late-registration penalty. Military personnel deployed during their registration window get a 30-day grace period after deployment ends without penalty.⁸

The state sales tax on a motorcycle purchase is 2%, with county and municipal taxes added on top; the combined rate varies by location.⁹ The county calculates the amount from the price listed on the bill of sale, so understating the price to shave the tax bill is both obvious and illegal.

If the motorcycle has a title, the Alabama Department of Revenue issues a new title certificate in the buyer’s name and mails it within several weeks. For a title-exempt bike, the county registers it based on the bill of sale and any supporting documents, and no new title is created.⁶

If the Motorcycle Comes From Out of State

A motorcycle previously titled in another state has to pass a physical VIN inspection before Alabama will title and register it. A government official or law enforcement officer verifies the VIN, make, year, model, and color in person and completes form MVT 5-9.¹⁰ Call the county licensing office first to find out who handles the inspection locally; some counties do it on site, others send you to a law enforcement office. Bring the inspection form, the out-of-state title, the bill of sale, your ID, and proof of insurance. The 20-day deadline still applies.¹

Insurance Before You Register

Alabama requires liability insurance before you can ride on public roads: $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident when two or more people are injured, and $25,000 per accident for property damage. The county will ask for proof of insurance at the counter, so bind the policy before you go. Buyers who skip this step often find they cannot complete registration and burn days off their 20-day window going back for it.

1
Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 40-12-260 – Transfer of License Plates; Registration Procedures; Receipts; Penalty
2
Lee County Revenue Commissioner. Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale
3
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32705 – Disclosure Requirements on Transfer of Motor Vehicles
4
Alabama Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Division Odometer Disclosure Statement
5
eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements
6
Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 32-8-31 – Exemptions
7
Coosa County Alabama. Alabama Department of Revenue Memorandum 2011-24 – Title Procedure Exemptions from Titling
8
Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 32-6-65 – Uniform Registration Renewal Form; Centralized Registration Prohibited; Penalties
9
Alabama Department of Revenue. Sales Tax – Automotive Sales Use Lease Tax Guide
10
Alabama Administrative Code. Alabama Administrative Code 810-5-1-.247 – Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Inspections