A Tennessee motorcycle bill of sale needs the full names and addresses of buyer and seller, the seventeen-digit VIN with year, make, and model, the purchase price, the date, and both signatures. The state does not publish a single mandatory form for private sales, but your county clerk will expect that information on whatever document you bring in, and the price you write down is what the clerk uses to calculate sales tax.
What to Put on the Document
Tennessee Code § 55-3-118 allows a seller to execute a separate bill of sale when the certificate of title is still held by a lienholder, and requires that document to include the lienholder’s name and address along with any information the commissioner’s rules demand.1Justia. Tennessee Code 55-3-118 – Transfer of Title Even without a lien, include each of the following so the clerk’s office does not send you back for a rewrite:
- Full legal names and addresses of buyer and seller, printed clearly.
- The seventeen-digit VIN stamped on the frame, plus year, make, and model.
- The purchase price in dollars. For a gift, enter zero; the Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers form explicitly allows a $0 sales price when no consideration was given.2Tennessee Department of Revenue. Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers of Motor Vehicles and Boats
- The date of sale, which establishes when liability shifts from seller to buyer.
- Signatures of both parties.
If a trade-in is part of the deal, write both the trade-in value and the net difference on the bill of sale. Tennessee taxes the purchase price minus the trade-in credit, so an accurate number here saves the buyer money at the clerk’s window.3Justia. Tennessee Code 67-6-510 – Computation on Trade-Ins
Odometer Disclosure Is a Separate Form
Federal law under the Truth in Mileage Act requires an accurate odometer reading for any motor vehicle manufactured within the last twenty model years. In 2026, that covers any motorcycle with a model year of 2007 or newer; model year 2006 and older bikes are exempt. Tennessee uses Form RV-F1317001, the Odometer Disclosure Statement, and it is a standalone form rather than a line on the bill of sale.4Tennessee Department of Revenue. RV-F1317001 Odometer Disclosure Statement Buyer and seller both sign it to certify the mileage is accurate.
Rolling back an odometer is a Class A misdemeanor under Tennessee Code § 39-14-132, carrying up to eleven months and twenty-nine days in jail, and a buyer who discovers tampering can also bring civil claims under federal consumer protection law.5Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Odometer Fraud If the odometer has been replaced because of mechanical failure, the seller must set it to zero and attach a permanent notice to the door frame showing the mileage before the repair.
When You Need the Bill of Sale Notarized
Tennessee does not require notarization on every private motorcycle sale. It becomes mandatory when the seller is transferring ownership while the original title is still held by a lienholder, and when the motorcycle was previously registered in a jurisdiction that does not issue certificates of title. In that second situation the clerk will only accept a notarized bill of sale along with the foreign registration as proof of ownership.6Tennessee County Clerk. Bill of Sale
A notarized bill of sale on its own is not proof of ownership. You still need a properly endorsed certificate of title showing the full chain of ownership to complete the transfer.7Tennessee Department of Revenue. SB-3 Notarized Bill of Sale Is Not Sufficient Proof of Ownership A seller who offers only a bill of sale and no title should be a warning.
Family Transfers and Gifts Change the Paperwork
Transfers between spouses, siblings, and lineal relatives (parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, and their spouses) are exempt from Tennessee sales tax. Cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends do not qualify.2Tennessee Department of Revenue. Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers of Motor Vehicles and Boats
To claim the exemption, both parties complete Form RV-F1301201, the Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers. The form asks for each person’s name, address, driver’s license number, and a statement of the specific family relationship, and both sign under penalty of perjury. Misrepresenting the relationship or the sale price can trigger an assessment of the full sales tax plus penalties and interest against the buyer.
Check for Liens Before You Pay
Before any money changes hands, confirm the motorcycle is free of outstanding debts. A lien on the title means a lender still has a legal claim on the bike, and buying one with an unresolved lien can leave you unable to register it. The Tennessee Secretary of State runs an online portal where you can search by VIN, debtor name, or document number for motor vehicle temporary liens.8Tennessee Secretary of State. Search for Motor Vehicle Temporary Liens
If a lien shows up, the seller needs to pay the balance and get a lien release before the transfer can go through cleanly. Some sellers arrange for the lienholder to send the title directly to the county clerk after payoff. Do not finalize payment until the lien is cleared.
At the County Clerk: Tax, Title, and Registration
With the bill of sale and signed title in hand, the buyer takes everything to the county clerk’s office along with the odometer disclosure (when required) and proof of insurance. Tennessee residents obtain titles for both new and used vehicles through their county clerk.9Tennessee Department of Revenue. Titling a Vehicle
The clerk calculates sales tax from the purchase price on the bill of sale. Tennessee charges a 7% state sales tax on motor vehicle purchases, with an additional state single-article tax of 2.25% applying to a portion of the price and local rates varying by county.10Justia. Tennessee Code 67-6-202 – Property Sold at Retail If you traded in a vehicle, tax applies only to the net difference. Private sales are not exempt; the buyer still owes sales tax at the clerk’s office.
Other costs at the counter:
- Title fee of roughly $13 to $14, depending on the county.
- Standard registration fee of $26.50.11Tennessee Department of Revenue. VR-5 – Registration Fees for Hybrid or Electric Vehicles
- County wheel tax, an annual motor vehicle privilege tax levied by many Tennessee counties and added at registration. Amounts vary significantly by county.
The clerk can issue a temporary operating permit if you want to ride the motorcycle home the same day. The permanent title usually arrives by mail within a few weeks. Tennessee also requires motorcycle liability insurance before you ride on public roads, and you need proof of it at the clerk’s window, so put a policy in place before you pick up the bike.12Tennessee Department of Revenue. Financial Responsibility Law
What the Seller Does After Signing
Signing over the title and handing over the bill of sale does not end the seller’s responsibilities. Two loose ends matter.
First, the license plate stays with the seller. Tennessee plates are tied to the owner, not the vehicle. Pull your plate before the buyer rides off, and either transfer it to another vehicle you own or surrender it to the county clerk.13Tennessee County Clerk. Transfer of Ownership A traffic camera ticket or toll violation on a plate still in your name will come to you.
Second, keep a copy of the signed bill of sale and the odometer disclosure. If the buyer never registers the motorcycle and it ends up in an accident or gets towed, your copy is the proof you no longer owned the bike on that date. Cancel insurance on the motorcycle only after the sale is complete and your paperwork is in hand.