A New Hampshire vehicle bill of sale is the document that records a private car sale, and to be valid under RSA 261:148 it must show the date of sale, a full vehicle description including the VIN, and the full legal names, residential addresses, and signatures of both buyer and seller. For a vehicle with a model year before 2000, this document is your primary proof of ownership because the state doesn’t issue titles for those vehicles. For anything newer, the bill of sale rides alongside the signed-over title. Get the details wrong and the town clerk will send you home.
What the Bill of Sale Must Contain
RSA 261:148 is specific about what belongs on the document. Missing any of it can stall your registration.
- Date of sale (the exact calendar date).
- Vehicle description: make, model, model year, year of manufacture, body type, color, number of cylinders, and the VIN.
- Buyer’s full legal name, signature, and residential street address. No P.O. boxes.
- Seller’s full legal name, signature, and residential street address. No P.O. boxes.
The statute itself only requires the seller’s signature, but the New Hampshire DMV expects both parties to sign, and the official form has a signature line for each.1NH Division of Motor Vehicles. Bill of Sale Leave one blank and you’ll likely be told to come back.
The purchase price is not a required element under RSA 261:148.2New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 261:148 – Permit Required for Registration Write it in anyway. It creates a clear record if either party later disputes the transaction, and it documents the sale amount in case a profit ever triggers a federal tax obligation.
Using the Official Form or Your Own
The Department of Safety publishes Form TDMV 22A for non-titled vehicle transfers. The state’s administrative code also lets you use a similar form, provided it carries the same data: both parties’ names and addresses, the vehicle description and VIN, the odometer reading, the date of sale, and both signatures.3Legal Information Institute. New Hampshire Administrative Code Saf-C 1904.05 – Report of Sale or Transfer of a Non-Titled Motor Vehicle, Form TDMV 22A A handwritten document on plain paper is acceptable. Use permanent ink, write legibly, and don’t leave fields blank.
Titled vs. Title-Exempt Vehicles
New Hampshire does not issue titles for vehicles with a model year before 2000.4New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 261:3 – Exempted Vehicles For these title-exempt vehicles, the bill of sale is your primary ownership document. One exception: heavy trucks and truck-tractors with a gross vehicle weight over 18,000 pounds must always be titled regardless of age.5NH Division of Motor Vehicles. Exempt Vehicles
When you buy a title-exempt vehicle, the seller should hand over the executed bill of sale together with either a current or expired New Hampshire registration, or a valid title from New Hampshire or another state.6NH Division of Motor Vehicles. Purchasing or Selling a Titled Vehicle If you don’t have the previous registration, you’ll need a VIN verification. Only a New Hampshire authorized inspection station, authorized dealer, or law enforcement officer can perform it.7NH Division of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Verification
For a titled vehicle (model year 2000 or newer), the back of the title has an assignment section where the seller signs the car over to the buyer. You’ll still complete a bill of sale, but the title assignment does most of the legal work of the ownership transfer.6NH Division of Motor Vehicles. Purchasing or Selling a Titled Vehicle
Owners of pre-2000 vehicles can request a title voluntarily. Worth considering if you plan to sell across state lines, since many other states require a title to register regardless of age.
Odometer Disclosure
Sellers of titled vehicles must provide an accurate odometer reading at the time of sale. If the odometer has rolled past its mechanical limit, been replaced, or is known to be inaccurate, the seller must say so in writing. Falsifying mileage is a federal offense: under 49 U.S.C. § 32709, odometer fraud carries civil penalties of up to $10,000 per vehicle, with a $1,000,000 maximum for a related series of violations, and willful violations can bring up to three years in prison.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32709 – Penalties
Vehicles that are title-exempt due to age are generally exempt from the federal odometer disclosure requirement. Even so, the TDMV 22A form has an odometer field, so record the mileage anyway.3Legal Information Institute. New Hampshire Administrative Code Saf-C 1904.05 – Report of Sale or Transfer of a Non-Titled Motor Vehicle, Form TDMV 22A
Registering the Vehicle After the Sale
Registration in New Hampshire is a two-part process: a local transaction with your town or city clerk and a state transaction with the DMV. Most town clerks are also municipal agents for the state, so you can usually handle both parts in one visit for a small additional fee.9New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Registrations
For a titled vehicle, bring the signed-over title, the bill of sale, and proof of residency. For a title-exempt vehicle, bring the bill of sale plus either the previous New Hampshire registration or a valid title. If you have neither, you’ll need that VIN verification done before the clerk can process anything.7NH Division of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Verification
The clerk collects a local permit fee based on the manufacturer’s list price and the vehicle’s age, on a mill-rate scale that runs from 18 mills per dollar on a current-year vehicle down to 3 mills per dollar once the vehicle is five years old or older.10New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 261:153 – Fees for Registration Permits The state adds a weight-based registration fee, which for a typical passenger vehicle in the 3,001–5,000 lb range runs $48 per year.11New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 261:141 – Fees to Accompany Application for Registration Titling a 2000-or-newer vehicle adds a $35 state title fee.
If you bought the vehicle without plates to move it, RSA 261:57 authorizes a 20-day temporary plate so you can legally drive while you finish registering.12NH Division of Motor Vehicles. Temporary Plates Don’t skip it. Driving unregistered on public roads costs more than the plate ever will.
One thing you don’t need at the clerk’s window: proof of insurance. New Hampshire operates under a financial responsibility system rather than a mandatory insurance system, so you won’t be turned away for lacking a policy. Carrying coverage anyway is the sensible move, and lenders will require it.
Private Sales Are “As-Is”
The FTC’s Used Car Rule, which requires a Buyers Guide on every used vehicle a dealer offers, applies only to dealers who sell more than five vehicles in a 12-month period. Private sellers are not covered.13Federal Trade Commission. Dealer’s Guide to the Used Car Rule In a private sale, the vehicle is almost always sold as-is unless buyer and seller agree otherwise in writing.
As-is doesn’t license a seller to lie. Concealing known defects or misrepresenting the vehicle’s condition can still support a fraud claim. The cleanest approach for both sides is a line on the bill of sale documenting condition, such as “sold as-is, buyer has inspected the vehicle.” Any licensed New Hampshire inspection station can perform a pre-purchase inspection, and paying for one before you sign is almost always worth the money.