How to Write a Bill of Sale for a Car in Oregon

To write a bill of sale for a car in Oregon, you need five things on the page: the vehicle identification number, a written statement releasing the seller’s interest, the seller’s printed legal name, the seller’s original signature, and the date of sale.¹ Anything with those five items works, whether it’s the DMV’s official form or a document you type up yourself. The bill of sale is only part of the transaction, though: the seller has 10 days to notify the DMV of the sale, and the buyer has 30 days to apply for a new title.

What the Document Must Contain

The DMV will reject a bill of sale that leaves any of the following blank:

The 17-character vehicle identification number, which appears on the dashboard and the driver’s door jamb.
A clear statement that the seller is releasing all rights in the vehicle to the buyer.
The seller’s full legal name as it appears on the title, or the business name if the seller is a company.
The seller’s original signature. Photocopies won’t be accepted.
The exact calendar date of the sale.

Those are the stated minimums.¹ In practice, you should also write in the buyer’s full name and address, the sale price, and the vehicle’s year, make, and model. The buyer’s later title application requires a full vehicle description and owner information, so including it now saves a return trip.²

Official Form or Your Own

The DMV publishes Form 735-501, a one-page Vehicle Bill of Sale available as a printable PDF or in person at any field office.³ Every required field is labeled, which makes it hard to miss anything. Use blue or black ink, and don’t strike through names or use white-out.

The form isn’t mandatory. A handwritten letter on plain paper is acceptable, and so is a typed agreement, as long as the five required elements are present.¹ For most private sales, the official form is simply the fastest path because there’s no guesswork about formatting.

Odometer Reading Goes on the Title, Not the Bill of Sale

Federal law requires a written odometer disclosure at transfer, and Oregon follows the same framework. For vehicles with a model year of 2011 or newer, the reading is written on the back of the title, and both buyer and seller sign it there.¹ If the title has been lost, the seller must obtain a duplicate before the transfer, because the disclosure has to appear on the title itself.⁴

Vehicles with a 2010 or older model year are exempt from odometer disclosure.⁵ The 20-year exemption for 2011-and-newer vehicles won’t apply until 2031 at the earliest, so any 2011-or-later car sold in 2026 still needs the reading.⁶ Recording an inaccurate number is a federal violation.

Who Signs When the Title Lists More Than One Owner

Check the connecting word between the owners’ names on the title. If it says “and,” every listed owner has to sign the bill of sale and the title before the transfer is valid. If it says “or,” a single owner’s signature is enough.⁷ This catches people. If a co-owner has moved away and the title says “and,” you need their signature before you can close.

If There’s Still a Loan on the Car

You cannot sell a vehicle with an outstanding loan unless the lien is cleared first. If the loan is already paid off, confirm that the lienholder signed the front of the title or provided a separate signed lien release.¹ Without that release, the DMV won’t process the buyer’s title application. If you still owe on the car, contact the lender about their payoff process before you list it. Some lenders will coordinate a simultaneous payoff and release with the buyer, but that has to be worked out before closing.

Seller: File the Notice of Sale Within 10 Days

Once the bill of sale is signed, the seller has 10 days to notify the DMV that the vehicle has been transferred.² The notice doesn’t transfer title on its own, but it creates a record that you no longer control the vehicle. Until the buyer completes the title application, you remain listed as owner, which means parking tickets, towing bills, and accident liability can still find you.¹

The fastest way to file is through DMV2U, the department’s online portal, which issues an immediate confirmation. You can also mail a paper notice to DMV headquarters at 1905 Lana Ave NE, Salem, OR 97314, with the buyer’s name and address included.³ File it the same day as the sale if you can.

Buyer: Apply for Title Within 30 Days

The buyer has 30 days from the date of sale to submit a title application. Missing that deadline triggers a late fee.⁴ To apply, bring:

A completed title application, Form 735-226, available online or at any DMV office. For passenger vehicles, DMV2U also offers a guided online application.⁸
The original title, signed by the seller on the back, with the odometer disclosure completed if required.
The original signed bill of sale.
Original signed lien releases from any prior lienholders listed on the title.

Documents can be submitted at a DMV office or by mail.

Gifting a Car Follows the Same Process

If you’re giving a vehicle to a family member or anyone else rather than selling it, the paperwork is nearly identical. You still need a bill of sale or signed title, the seller still files the 10-day notice of sale, and the recipient still applies for a title within 30 days.¹ Write the price as $0 or “gift” on the bill of sale. Oregon has no sales tax on private vehicle transfers, so the number you enter doesn’t trigger a state tax either way.

1
Oregon Department of Transportation. Buying or Selling a Vehicle
2
Oregon State Legislature. Chapter 803 – Vehicle Title and Registration
3
Oregon Department of Transportation. Vehicle Bill of Sale – Form 735-501
4
Oregon Department of Transportation. Titling and Registering Your Vehicle
5
Oregon Secretary of State. Division 28 Odometers
6
eCFR. Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements
7
Oregon Department of Transportation. Chapter A – General Title Requirements
8
Oregon Department of Transportation. Forms Home