Washington Car Bill of Sale: Do You Need One, and What Goes On It? [2026]
According to Washington's Department of Licensing (DOL), the buyer and seller both need to sign a Bill of Sale before the buyer can apply for a new title and pay fees or taxes — unless the sale price and date are already written on the title. DOL's Vehicle/Vessel Bill of Sale (Form TD-420-065) is a single page: vehicle details, sale price and date, buyer and seller names and addresses, and both signatures. It does not transfer the title and it is not a Report of Sale — you still sign the title over and file a Report of Sale within 5 business days.
Most people selling a car in Washington know they need to hand over the title. Fewer realize there are three separate pieces of paper in a clean sale — the title, the bill of sale, and the Report of Sale — and that mixing them up is where sellers get caught out later.
This guide is built around DOL's actual form. We'll walk through when you need one, what to write in every box, what changes when the car is a junk or non-running vehicle, and the small "proof kit" worth assembling on the day the car leaves your driveway.
Do You Actually Need a Bill of Sale?
Here is how DOL puts it on its seller page: before the buyer can apply for a new title and pay fees or taxes, you both need to sign a Bill of Sale, unless the sale price and date are included on the title.
So there are two legitimate paths — write the price and date on the title itself, or sign a separate bill of sale. In practice, we'd still do the bill of sale. A separate signed page is the cleanest record of exactly what was sold, for how much, and on what day, and DOL says each party should keep a copy. That date matters more than people realize: it's the date your 5-business-day Report of Sale deadline runs from.
One more point worth knowing: you, the seller, don't submit the bill of sale to DOL. The buyer takes the signed title and the bill of sale to a vehicle licensing office to apply for the new title. Your copy is for your own records.
Bill of Sale vs. Title vs. Report of Sale
These get confused constantly, and DOL's form itself warns about it: "Completing this form does not transfer the title or act as a Report of Sale." Here's how the three fit together.
| Document | What it does | Who handles it | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Title | Proves ownership; signing it over is what actually hands the car to the buyer | Seller signs (all owners) and gives it to the buyer | At the sale |
| Bill of Sale Form TD-420-065 |
Records the vehicle, price, date, and both parties; buyer uses it with the title to apply for a new title | Buyer and seller both sign; each keeps a copy | At the sale |
| Report of Sale Form TD-420-062 |
Tells DOL you sold the vehicle and releases your liability for it | Seller files with DOL | Within 5 business days |
The one that protects you after the car is gone is the Report of Sale — we cover it in detail in our Washington Report of Sale guide. The bill of sale is your record of the deal; the Report of Sale is your protection from what happens next.
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DOL Form TD-420-065, Field by Field
The form is one page and gathers the details DOL needs. Here's every field on it and what to put there.
| Field on the form | What to enter | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Sale of (Vehicle / Vessel) | Check "Vehicle" | The same form covers boats, so make sure the right box is ticked. |
| License plate / registration number | The plate number on the car | You must remove the plates at the time of sale — write the number down before they come off. |
| Vehicle identification number (VIN) | The full 17-character VIN | Copy it from the title, not from memory — one wrong character is a mismatch. |
| Model year, make, model | As shown on the title | Match the title exactly. |
| Date of sale | The day the car and the payment change hands | Your 5-business-day Report of Sale window counts from this date. |
| Sale price | The amount actually paid | DOL uses this to calculate the buyer's use tax. Enter zero only for a gift or inheritance. |
| Seller names and address | Every owner named on the title | DOL says the title must be signed by all owners — see two names on the title. |
| Buyer names and address | The buyer's legal name and current address | Check their ID. You'll need this name for your Report of Sale too. |
| Gift / relationship question | "Are you an immediate family member receiving this vehicle as a gift?" Yes or No — and the relationship if yes | Answered for the buyer; only relevant to gifts between immediate family. |
| Buyer and seller signatures | Signatures from both sides | The form has room for two signers on each side. There is no notary section. |
Notice what the form does not have: no line for the car's condition, no warranty language, and no mileage box. Those aren't DOL requirements — but for a junk or non-running car, they're worth thinking about, which brings us to the next section.
Selling a Junk or Non-Running Car: What to Write
Everything above applies exactly the same whether the car is a 2019 Camry or a 1998 pickup that hasn't started in four years. A few things are worth handling deliberately when the car is a junk vehicle.
Write the real price
Whatever the buyer actually pays you — $150 or $600 — is the number that goes in the sale price box. That figure is what DOL uses for the buyer's use tax, and a number that doesn't match the cash that changed hands is a mismatch you don't want on a record with your name on it.
Consider documenting "as-is"
DOL's form has no condition or warranty line. If you want the sale documented as an as-is transaction — especially for a car that doesn't run — the simple approach is a short separate note signed by both of you and attached to your copy of the bill of sale. For example:
"Vehicle sold as-is, non-running, with no warranty expressed or implied. Buyer has inspected or waived inspection of the vehicle." — followed by both signatures and the date. This wording is a common-sense example, not DOL language and not legal advice; if the sale is unusual or high-value, ask a licensed attorney.
Don't let missing paperwork stall the sale
A bill of sale does not replace a title. If you can't find yours, start with how to get a duplicate title or how to sell a car without a title. If there's still a loan on the car, read selling a car with a lien first. And if the car was inherited, see how to sell an inherited car — the gift and inheritance rules on the form matter there.
Pickup-Day Checklist
Whether the buyer is a neighbor or a tow driver, run through this before the car leaves. Every item below comes from DOL's seller and buyer guidance.
- Sign the title — signed by all owners, then handed to the buyer.
- Complete the Bill of Sale — both parties sign, and each keeps a copy.
- Remove your license plates — DOL says sellers are legally obligated to, at the time of sale. The plates can be transferred to another vehicle of the same type or surrendered at a licensing office.
- Clear out personal items — especially anything with your name, address, or other personal information.
- Get paid — before the car is driven or towed away.
- File the Report of Sale — within 5 business days, using the buyer's name and the sale date from your bill of sale.
The Seller's Proof Kit: 5 Photos to Take
This one is our own suggestion, not a DOL requirement — but it costs nothing and takes about two minutes. If a parking ticket, toll bill, or towing notice ever reaches you months later, these are the records that settle it fast.
- The plate and VIN — before you remove the plates.
- The signed title, front and back — before you hand it over.
- The completed bill of sale — showing both signatures, the date, and the price.
- The car at handover — with the odometer visible and your phone's timestamp on the photo.
- Your Report of Sale confirmation — the screen or receipt after you file.
Deadlines and Costs
Everything below is taken from DOL's forms and guidance as of September 2026.
| Who | What | Deadline | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seller | Remove license plates | At the time of sale | — |
| Seller | File the Report of Sale | Within 5 business days of the sale | $18 by mail or in person; DOL's page doesn't list an amount for online filing, so confirm on screen |
| Buyer | Transfer the title into their name | Within 15 days of the sale | Penalty of $50 on day 16, plus $2 per day after, up to $125 |
| Both | Bill of Sale (TD-420-065) | At the sale; each keeps a copy | Not filed by the seller — the buyer brings it to the licensing office with the title |
Common Mistakes
Treating the bill of sale as the Report of Sale
DOL's form says in plain words that completing it does not act as a Report of Sale. You still have to file that separately — see the Report of Sale guide.
Removing the plates before writing the number down
The plate number is a field on the bill of sale and on the Report of Sale. Photograph or note it first.
Writing a price that doesn't match the payment
The sale price feeds the buyer's use-tax calculation. Write what was actually paid, and keep the number consistent across every document.
Only one owner signing when two are on the title
DOL says the title must be signed by all owners. A missing signature can stall the buyer's title application — and leave you as the owner of record longer than you intended.
Not keeping a copy
You don't file the bill of sale, so nobody else keeps it for you. Photograph it before the buyer leaves.
Waiting on the Report of Sale
The clock runs from the date on the bill of sale, not from when you remember. File the same day if you can.
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