The Missouri bill of sale, Form 1957, is the Department of Revenue’s official document for recording a private sale of a vehicle, trailer, boat, or outboard motor. The buyer and seller fill in the vehicle information, purchase price, sale date, and both signatures. The buyer then brings the form to a Missouri license office within 30 days to pay sales tax and apply for a new title. The seller keeps or submits a copy to report the sale to the Department.
When You Need Form 1957
Any Missouri resident buying a motor vehicle, trailer, boat, or outboard motor in a private-party sale needs a completed bill of sale to finish titling. The Department of Revenue uses the purchase price on the form to calculate state and local sales tax before issuing a new certificate of title.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 144.070 – Purchase or Lease of Motor Vehicles, Trailers, Boats and Outboard Motors, Tax On Without proof of what you paid, the Department won’t process the title application, and if the stated price looks off or is missing, the Department can appraise the vehicle and tax you on that appraised value instead.
The requirement extends to vehicles brought in from out of state. Gifts follow a different track, covered below, because no sales tax is due and the paperwork changes.
How to Fill Out Form 1957
You can download Form 1957 from the Department of Revenue’s website or pick up a copy at any Missouri license office.2Missouri Department of Revenue. Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Sale The form is short, but every field matters.
- Vehicle details: year, make, title number, and Vehicle Identification Number. Watercraft use the Vessel Identification Number.
- Purchase price: the total dollar amount the buyer paid. This figure drives the sales tax calculation.
- Date of sale: the day the deal closed. This is the date the 30-day titling clock starts.
- Buyer and seller information: printed names and signatures from both parties.
Fill every line legibly. Clerks compare the entries against state records, and blanks or unreadable handwriting slow the transaction down.
Notarization
Form 1957 does not need to be notarized for a standard private sale. The form itself states that notarization is required only when the bill of sale is being used to prove ownership of major component parts on a rebuilt vehicle, or when the Department specifically asks for it.2Missouri Department of Revenue. Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Sale For a normal used-car sale between individuals, signatures alone are enough.
Odometer Reading
Missouri requires an odometer reading when a title transfers, but this generally goes on the back of the title itself rather than on Form 1957. If the Missouri title was issued after August 28, 1989, the disclosure on the title covers it. Only when the title doesn’t meet federal requirements does the seller need a separate Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form 3019) attached at transfer.3Missouri Department of Revenue. Odometer Disclosure Statement Vehicles with a model year of 2010 or earlier, vehicles over 16,000 pounds gross weight, and non-self-propelled vehicles are exempt from disclosure altogether under federal law.4eCFR. 49 CFR 580.17 – Exemptions
Trade-Ins, Even Trades, and Gifts
Trade-Ins
When part of the deal is a trade-in, Form 1957 has a dedicated section for the traded vehicle’s year, make, VIN, and agreed value. Missouri subtracts the trade-in allowance from the purchase price before calculating sales tax, so accuracy here directly affects what you owe.5Missouri Department of Revenue. Buying a Vehicle Buy a $15,000 truck and trade in a vehicle valued at $5,000, and you pay tax on $10,000.
Even Trades
When two people swap vehicles of equal value and no cash changes hands, the “Unit or Vehicle Traded For” section captures both vehicles. Each party walks away with a completed Form 1957 showing what they gave and what they received.2Missouri Department of Revenue. Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Sale Both parties still have 30 days to visit a license office and title the vehicle they now own.
Gifts
Vehicles given as gifts are exempt from state and local sales tax, and the paperwork is different. Instead of filling out Form 1957 with a purchase price, the seller writes “GIFT” in the sale price area on the title. Writing “$1” is specifically prohibited. The new owner also needs a General Affidavit (Form 768) or a written statement saying the vehicle was a gift, and neither has to be notarized.6Missouri Department of Revenue. Selling a Vehicle One catch: a vehicle cannot be gifted twice in a row. If someone gave you a car and you want to pass it to another person, the second transfer has to be a sale.
What the Buyer Does Next
After the sale, the buyer brings the completed Form 1957, the properly assigned title, and any required inspection certificates to a Missouri license office. You have 30 days from the purchase date to apply for a new title. On day 31, a $25 penalty applies, and it grows by another $25 every 30 days you remain overdue, up to $200.7Missouri Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Titling and Registration
At the counter, expect to pay:
- Sales tax: 4.225 percent state rate plus your local sales tax, on the purchase price minus any trade-in allowance.5Missouri Department of Revenue. Buying a Vehicle
- Title fee: $8.50.
- Processing fee: $9.
- Registration fee, which varies by vehicle type and horsepower. Passenger vehicles run from $18.25 to $51.25 for a one-year registration.8Missouri Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Fees
Safety and Emissions Inspections
Most vehicles need a Missouri safety inspection before titling, and the resulting Certificate of Inspection and Approval is valid for 60 days. Vehicles within 10 model years of the current year with fewer than 150,000 miles are exempt, and all trailers are exempt.9Missouri Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle – Additional Help Resource
Vehicles that will be registered in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, or Jefferson County also need an emissions inspection, with a certificate no older than 60 days. Registration anywhere else in Missouri means no emissions test.
What the Seller Must Do
Sellers have their own reporting obligation. Since 2006, anyone who sells or transfers a motor vehicle, trailer, or all-terrain vehicle (other than a licensed dealer) must report the sale to the Department of Revenue within 30 days. You satisfy this by submitting either a completed Notice of Sale (Form 5049) or a copy of Form 1957.10Missouri Department of Revenue. Notice of Sale (NOS) FAQs
This matters. Until the buyer applies for a new title, you remain the last titled owner in state records. If the buyer wrecks the car, gets parking tickets, or abandons it, that trail leads back to you. Reporting the sale creates the paper record that you no longer own the vehicle.
A seller who fails to report faces a fine of up to $200. If the failure was intentional, say to help the buyer avoid titling fees, the offense becomes a class C misdemeanor with a fine of up to $300.10Missouri Department of Revenue. Notice of Sale (NOS) FAQs
If there’s an outstanding lien on the vehicle, the seller also has to provide the buyer with a notarized Lien Release (Form 4809) so the Department can clear the lien from the title record.7Missouri Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Titling and Registration