ATV Bill of Sale — Free Fillable Form.
A one-page bill of sale for ATVs, UTVs, side-by-sides and off-road dirt bikes, to type into or print. Download it free, then see what your state asks for: some title off-road vehicles and some do not, and plate and ID rules differ too.
Download the Free ATV Bill of Sale
One page, fillable fields, boxes for hours or miles and the OHV plate or ID, and a notary block for the states that need one.
Download the PDF (free)Buying? Check the VIN first
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Quick Answer
- What is an ATV bill of sale?
- A signed record of an ATV, UTV or dirt bike changing hands: seller, buyer, the machine by VIN or frame serial number, the price and the date. Where a state does not title off-road vehicles, it is the ownership paper: Maine's title law exempts off-road vehicles, and California accepts bills of sale as the chain of ownership when an OHV is registered.
- Does an ATV need a title?
- It depends on the state. Texas is required to title ATVs, UTVs, ROVs and sand rails but will not register them for the road. California issues an OHV title and ID plate. Maine does not title off-road vehicles at all.
- Does it need an odometer reading?
- Not for federal purposes. The federal odometer law covers vehicles made primarily for public roads, and an off-highway machine is not one. Record the hours or miles on the bill of sale anyway.
Selling or buying an ATV, in five steps
The bill of sale sits in the middle. What comes before it protects the buyer; what comes after it gets the title, plate or ID into the new owner's name.
- 1Copy the VIN or serialFrom the machine itself, then compare it with the title or the last bill of sale.
- 2Check the state's rulesIs it titled? Does it need an OHV plate, decal or ID? Texas, California and Maine all answer differently.
- 3Fill in the bill of saleVIN, type, engine size, hours or miles, the OHV plate or ID number, the price and what comes with it.
- 4Sign itBoth sides sign. A notary is needed only where the state asks for one, such as Louisiana and West Virginia for vehicle sales.
- 5Transfer the title or IDIn California, the buyer has to transfer the title. In Texas, the OHV plate comes from the county tax office.
What an ATV Bill of Sale Is For
Off-road vehicles sit outside the usual car paperwork, and each state draws the lines differently. Texas titles them but will not register them for the road. California skips regular registration but requires a DMV ID plate. Maine leaves them out of its title law entirely.
Where there is no title, the bill of sale is the paper trail that proves who owns the machine. California says as much: when you register an off-highway vehicle, bills of sale that establish a complete chain of ownership to you are accepted as proof. A missing link in that chain is the buyer's problem, not the seller's.
It protects the seller too: a dated record of when the machine stopped being theirs.
Road use is a separate question
In Texas, an off-highway vehicle with an OHV plate may use public roads only in listed cases, such as crossing an intersection or where a city or county allows it. A bill of sale does not change what the machine is allowed to do.
What to Put on an ATV Bill of Sale
Six groups of details, all of them on our free form. The VIN and the title status are the two a buyer should settle before any money changes hands.
Seller and buyer
Full names, addresses and phone numbers for both sides, as they will appear on any title application.
VIN or frame serial
Copied from the machine, not from old paperwork, and checked against the title if there is one.
Type and engine size
ATV, UTV, side-by-side or dirt bike, and the engine size in cc. The type decides which state rules apply.
Hours or miles
Whatever the meter shows. No federal odometer statement applies, but it tells the buyer how hard the machine has worked.
OHV plate, decal or ID
The number and state of any off-highway plate, decal or ID, and the title number, or "not titled".
Price, date and terms
The price, the date, how it was paid and what came with it, like a winch, plow or helmet. Sold as is, with any lien listed.
Get the Form, Then Check the Machine
Download the free bill of sale. If you are buying, run the VIN first to confirm the year, maker and model match what the seller told you.
Download the PDF (free)ATV, UTV, ROV or Dirt Bike: Which One Is It?
Texas defines four kinds of off-highway vehicle, and the definition is what its DMV titles. Write the right type on the bill of sale.
Seats the rider and one passenger, has three or more tires and is no more than 50 inches wide.
Side-by-side seating and four or more tires, designed by its maker for utility work rather than recreation.
Seats the rider and one or more passengers on four or more tires, built for recreation off the highway.
A tubular frame with an integrated roll cage, a mid or rear engine and a gross vehicle weight of 700 to 2,000 lbs.
Dirt bikes fall on either side of the line. California counts trail bikes and racing motorcycles as off-highway vehicles, and a racing bike used only on a closed course cannot be registered as one at all; it gets a transport permit instead. A dirt bike titled and plated for the road is a motorcycle, and belongs on our motorcycle bill of sale.
Does an ATV Need a Title? Three States, Three Answers
Read from each state's own agency or statute. Check yours before you assume a title exists, or that it does not.
- TxDMV is required to title ATVs, ROVs, UTVs and sand rails
- Not eligible for road registration; an OHV plate comes from the county tax office
- Public off-highway land needs a Parks and Wildlife OHV decal
- Bought in another state? Texas Use Tax applies
- No regular registration, but a DMV ID plate or placard is required
- Green plates for CARB-compliant machines, red for later ones that are not
- IDs expire June 30 of the second calendar year, with a 50% penalty for renewing late
- A buyer has to transfer the title
- Maine's title law lists off-road vehicles among its exemptions
- The bill of sale is the ownership paper that moves with the machine
- Maine exempts motorcycles and mopeds under 300 cc from title, too
The Odometer Question
The federal odometer law defines a motor vehicle as one manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads and highways (49 U.S.C. 32101). An ATV, UTV or off-road dirt bike is built for the opposite, so there is no federal odometer statement to give.
That does not make the number useless. If the machine has an hour meter or odometer, the reading is a good clue to how hard it has been used. Our form has a box for hours or miles, whichever the machine shows.
Street motorcycles are different: they are made for the road, so the odometer rules cover them. That is one reason a road-registered dirt bike belongs on the motorcycle form.
The California VIN clue
California's DMV says an OHV not certified to state emissions standards has a “3” or “C” in the 8th position of its VIN. Those get red ID plates rather than green, so check that character before you buy one there.
Does an ATV Bill of Sale Need to Be Notarized?
Usually not. From our review of each state's official bill-of-sale rules for vehicles, Louisiana and West Virginia require a notarized bill of sale, and 10 more require one only in specific situations.
Whether those rules reach an ATV depends on whether the state treats it as a titled vehicle, as Texas does, or leaves it outside the title law, as Maine does. When in doubt, ask the agency that would issue the title or OHV ID.
Our form includes a notary block for the states that ask for one. Everywhere else, leave it blank.
A notary is not a check
A notary confirms who signed, not what was sold. The VIN and the title are what tell you whether the machine is what the seller says.
Check the Machine Before You Sign
A bill of sale records what both sides say. The machine and its paperwork are how you check it.
Match the VIN to the paper
The VIN or frame serial on the machine should match the title, or the last bill of sale if there is no title.
Run the VIN
A decode confirms the year, maker and model. A mismatch with the listing is a reason to stop and ask.
Ask for the right document
A title where the state issues one, plus the OHV plate or ID details. No document, no deal.
Related Tools and Guides
ATV lookups, and the bill of sale rules for everything else.
Where These Facts Come From
State rules come from each state's own agency or statute, and the odometer rule from federal law.
Our form is a general template, not legal advice. Off-highway title, registration and ID rules differ by state and change; check with your state's agency before you file.
Always check the VIN before you buy
The free preview shows title brands, theft status and open recalls in seconds, and flags whether accident and odometer records exist. The full history is $14.99 — one-time, no subscription.
ATV Bill of Sale — Frequently Asked Questions
Titles, dirt bikes, odometers, notaries and what to check before you buy.
What is an ATV bill of sale?+
It is a signed record of an ATV, UTV, side-by-side or dirt bike changing hands: the seller, the buyer, the VIN or frame serial number, the price and the date. Where the state does not title off-road vehicles it is the main ownership paper; Maine's title law exempts them, and California accepts bills of sale to establish the chain of ownership when an off-highway vehicle is registered.
Does an ATV need a title?+
It depends on the state. Texas is required to title ATVs, UTVs, ROVs and sand rails, but they are not eligible for road registration; they can get an Off-Highway Vehicle license plate from the county tax office instead. California issues an OHV title and a DMV ID plate. Maine exempts off-road vehicles from its title law.
Can I sell an ATV without a title?+
Where the state does not title it, yes, and the bill of sale is the paper that moves with it; in Maine an off-road vehicle is outside the title law. Where the state does title it, as Texas and California do, the buyer needs the signed title, and the bill of sale backs it up. If a titled ATV comes without one, the seller should get a replacement before the sale.
Does an ATV bill of sale need an odometer reading?+
Not for federal purposes. The federal odometer law applies to vehicles manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads and highways, and an off-highway vehicle is not one. Record the hours or miles on the bill of sale anyway; our form has a box for it.
Is a UTV or side-by-side different from an ATV?+
On paper, yes. Texas defines an ATV as seating the rider and one passenger, with three or more tires and no more than 50 inches wide. A UTV has side-by-side seating and four or more tires and is built for utility work; an ROV is built for recreation. Texas titles all of them, and our form covers all of them.
Can I use this form for a dirt bike?+
Yes, for an off-road dirt bike. California counts trail bikes and racing motorcycles as off-highway vehicles, with a DMV ID plate instead of road registration. A dirt bike that is titled and plated for the road is a motorcycle, so use our motorcycle bill of sale, which has the odometer statement.
Does an ATV bill of sale need to be notarized?+
Only where the state requires it. Louisiana and West Virginia require a notarized bill of sale for vehicle sales, and 10 more states require one in specific situations. Whether that reaches an ATV depends on whether your state titles it as a vehicle, as Texas does. Our free form includes a notary block.
Download Your ATV Bill of Sale
One page, ready to type into or print. Buying the machine? Run its VIN below first.
Download the PDF (free)CarCheckerVIN is an independent vehicle-history service and is not affiliated with any state agency. The ATV bill of sale is a general template provided free for convenience and is not legal advice. Records in our reports reflect what was reported to our data providers.
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