Alaska does not publish an official DMV bill of sale form for cars, trucks, SUVs, or motorcycles, so you draft your own document or use a general template. The Division of Motor Vehicles recommends both parties sign a bill of sale during any private vehicle transaction, but the document is a receipt, not a transfer of ownership. Only a signed title transfers the vehicle.1Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Selling a Vehicle in Alaska The bill of sale records what was paid, when, and between whom, which protects both sides if a dispute comes up later.
What to Put on the Bill of Sale
The DMV specifies the minimum information your bill of sale should contain: the vehicle’s serial number (VIN) and description, the buyer’s and seller’s printed names, the date of the sale, and both parties’ signatures.1Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Selling a Vehicle in Alaska Build the document around those required fields and add the practical details below so the buyer can register the vehicle without coming back to you for information.
- Vehicle details: year, make, model, body style, color, and the full VIN. Copy the VIN directly from the title or the door jamb sticker to avoid transposition errors.
- Sale price in both numbers and words. Some Alaska boroughs calculate local sales tax from this figure.
- Odometer reading at the time of sale, with a certification of whether the reading is accurate, exceeds mechanical limits, or is known to be inaccurate.
- A statement that the seller has the legal right to sell the vehicle and that it is free of liens, or disclosing any lien that exists.
- Mailing addresses for both the buyer and the seller.
- Printed names and signatures of both parties, with the date.
Print two copies and give one to each party. The buyer will take their copy to the DMV along with the signed title.
Form 808 Is Not for Cars
If you have seen references to Alaska Form 808, that document is titled “Sale of Snowmachine or ATV” and covers off-highway vehicles only. Its body-style options are snowmachine, three-wheeler, four-wheeler, and six-wheeler, and it has no field for the purchase price.2Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Sale of Snowmachine or ATV – Form 808 Use Form 808 for a snowmachine or ATV. For any on-highway vehicle, draft your own bill of sale using the fields above.
Signing and Notarization
Both parties sign and date the bill of sale in ink, with legible signatures and printed names alongside. No Alaska statute requires notarization of a vehicle bill of sale for a standard private sale, and the DMV’s selling guidance and AS 28.10.271 do not list notarization as a condition for acceptance.3Justia. Alaska Code 28.10.271 – Transfer of Vehicle by Owner Notarizing is still a reasonable step when the sale involves a large amount of money or the parties do not know each other, because a notary confirms the identities of the signers.
Odometer Disclosure
Federal rules require an odometer disclosure for any vehicle less than 20 model years old. For a 2026 sale, that covers every vehicle with a model year of 2007 or newer. Most Alaska titles include a space for the seller to record the reading directly on the title. When the title has no such space, the seller completes Form V6 (Odometer Disclosure) and submits it with the other transfer paperwork.4Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Odometer Requirements Falsifying the reading is a federal offense, so record the actual mileage.
What the Seller Does After the Sale
Alaska law requires the seller to report the transfer or assignment of title to the DMV within 10 days.3Justia. Alaska Code 28.10.271 – Transfer of Vehicle by Owner The notice is called the “Notice of Vehicle Sale for Transfer” and is attached to the bottom of the original Alaska title. Detach it, complete it, and send it to the DMV by mail, in person, by email, or through the online portal.1Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Selling a Vehicle in Alaska Until the DMV receives that notice, state records still show you as the registered owner, which means parking tickets, tolls, and other liabilities tied to the vehicle can land on you.
Hand over the signed title to the buyer at the time of sale. If you have lost the title, you have to obtain a duplicate before you can legally transfer ownership.5Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Duplicate Vehicle Title A bill of sale will not substitute for a missing title.
What the Buyer Does After the Sale
The buyer must apply for a title in their own name within 30 days of purchase.6Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. New Vehicle Bring the following to a DMV office or an authorized business partner that handles DMV transactions:7Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Partner Services
- The original title signed over by the seller.
- Vehicle Transaction Application, Form V1, the main DMV application for title and registration.8Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Transaction Application – Form V1
- Your copy of the signed bill of sale, especially if the title does not show the purchase price.
- Form V6 if the odometer reading was not recorded on the title.
- Payment for title and registration fees.
If you bought the vehicle out of state and do not have a title or Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin, you may need a Verification of Vehicle (Form 811), which the DMV completes at no charge at any state office.9Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Titles
Clearing a Lien First
A vehicle with an outstanding loan has a lien recorded on the title, and the lienholder appears as an interested party. You cannot transfer a clean title until the lien is released. Contact your lender for a payoff amount before listing the vehicle; that figure can differ from the balance on your regular statement because of accrued interest or early-payoff fees. Once the loan is paid, the lender releases the lien and either sends you a clear title or updates the DMV record. When the buyer’s payment is what funds the payoff, an escrow arrangement keeps the funds, the lien release, and the title handover in a predictable order.
Local Sales Tax on the Purchase
Alaska has no state sales tax, but many boroughs and municipalities impose a local sales tax that can apply to vehicle purchases. Rates vary widely by location. Check with the borough or city where the sale takes place or where you will register the vehicle to find out whether local tax applies and how to pay it. This is why the price belongs on the bill of sale: the local tax authority uses that figure to assess the tax.