How to Fill Out an Illinois Vehicle Bill of Sale Form

An Illinois vehicle bill of sale is a written record of a private-party car or truck sale that identifies the parties, the vehicle, the price, and the date. Illinois does not publish an official form for private sales, so you draft your own. The bill of sale by itself does not transfer ownership: the seller still has to sign over the certificate of title, and the buyer has 20 days from the sale to apply for a new title with the Secretary of State.¹

What to Put on the Bill of Sale

Because the state does not issue a template, your document needs enough detail to stand on its own if anyone later questions what was sold, for how much, and to whom. Include each of the following:

Full legal names and addresses of both the seller and the buyer.
Year, make, model, body style, and color of the vehicle.
The 17-character Vehicle Identification Number.
Odometer reading at the time of sale.
Sale price and form of payment (cash, check, money order, or trade).
Date of the transaction.
Signatures of both parties.

Illinois does not require the bill of sale to be notarized for it to be valid. Notarization can help if a dispute later arises over whether the parties really signed, so it is a reasonable precaution for a higher-value sale. If you go that route, wait to sign until you are in front of the notary.

As-Is Language

Most private vehicle sales in Illinois are sold as-is, meaning the buyer takes the car in its current condition with no guarantees from the seller. Under the Uniform Commercial Code, phrases like “as-is” or “with all faults” disclaim the implied warranty of merchantability, the general expectation that goods are fit for their ordinary purpose.² For the disclaimer to hold up, write it clearly and conspicuously. A line like “Seller makes no warranties, express or implied. Buyer accepts the vehicle as-is, with all faults” does the job. Having both parties initial that clause separately removes any argument that it went unread.

The FTC’s Used Car Rule, which forces dealers to post a Buyers Guide window sticker, applies only to businesses that sell more than five used vehicles in a 12-month period. Private sellers are not covered.³

Signing Over the Title and Recording the Odometer

Legal ownership moves with the certificate of title, not the bill of sale. The seller completes the Assignment of Title section on the back of the Illinois title, writes in the buyer’s name and the date, and signs. If a lien is still listed, the lienholder has to release it first.

Illinois law requires the seller to record the odometer reading on the title at the time of transfer and to indicate whether the mileage is accurate, has exceeded the odometer’s mechanical limits, or is not the actual mileage. The buyer signs the title acknowledging that statement.⁴ Under federal rules, odometer disclosure applies for the first 20 years of a vehicle’s life for model year 2011 and newer; model year 2010 and older vehicles are exempt.⁵

Seller’s Report of Sale (Form VSD 703)

After signing the title over, the seller should immediately complete Form VSD 703 and mail it to the Secretary of State’s Vehicle Services Department. The form releases your responsibility as the last registered owner. Without it, parking tickets, toll violations, or accidents involving the car can trace back to you until the buyer completes the title transfer.⁶ Filing the VSD 703 does not transfer ownership on its own; it simply tells the state that you no longer have the vehicle. The form asks for the make, year, VIN, and title number, along with the buyer’s name and address.

What the Buyer Does Next

The buyer must apply for a new certificate of title within 20 days of receiving the vehicle and the assigned title.¹ You can file in person at any Secretary of State facility or by mail.⁷ The Electronic Registration and Title (ERT) system lets you fill out the Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (Form VSD 190) online and print it before you go.

Bring the following to the facility:

The original title signed by the seller in the Assignment section, with the odometer disclosure completed.
Your completed bill of sale.
A completed Form RUT-50 with the tax payment, or proof the tax was already paid to the Illinois Department of Revenue.
Payment of the $165 title fee.⁸
If you are also registering the vehicle, the $151 passenger vehicle registration fee for standard plates.⁸

The Secretary of State’s office estimates about three to four weeks for the permanent title to arrive by mail once the application is received.⁹

Private Party Vehicle Use Tax (Form RUT-50)

Any vehicle bought from a private party in Illinois is subject to the private party vehicle use tax, reported on Form RUT-50. The form is due within 30 days of acquiring the vehicle.¹⁰ The amount owed depends on whether the purchase price is below $15,000 and, if so, on the vehicle’s model year.¹¹

Vehicles Under $15,000

When the purchase price or fair market value is less than $15,000, the tax is set by model year:¹²

2025 or newer: $465
2024: $365
2023: $290
2022: $240
2021: $190
2020: $165
2019: $155
2018: $140
2017: $125
2016: $115
2015 or older: $100

Vehicles at $15,000 or More

At $15,000 and above, the tax is based on the price itself:¹²

$15,000–$19,999.99: $850
$20,000–$24,999.99: $1,100
$25,000–$29,999.99: $1,350
$30,000–$49,999.99: $1,600
$50,000–$99,999.99: $2,600
$100,000–$999,999.99: $5,100
$1,000,000 or more: $10,100

Reduced Rates

Motorcycles and ATVs are taxed at a flat $25 regardless of price or age. Transfers between a spouse, parent, sibling, or child (including adopted children) qualify for a $15 flat tax. The same $15 rate applies to estate gifts to beneficiaries other than a surviving spouse and to transfers in a business reorganization where beneficial ownership does not change. Step-relations, in-laws, and grandparent-grandchild transfers do not qualify.¹²

The RUT-50 instructions treat “purchase price” as any value given, whether money, credit, property, or services. Attaching a copy of the bill of sale to the RUT-50 can head off follow-up notices from the Department of Revenue questioning the reported price.¹³

Keeping a Copy

Both parties should keep their own signed copy. The Illinois Department of Revenue requires taxpayers to hold records supporting receipts for three and a half years after filing an original or amended return.¹⁴ Holding onto the bill of sale longer than that is sensible. For the seller, it proves when you stopped owning the vehicle if a toll, ticket, or insurance claim surfaces later. For the buyer, it documents what you paid, which is the figure the Department of Revenue works from.

One boundary worth noting: this process applies to cars and trucks titled through the Secretary of State. Boats and watercraft go through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources on a different timeline and with different forms, so a bill of sale for a vessel is only one piece of a separate transfer.

1
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Vehicle Code 625 ILCS 5/3-112
2
Legal Information Institute (LII). Implied Warranty
3
Federal Trade Commission. Dealer’s Guide to the Used Car Rule
4
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Vehicle Code 625 ILCS 5/3-112.1
5
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Consumer Alert: Changes to Odometer Disclosure Requirements
6
Illinois Secretary of State. Seller’s Report of Sale VSD 703
7
Illinois Secretary of State. Apply for Registration and Title
8
Illinois Secretary of State. Fees
9
Illinois Secretary of State. Frequently Asked Questions
10
Illinois Department of Revenue. RUT-50 Instructions for Private Party Vehicle Use Tax Transaction
11
Illinois Department of Revenue. Use Tax Rates
12
Illinois Department of Revenue. Illinois Department of Revenue Private Party Vehicle Use Tax Chart for 2026
13
Illinois Department of Revenue. RUT-50, Private Party Vehicle Use Tax Transaction Instructions
14
Illinois Department of Revenue. What Must I Keep in My Books and Records?