In Massachusetts, a bill of sale is required for most private vehicle purchases and for every first-time boat registration. For furniture, tools, electronics, and other personal property, no state law demands one, but a signed record protects both sides if a dispute surfaces later. Whether you strictly need the separate document for a car depends on what the certificate of title already captures.
When a Vehicle Sale Requires One
Most Massachusetts vehicles have a certificate of title with an assignment section on the back. When a private seller fills that section in completely, including the sale date, purchase price, both parties’ names, addresses, signatures, and the odometer reading, a separate bill of sale is not strictly necessary.1Mass.gov. Private Party Car Sales If the title has no field for the sales price, though, the RMV will not process the registration without a bill of sale showing what the buyer paid.2Mass.gov. Apply for a Registration and Title for a Vehicle Purchased From an Individual
Older vehicles exempt from Massachusetts titling have no certificate at all. For those, the RMV requires both the previous owner’s registration and a bill of sale as proof of ownership before it will register the vehicle to the new owner.3Mass.gov. Transfer Your Registration to a Vehicle or Trailer Purchased From an Individual This is where most private-sale snags happen: the sale is informal, nothing is written down, and the buyer discovers at the counter that they cannot register the car.
Even when the title covers everything the RMV wants to see, a standalone bill of sale is worth keeping. Titles get lost. Ink fades. Memories blur.
Boats Always Need One
Massachusetts requires registration for any motorized boat and any boat used on public waterways, including canoes and sailboats with motors, motorized fishing boats, and jet skis.4Mass.gov. Boat Registration The Boat and Recreation Vehicle Registration and Titling Bureau requires a bill of sale for every first-time registration, with no exception for private deals.5Mass.gov. First-Time Boat Registration
The seller’s name, address, and signature must appear on the document. If the boat was bought from a business, the bill of sale must be on company letterhead.5Mass.gov. First-Time Boat Registration A sample bill of sale is available for download on Mass.gov and works as a template for a private sale.4Mass.gov. Boat Registration
Furniture, Tools, and Other Personal Property
No Massachusetts statute requires a bill of sale for everyday personal property. A written record is still worth the five minutes it takes, especially for cash transactions where the paper is often the only evidence money changed hands. If a buyer later claims the item was stolen, or a seller tries to reclaim it, a signed bill of sale settles the question quickly.
What to Put on It
For a vehicle, the title assignment or separate bill of sale should include the date of sale, the purchase price, both parties’ full names, addresses, and signatures, and the odometer reading. The vehicle description should cover the make, model, year, color, and Vehicle Identification Number.1Mass.gov. Private Party Car Sales A Registration and Title Application is downloadable on Mass.gov.2Mass.gov. Apply for a Registration and Title for a Vehicle Purchased From an Individual
For a boat, include the hull identification number, make, model, and length. For general personal property, there is no official form; cover both parties’ names and addresses, a clear description of the item, the price, the date, and both signatures. An “as-is” statement, or a note of any known defects, can head off later disputes about condition. A line stating the property is free of outstanding debts or liens is also worth adding.
Signatures, Deadlines, and Filing
Massachusetts does not require a bill of sale to be notarized. Both parties sign, and each keeps a copy.
For a vehicle, you must apply for a certificate of title within 10 days of acquiring ownership.6General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Code Chapter 90D Section 4 – Application for Certificate of Title Bring the completed Registration and Title Application, proof of ownership (the signed title, or for title-exempt vehicles, the previous owner’s registration together with the bill of sale), and payment to an RMV Service Center.2Mass.gov. Apply for a Registration and Title for a Vehicle Purchased From an Individual As of mid-2025, the certificate of title fee is $75 and a registration transfer costs $25.7Mass.gov. RMV Schedule of Fees
For a boat, submit the bill of sale and registration documents to the Boat and Recreation Vehicle Registration and Titling Bureau in person or by mail. No cash is accepted.5Mass.gov. First-Time Boat Registration For other personal property, nothing is filed with any agency. Keep your signed copy with your records.
Gifts and Family Transfers
A vehicle received as a gift can be exempt from the 6.25% sales tax. The giver completes Form MVU-24, and the recipient pays a non-refundable $25 gift transfer fee plus the standard title and registration fees. A separate exemption covers transfers between a parent, sibling, spouse, or child, documented on Form MVU-26. The family exemption is limited to those four relationships: vehicles transferred from grandparents, cousins, aunts, or uncles do not qualify.8Mass.gov. Family/Gift Transfers Even in a gift or family transfer, a bill of sale documenting how the vehicle changed hands is good practice.
Odometer Disclosure on Vehicle Sales
Federal law requires anyone transferring ownership of a motor vehicle to provide a written odometer disclosure, stating the cumulative mileage or disclosing that the actual mileage is unknown.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 49 Section 32705 – Disclosure Requirements on Transfer of Motor Vehicles In Massachusetts, this is recorded on the title assignment as part of the private sale.1Mass.gov. Private Party Car Sales Vehicles at least 20 model years old are exempt from the federal requirement.10Federal Register. Odometer Disclosure Requirements For a 2026 transfer, that means any vehicle of model year 2006 or earlier. Noting the mileage on the bill of sale is still sensible for older cars, even where federal law does not force it.