Do I Need a Bill of Sale in Kansas for a Car?

In most private car sales in Kansas, you do not need a bill of sale. The seller signs over the certificate of title, fills in the purchase price and odometer reading on the title itself, and that assigned title is the only document the buyer needs to register the vehicle at the county treasurer’s office.¹ A separate bill of sale only becomes mandatory in a handful of specific situations, and skipping it in those cases will stall your title application.

When Kansas Actually Requires a Bill of Sale

Kansas law treats the signed-over title as the legal proof of a car sale. Selling a registered vehicle without assigning the title is considered fraudulent and void under K.S.A. 8-135.¹ You need a separate bill of sale, on Form TR-312, in these cases:

The title has no space to record the purchase price. Some older or out-of-state titles are “non-conforming” in this way. When that happens, a completed TR-312 documents the price, and a TR-59 Odometer Disclosure Statement may be needed for the mileage.²
You are buying an antique vehicle and no Kansas title exists in the seller’s name. Vehicles 35 model years old or older can be transferred by bill of sale alone in that situation. This exception is only for antiques; every other vehicle sold by or purchased from a Kansas resident must transfer by assigned title.³
The car is a gift to someone who is not a relative. That transaction needs both a TR-12 Affidavit to a Fact signed by both parties and a TR-312 bill of sale.²⁴

Outside of those situations, no state statute makes a bill of sale a required document for a routine private car sale between Kansas residents.

Antique Vehicles Bought on a Bill of Sale

If you buy an antique on a bill of sale because no Kansas title exists, there is one more step. You will need a VIN inspection from the Kansas Highway Patrol on Form MVE-1 before you can apply for a title. Vehicles 60 model years old or older are exempt from that inspection.⁵ Kansas defines an antique as a vehicle whose body is identifiable and at least 35 model years old; cars modified into street rods or hot rods no longer qualify.⁶

For an antique transfer by bill of sale, the antique section of the TR-312 must be fully completed and the form must be notarized.³ This is the one case where notarization on a Kansas car bill of sale is clearly required.

Why to Use One Even When It Isn’t Required

A bill of sale is cheap insurance. It gives both parties a signed record of what was exchanged, for how much, and on what date. If a dispute comes up later about the price, the mileage, or the condition of the car, that piece of paper is the best evidence either side has. Some county treasurers’ offices also ask for a bill of sale when you register a vehicle bought from an individual, even in situations where state law does not strictly demand one.⁷ Showing up with one in hand avoids a second trip.

Sellers get a second benefit. Until the buyer actually registers the vehicle, state records may still link the car to your name. A signed bill of sale, dated and kept with your copy of the assigned title, is your proof that you no longer owned the car as of the sale date.

What to Put on the Bill of Sale

Kansas publishes an official Bill of Sale, Form TR-312, as a free download from the Department of Revenue. The form doubles as a sworn affidavit of purchase price: both buyer and seller sign under penalty of perjury that the stated price is accurate.³ Whether you use the official form or write your own, include:

Full legal names and current addresses for buyer and seller.
Year, make, model, color, and the full Vehicle Identification Number.
The exact purchase price. If the car is a gift, write $0 and note it as a gift.
The date of sale.
Signatures from both parties.

An “as-is” line is not required but protects the seller. A short statement that the vehicle is sold without any warranty of condition makes clear the buyer accepted the car in its current state. If you write up your own version, make two originals so each party keeps a signed copy.

Does the Bill of Sale Have to Be Notarized?

For a standard private car sale, Kansas does not require notarization. The TR-312 asks both parties to sign under penalty of perjury, which carries its own legal weight without a notary stamp. Notarization is clearly required only when an antique vehicle is transferred by bill of sale because no title exists.³

Even where not required, notarizing is often worth the small fee. It confirms the signers’ identities and makes the document harder to challenge later. Because county practices vary, arriving at the treasurer’s office with the notary stamp already on the form can save a return trip.

Odometer Disclosure Still Applies

Separate from the bill of sale question, Kansas requires the seller to record and certify the vehicle’s mileage on the title assignment at the time of sale, and the buyer must sign acknowledging the odometer and the purchase price.¹ If the title has no space for the odometer reading, the seller completes a separate Odometer Disclosure Statement on Form TR-59.²

Federal law exempts vehicles at least 20 model years old from odometer disclosure. For sales in 2026, that means model year 2006 and older cars do not need an odometer statement.⁸ For newer cars, the seller must still certify the mileage, and knowingly misrepresenting it is a federal violation.

After the Sale: Filing a Seller’s Notice of Sale

Kansas offers sellers a Notice of Sale, Form TR-216, that formally reports the sale to the Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles. Filing costs $10 and can be done online through the state’s payment portal.⁹ The form certifies that you assigned and delivered the title to the buyer on a specific date, creating an official record that the car changed hands. If the buyer takes their time registering the vehicle, that filing is your protection against tickets, tolls, or other liabilities that could otherwise come back to your name.

1
Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Statutes 8-135 – Transfer of Ownership of Vehicles
2
Geary County, KS. Buying and Selling Vehicles
3
Kansas Department of Revenue. Bill of Sale Form TR-312
4
Kansas Department of Revenue. Affidavit to a Fact Form TR-12
5
Kansas Highway Patrol. I Purchased an Antique Vehicle on a Bill of Sale – How Do I Get a Title for It?
6
Kansas Department of Revenue. Kansas Antique Plates
7
Seward County, Kansas. Frequently Asked Questions – County Treasurer
8
eCFR. 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements
9
PayIt. Make a Kansas Sellers Notice of Sale Payment