Mississippi Bill of Sale: Requirements, Notarization, and Filing

A Mississippi bill of sale is a signed document recording the transfer of property from one person to another, and for private vehicle sales in Mississippi it is not optional. State law makes it unlawful to buy or sell an automobile without one, and the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks requires a witnessed or notarized bill of sale for every boat acquired through a private sale.¹² For most other property, no statute forces you to put the sale in writing, but once the price hits $500 the state’s Uniform Commercial Code makes a written record the difference between an enforceable contract and a handshake.³

When Mississippi Requires a Bill of Sale

Mississippi Code Section 63-17-1 makes it unlawful to buy or sell any automobile without the seller furnishing a signed bill of sale to the buyer, who is then required to keep it.¹ The statute names the minimum contents: make and model, vehicle identification number, other identifying marks, the seller’s address, and the name and address of whoever the seller originally bought the vehicle from.

For boats, a bill of sale is a registration requirement. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks will not process a registration application for a boat bought from a private seller without a witnessed or notarized bill of sale attached, regardless of whether the vessel was previously registered in Mississippi or in another state.²

For anything else, the state does not require a bill of sale. However, under Mississippi’s version of the UCC, a contract for the sale of goods priced at $500 or more generally has to be in writing to be enforceable in court.³ A bill of sale meets that requirement.

What to Include in a Vehicle Bill of Sale

The statute sets a floor; a workable document goes further. Include:

Full legal names, physical addresses, and signatures of buyer and seller.
The vehicle’s make, model, year, VIN, color, and any other identifying marks.¹
The name and address of the person the seller originally bought the vehicle from. Generic templates often skip this, but Section 63-17-1 requires it.
Purchase price and payment method. If the buyer is paying over time, spell out the schedule.
The date of sale.
Lien status: whether there is one, whether it has been satisfied, or whether the buyer is assuming it.
An as-is statement if no warranty is being given. Mississippi’s lemon law covers new vehicles with manufacturer warranties, not private sales, so private sales are generally as-is. Say so on the document.

Odometer Disclosure

Federal and Mississippi law both require the seller to give the buyer a written odometer disclosure at transfer. The reading, and whether it is accurate, goes on the title or on a form prescribed by the Department of Revenue, and both parties sign. Vehicles 20 years old or older, vehicles that are not self-propelled, and vehicles over 16,000 pounds gross weight are exempt.

When There Is No Title

If the seller cannot produce the certificate of title, the buyer files an Affidavit of Ownership with the Mississippi Department of Revenue and attaches a bill of sale as proof of how the vehicle was acquired.⁴ The affidavit also asks the buyer to explain why the title is not available. A complete bill of sale is what keeps that application moving.

What to Include in a Boat Bill of Sale

The MDWFP publishes specific requirements, and a document missing any of them will hold up registration. A boat bill of sale needs:

The full 12-digit Hull Identification Number.
The previous registration number, if the boat was previously registered.
Total length, make, model, and model year.
Printed legal names and signatures of both buyer and seller.
The signature of one witness or a notary.²

If the sale includes a trailer or an outboard motor, list them separately with their own serial numbers. A trailer is titled and registered through the Department of Revenue rather than MDWFP, so the trailer needs its own bill of sale.

Personal Property and Firearms

For furniture, equipment, livestock, and similar items, a bill of sale is not required by statute. Once the price reaches $500, though, the UCC’s statute of frauds makes written documentation the difference between an enforceable deal and an unenforceable one.³ Below that, a bill of sale still heads off the “I sold it” versus “I loaned it” dispute.

Describe the item with enough detail that a stranger could identify it: make, model, serial number, color, dimensions, distinguishing features. Note its condition, state whether it is as-is or carries a warranty, and record price, payment method, date, and both parties’ names and addresses.

Mississippi does not require a bill of sale or any registration for private firearm transfers. Writing one anyway protects the seller. If the firearm later turns up in a criminal investigation or an ownership dispute, a document with the buyer’s name and address and the firearm’s make, model, caliber, and serial number shows exactly when and to whom the transfer happened.

Notarization and Witnesses

Vehicle bills of sale do not have to be notarized in Mississippi. Boat bills of sale must be either notarized or witnessed, and MDWFP will reject one that is neither.⁵

Even where it is not required, notarization is worth considering on higher-value transactions. A notary verifies the signers’ identities and confirms the signatures were given voluntarily, which makes the document harder to attack later. Mississippi notaries can charge up to $10 per notarial act, or up to $25 for an electronic notarization.⁶

Deadlines, Taxes, and Fees After the Sale

Once you sign, the clock starts.

Vehicles

You have 30 business days from the purchase date to register a vehicle with the Mississippi Department of Revenue.⁷ Late penalties accrue after that. The previous owner should remove the license plate once the title is signed over.

A private-sale buyer owes 5% sales tax on the purchase price of passenger vehicles and trucks weighing 10,000 pounds or less; heavier trucks and property carriers are taxed at 3%. The county tax collector, not the seller, collects that tax when you apply for the title transfer. The purchase price you write on the bill of sale is what the tax calculation runs on. A standard title costs $9, or $39 for a fast-track title.⁸ Registration fees are separate and depend on vehicle type.

Boats

The boat deadline is tighter: 10 days from the date of acquisition to register with MDWFP.² Registration fees range from $10.99 for vessels under 16 feet to $48.49 for boats 26 feet and over.

Family Transfers and Gifts

If buyer and seller are related, the Department of Revenue may require an Affidavit of Relationship. The qualifying relationships are spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, and sibling.⁸ A bill of sale is still worth doing. For an outright gift, list the price as $0 and note that the transfer is a gift. The federal gift tax annual exclusion for 2026 is $19,000 per recipient, so most family vehicle gifts will not trigger a federal filing.⁹

Where to File and How Long to Keep It

For a vehicle, the bill of sale goes to the Mississippi Department of Revenue with the signed title, or with an Affidavit of Ownership if the title is unavailable, when you apply for the title transfer.⁸ For a boat, it goes to MDWFP with the registration application.⁵

For personal property, there is nowhere to file it. Keep a copy, ideally both paper and digital, and hold on to it at least as long as you own the item. If the document was notarized, the notary’s journal provides an independent record if your copy is lost. Store it with your tax records, titles, and insurance paperwork.

1
Justia Law. Mississippi Code 63-17-1 – Sale, Purchase, Etc.
2
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Boat Registration and Renewal
3
Justia Law. Mississippi Code 75-2-201 – Formal Requirements
4
Mississippi Department of Revenue. Affidavit of Ownership of Motor Vehicle
5
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Mississippi Motor Boat Registration Application
6
Mississippi Secretary of State. Part 5 Chapter 9 – Fees
7
Mississippi Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Frequently Asked Questions
8
Mississippi Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Titles
9
Internal Revenue Service. Gifts and Inheritances