Wisconsin Bill of Sale

No. Wisconsin DMV states that a bill of sale is not a required form for a private vehicle sale; ownership transfers on the title and the seller completes seller notification.

Vehicle titles in Wisconsin are handled by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles.

They come from WisDOT: Sell your vehicle. We last checked them in October 2026. Laws change, so check the current statute before you rely on it.

No. A certificate of title is an official record issued by the state that shows who legally owns a vehicle or boat. A bill of sale is a private record of the transaction itself. For titled property, the seller usually signs the title over to the buyer and gives a bill of sale as well, and the buyer takes both to the motor vehicle or boating agency.

It depends on the state and the type of property. Most bills of sale are valid without a notary, but a few states require notarization for certain vehicle or boat transfers, and a notarized document is harder to dispute. You can choose to include a notary acknowledgment, and it is a good idea to check with your state's motor vehicle agency before the signing.

An as-is sale means the buyer accepts the item in its current condition, with all faults, and the seller is not promising that it works or will keep working. It is the most common choice for private used-vehicle sales. An as-is clause does not protect a seller who lies about the item or hides a known defect, so it is still wise to disclose problems you know about.

Federal law requires the seller of most motor vehicles to state the mileage in writing when ownership changes, and to say whether the reading is accurate. Some older vehicles are exempt. This bill of sale includes an odometer statement for vehicles, but many states also require the disclosure to be made on the title or on a specific state form.

Yes. Sales and use tax is often based on the price shown on the bill of sale, and stating a false price can be treated as tax fraud. If the item is a genuine gift, the document can record it as a gift, and your state may have a separate form or exemption for transfers between family members.

If a lender holds a lien, the title usually cannot be transferred cleanly until the loan is paid off and the lien is released. The bill of sale lets the seller disclose the lien and promise to pay it off from the sale proceeds, but buyers should confirm the lien release before or at the time of payment.

Both. Print and sign two copies so the buyer and the seller each keep a signed original. The buyer will typically need it for registration and tax, and the seller should keep it as proof of the date and terms of the sale.

It depends on the state. In some states plates stay with the seller, in others they stay with the vehicle, and many states expect the seller to notify the motor vehicle agency that the vehicle was sold. Check your state's rules so you are not held responsible for the vehicle after the sale.