Trailer Bill of Sale — Free Fillable Form.
A one-page trailer bill of sale you can type into or print, for utility, boat, cargo and travel trailers. Download it free, then see what your state asks for: some title trailers by weight, and a few require a notary.
Download the Free Trailer Bill of Sale
One page, fillable fields, with a notary block for the states that need one. Type into it in any PDF reader, or print it blank.
Download the PDF (free)Buying? Check the trailer's VIN first
No sign-up · The form never leaves your device
Quick Answer
- What is a trailer bill of sale?
- A signed record of a trailer changing hands: who sold it, who bought it, which trailer by VIN or serial number, for how much and when. For a light trailer it can be the main proof of ownership: in Texas, a used trailer at or under 4,000 lbs transfers with a bill of sale plus the registration receipt.
- Does a trailer bill of sale need an odometer reading?
- No. Federal odometer disclosure rules do not apply to a vehicle that is not self-propelled, so a towed trailer has no mileage statement. A motorhome is self-propelled and is treated differently.
- Does it need to be notarized?
- Only in some states. Louisiana and West Virginia require a notarized bill of sale, and Montana requires a notarized affidavit for an untitled camper or travel trailer. Our free form includes a notary block for those cases.
Selling or buying a trailer, in five steps
The bill of sale sits in the middle of it. What comes before it protects the buyer; what comes after it gets the trailer registered.
- 1Find the trailer's VINFederal rules put a manufactured trailer's label, with its VIN and GVWR, on the forward half of the left side. Texas DMV adds that the tongue is where the maker's name usually is.
- 2Fill in the bill of saleSeller, buyer, the trailer's VIN, weight and GVWR, the price and the date. Write "not titled" if the trailer never had a title.
- 3Sign, and notarize if requiredBoth sides sign. A notary is needed only where the state asks for one, such as Louisiana and West Virginia.
- 4Hand over the paperworkThe title if there is one, plus the bill of sale. For a light untitled trailer in Texas, the registration receipt goes with it.
- 5The buyer registers itThe buyer takes the documents to the county or state office. Heavier trailers are titled; lighter ones may only be registered.
What a Trailer Bill of Sale Is For
For a car, the title does most of the work and a bill of sale backs it up. Trailers are different, because many of them are never titled. For a light trailer, the bill of sale can be the main evidence that ownership changed hands.
Texas spells this out. A manufactured trailer over 4,000 lbs gross weight must be titled, but for a used trailer at or under 4,000 lbs the evidence of ownership is a bill of sale plus the registration receipt. Iowa asks for one on every title transfer, and one county treasurer's office there says it is required for all vehicle and trailer purchases, with the price, the VIN and both signatures.
A bill of sale also protects the seller. It is a dated record of when the trailer stopped being theirs, useful if it is later ticketed or towed after the sale.
Why there is no odometer box
Federal odometer disclosure rules do not apply to a vehicle that is not self-propelled (49 CFR 580.17). A towed trailer has no engine and no mileage statement, so our form says so instead of leaving a blank to fill.
What to Put on a Trailer Bill of Sale
Six groups of details, all of them on our free form. The trailer's own identity is the part people most often get wrong.
Seller and buyer
Full names, addresses and phone numbers for both sides, exactly as they will appear on any title application.
VIN or serial number
Copied from the plate on the trailer, not from old paperwork. A homemade trailer may carry a state-assigned number instead.
Weight and GVWR
Empty weight and gross vehicle weight rating. In many states the weight decides whether the trailer is titled at all.
Title status
The title number and state, or "not titled". A buyer should know which paperwork they are receiving.
Price, date and terms
The sale price, the date, how it was paid and anything included, like a spare, jack or ramps. Sold as is, with any lien listed.
Signatures
Both parties sign and print their names. A notary block is there for the states that require one.
Get the Form, Then Check the Trailer
Download the free bill of sale. If you are buying, run the trailer's VIN first to confirm the year, maker and type, and see the title and lien records on file.
Download the PDF (free)Does a Trailer Need a Title? It Depends on the Weight
Two large states, read from their own motor vehicle agencies. Other states draw the lines at different weights, so check yours before you assume a title exists or does not.
A manufactured trailer over 4,000 lbs gross weight must be titled. At or under 4,000 lbs, a used trailer transfers with a bill of sale plus the registration receipt.
Farm trailers at or under 4,000 lbs used primarily as farm vehicles are exempt from title and registration, and may be titled on request.
For original registration, the DMV assigns and affixes a VIN plate on trailers with an unladen weight under 6,000 pounds.
Registration and titling are separate questions. Texas requires registration for every non-farm trailer that uses public highways, even the light ones that never get a title, so a buyer of an untitled trailer still has a trip to the county office ahead.
Homemade Trailers and Trailers With No VIN
A trailer built by a hobbyist has no manufacturer's VIN, so the state gives it one. In Texas, a newly assembled trailer is required to have a VIN, and getting one starts with an inspection by an auto theft law enforcement officer; the paperwork includes forms VTR-68A and VTR-68-N.
California handles it at registration: for original registration of trailers with an unladen weight under 6,000 pounds, the DMV assigns and affixes a VIN plate itself.
For the bill of sale, the rule is simple. Use whatever number is on the trailer now, state-assigned or not, and say which it is. A bill of sale describing a trailer by a number that is not on the trailer is the kind of paperwork that stalls at the counter.
Not sure who built it?
Texas DMV's rule: if you do not know whether a trailer is manufactured or assembled, it must be inspected by an auto theft law enforcement officer. And a manufactured trailer with missing paperwork cannot be re-registered as an assembled one.
Does a Trailer Bill of Sale Need to Be Notarized?
In most states, no. From our review of each state's official bill-of-sale rules, Louisiana and West Virginia require a notarized bill of sale. West Virginia's official form DMV-7-TR, a bill of sale for a motor vehicle, trailer or boat, carries “NOTARY IS REQUIRED” in its heading.
Another 10 states require notarization only in specific situations: Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Wyoming. For trailers, Montana's rule is the one to know: an untitled camper or travel trailer needs a bill of sale and an affidavit sworn before a notary.
Our form includes a notary block for the states that ask for one. Everywhere else, leave it blank.
Your state may have its own form
Where a state publishes an official bill of sale, like West Virginia's DMV-7-TR, use it for the state filing and keep ours as your own signed record. Our bill of sale guide lists each state's form.
Boat Trailers, Campers and Travel Trailers
The same form covers them, with a few differences to know before you fill it in.
Utility and cargo trailers
The standard case. List the VIN or serial number, the weight and whether it was ever titled; in Texas the weight decides whether a title exists at all.
Boat trailers
A boat and its trailer are separate items with separate identifiers. If both are sold together, describe both, and use a form that covers both, as West Virginia's DMV-7-TR does.
Campers and travel trailers
In Montana, an untitled camper or travel trailer needs a bill of sale and an affidavit sworn before a notary. A towed travel trailer has no odometer statement.
Motorhomes are different
A motorhome is self-propelled, so federal odometer disclosure applies unless another exemption does, such as its age or a GVWR over 16,000 lbs.
Check the Trailer Before You Sign
A bill of sale records what both sides say. The trailer and its records are how you check it.
Match the label to the paper
Look on the forward half of the left side for the label with the VIN. It should match the title or registration receipt, character for character.
Run the VIN
A decode confirms the year, maker and trailer type. The full report lists the title brands and lien records on file for that VIN.
Ask for the right document
A title for a titled trailer; in a state like Texas, the registration receipt for a light one. No document, no deal.
Related Tools and Guides
Trailer lookups, and the bill of sale rules for everything else.
Where These Facts Come From
State rules come from each state's motor vehicle agency or statute, and the odometer exemption from federal regulation.
Our form is a general template, not legal advice. Trailer title, registration and notary rules differ by state and change; check with your state's motor vehicle agency before you file.
Vérifiez toujours le VIN avant d’acheter
L’aperçu gratuit affiche les mentions au titre, le statut de vol et les rappels ouverts en quelques secondes, et signale s’il existe des dossiers d’accident et d’odomètre. L’historique complet est à 21,99 $ CAD — paiement unique, sans abonnement.
Trailer Bill of Sale — Frequently Asked Questions
Titles, notaries, homemade trailers and what to check before you buy.
What is a trailer bill of sale?+
It is a signed record of a trailer changing hands: the seller, the buyer, the trailer's VIN or serial number, the price and the date. For a light trailer it can be the main proof of ownership. In Texas, a used trailer at or under 4,000 lbs gross weight transfers with a bill of sale plus the registration receipt, because trailers that light are not required to be titled.
Does a trailer need a title?+
It depends on the state and the weight. Texas requires a title for a manufactured trailer over 4,000 lbs gross weight; below that, titling is optional for newly assembled trailers and a used trailer transfers with a bill of sale and registration receipt. Registration is still required for any non-farm trailer used on public highways in Texas. Check your own state's motor vehicle agency, because the thresholds differ.
Do I need to notarize a trailer bill of sale?+
Only where the state requires it. Louisiana and West Virginia require a notarized bill of sale, and West Virginia's own form for a motor vehicle, trailer or boat says so on its face. Montana requires an affidavit sworn before a notary for an untitled camper or travel trailer. Several other states require notarization only in specific situations. Our free form includes a notary block.
Is an odometer reading needed on a trailer bill of sale?+
No. Federal odometer disclosure rules exempt a vehicle that is not self-propelled, which covers utility, cargo, boat and travel trailers. A motorhome is self-propelled, so the odometer rules apply to it unless another exemption does, such as its age or a gross vehicle weight rating over 16,000 lbs.
What if a homemade trailer has no VIN?+
The state assigns one. In Texas, a newly assembled trailer needs a VIN, and the process starts with an inspection by an auto theft law enforcement officer. In California, the DMV assigns and affixes a VIN plate for original registration of trailers with an unladen weight under 6,000 pounds. Put the assigned number on the bill of sale.
Can I use the same form for a boat trailer?+
Yes, for the trailer. A boat and its trailer are separate items with separate identifiers, so if you sell both together, describe both. West Virginia's official form covers a motor vehicle, trailer or boat in one document, which shows how the two are usually handled together.
How do I check a used trailer before I buy it?+
Find the certification label, which federal rules place on the forward half of a trailer's left side, and make sure its VIN matches the seller's paperwork. Then run the VIN: a decode confirms the year, maker and trailer type, and the full report lists the title brands and lien records on file. Ask for the title, or in a state like Texas the registration receipt, before you pay.
Download Your Trailer Bill of Sale
One page, ready to type into or print. Buying the trailer? Run its VIN below first.
Download the PDF (free)CarCheckerVIN is an independent vehicle-history service and is not affiliated with any state motor vehicle agency. The trailer 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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