How to Fill Out the North Carolina Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale

A North Carolina motor vehicle bill of sale is a written record of a private vehicle transaction that identifies the buyer, seller, vehicle, and price. The state does not publish an official form for it, so you write your own or use any template that captures the required details.¹ The bill of sale by itself does not transfer ownership. Ownership moves when the seller signs the title assignment on the back of the certificate of title in front of a notary and the buyer applies for a new title at a license plate agency.

What to Put on the Bill of Sale

Because the NCDMV does not issue a numbered form, your document needs to be thorough enough that the agency can match it to the vehicle and to the title application. Include all of the following:

Full legal names and addresses of both buyer and seller, matching their government-issued identification.
Vehicle description: year, make, model, body style, and the complete Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Sale price, written in numerals and in words to prevent later confusion.
Odometer reading at the time of sale. North Carolina uses a separate Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form MVR-180) for the official record, but putting the mileage on the bill of sale too creates a useful backup.²
Date of sale.
Signatures of buyer and seller.

A condition statement is not required, but adding “as-is” language protects the seller by making clear no warranty is offered. If the transaction includes a trade-in, describe the traded vehicle and assign it a value. Both parties should keep a signed copy.

The Other Forms the DMV Will Ask For

The bill of sale is one piece of a larger packet. For a private-party purchase, the NCDMV will also want:¹

The existing certificate of title, with the assignment and warranty of title on the back signed by the seller and notarized, and with the buyer’s name and address filled in.
Title Application (MVR-1), completed by the buyer and notarized.
Odometer Disclosure Statement (MVR-180), unless the vehicle is exempt. Vehicles of model year 2010 or older become exempt at 10 years of age; newer models are exempt at 20 years of age. Vehicles over 16,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating and non-self-propelled vehicles are also exempt.²
Damage Disclosure Statement (MVR-181).
Lien release, if the existing title shows an outstanding lien.

If the new title will list co-owners, every required signature must be notarized and accompanied by a black-and-white copy of the other owner’s driver license or state ID.

Notarization

North Carolina law requires the seller’s signature on the title assignment to be executed in the presence of someone authorized to administer oaths, which in practice means a notary public.³ The buyer’s MVR-1 also must be notarized. The bill of sale itself does not carry a separate notarization requirement on the NCDMV’s checklist, though having it notarized does no harm.

The simplest approach is for buyer and seller to meet at the same notary and sign everything at the same sitting. Both parties should bring valid photo ID. Never sign the title assignment in blank. Delivering or accepting a blank-assigned title is a Class 2 misdemeanor under state law.³

Notary fees in North Carolina are capped. An in-person acknowledgment runs up to $10 per signature, electronic notarization up to $15 per signature, and remote electronic notarization up to $25 per signature.⁴ A notary may also charge mileage at the federal business rate if you agree to it in writing beforehand.

Seller Disclosures That Belong With the Sale

North Carolina places disclosure duties on anyone transferring a vehicle, not only dealers. Failing to disclose what you know is a Class 2 misdemeanor and can expose you to civil liability.

For vehicles up to five model years old, the seller must disclose in writing any collision or event where repair costs (excluding airbag replacement) exceeded 25% of the vehicle’s fair market retail value at the time of the incident. Regardless of age, the seller must disclose in writing if the vehicle is or was a flood, reconstructed, or salvage vehicle, and must disclose any counterfeit, nonfunctional, or missing airbag.⁵ Form MVR-181 is the standard way to meet these requirements.

The odometer disclosure on MVR-180 is also the seller’s responsibility. Beyond recording the current mileage, the seller indicates whether the reading is accurate, whether the odometer has exceeded its mechanical limits, or whether the actual mileage is unknown. Knowingly misstating mileage is a federal offense under the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act.

What It Costs at the License Plate Agency

The buyer brings the full packet to any NCDMV license plate agency and presents a valid North Carolina driver license, a temporary NC driving certificate, or an out-of-state license.¹ A certificate of title costs $66.75. A private passenger plate costs $46.25, which brings the base total to $113 before tax. Motorcycles and trucks carry different registration fees.⁶

On top of that, North Carolina charges a 3% highway use tax on every vehicle that receives a certificate of title.⁷ For a private-party sale, the tax is calculated on the vehicle’s market value under the Commissioner’s schedule of values, not necessarily on the price written on your bill of sale. The schedule cannot exceed wholesale values published in a recognized automotive reference manual. If you paid less than market value, the DMV still assesses the tax on the schedule value. Commercial Class A and Class B motor vehicles and recreational vehicles are capped at $2,000 of highway use tax per title. There is no cap for standard passenger cars, so a $70,000 vehicle would owe $2,100.

The 28-Day Deadline

The buyer has 28 days from the date of transfer to apply for a new certificate of title. Missing the deadline triggers a $20 civil penalty and is a Class 2 misdemeanor.⁸ The responsibility stays with you even if you asked the seller or a lienholder to submit the paperwork on your behalf. Don’t let the window close while waiting on someone else.

What the Seller Should Do After Handing Over the Keys

License plates in North Carolina belong to the state and stay with the owner, not the vehicle. After the sale, transfer the plate to a replacement vehicle you are insuring or surrender it at any license plate agency. If you keep a plate with an unexpired decal, you must maintain insurance on it. Until the buyer completes the title transfer, the vehicle remains linked to you in state records, and holding onto an uninsured plate tied to a car someone else is driving invites insurance and liability trouble.

Gifts and Family Transfers

If the vehicle is a gift between certain family members rather than a sale, the transfer may qualify for a highway use tax exemption. The buyer claims it on Form MVR-613, the Highway Use Tax Exemption Certification, which must be signed under penalty of law and notarized.⁹ Qualifying relationships include spouse to spouse, parent and child, stepparent and stepchild, co-owner transfers with no compensation, inheritance by will or intestacy where nothing was paid to the estate, marital property transfers from separation or divorce, and transfers to a revocable trust from an owner who is the sole beneficiary.

You still complete the title assignment, MVR-1, and the other standard forms. The exemption waives only the 3% highway use tax, not the title or registration fees. A bill of sale showing $0 or stating “gift” supports the exemption but does not replace the MVR-613.

1
North Carolina Department of Transportation. Vehicle Documents and Forms
2
North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. Odometer Disclosure Statement MVR-180
3
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statute 20-72 – Transfer of Title or Interest
4
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statute 10B-31 – Fees for Notarial Acts
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North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes 20-71.4
6
North Carolina Department of Transportation. Vehicle Title and Registration Fees
7
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes 105-187.3 – Rate of Tax
8
North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes 20-73 – New Owner Must Get New Certificate of Title
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North Carolina Department of Transportation. Highway Use Tax Exemption Certification MVR-613