A California bill of sale is DMV form REG 135, a free one-page receipt that records who sold which vehicle to whom, on what date, for what price. The DMV accepts any bill of sale that identifies the vehicle, and it does not need to be notarized or witnessed.
The bill of sale documents the price and the date. It does not move the car into the buyer's name; the title does that. Keep those two jobs separate and everything below is simple.
Quick answer:
- The form: REG 135, Bill of Sale. Free, one page, download it from dmv.ca.gov. A handwritten bill of sale that identifies the vehicle is also acceptable.
- Required? Not for most private sales where the seller signs the title. Required when a signature is missing from the title, or when the person selling is not the person named on it.
- Notary? No. The DMV does not require a bill of sale to be notarized or witnessed.
- What it does: documents the price for use tax, dates the handover, and can stand in for the registered owner's release signature on the title.
- What it cannot do: transfer ownership. Under Vehicle Code section 5600, ownership does not pass until the endorsed title or transfer documents reach the DMV.
- Gift or family transfer: write the relationship and the value on the REG 135, then file a REG 256 Statement of Facts for the use-tax exemption.
What is a California bill of sale, and is it required?
A bill of sale is the DMV's receipt for a vehicle sale. The DMV's registration manual (section 1.020, under Vehicle Code section 1652) says the form "generally refers to a DMV form, but any bill of sale that identifies the vehicle/vessel is acceptable." A typed page, a handwritten note, or the REG 135 all count, as long as the vehicle is identified by its VIN.
Whether you need one depends on what else is in the envelope:
| Situation | Bill of sale required? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Private sale, seller signs the title's release line | Not required, but keep one anyway | The endorsed title is the transfer document. The bill of sale is your record of price and date. |
| Registered owner did not sign the release line | Yes | The DMV accepts a bill of sale in place of the owner's release signature; "B/S" is printed on that release line. |
| The person selling is not the person named on the title | Yes, signed by both | The DMV's private-party page requires a bill of sale signed by the seller and by the person whose name is on the title. |
| The car changed hands more than once before reaching the DMV | Yes, for the in-between buyer | A bill of sale substitutes for the middle buyer's signature. Their printed name must still appear on the title. |
| Sale between two California-licensed dealers | Not required | Dealer-to-dealer transfers are documented on dealer paperwork. |
| Licensed dealer selling to a retail buyer with a properly endorsed title | Not required | The endorsed title carries the transfer. |
| Gift, family transfer, or inheritance | Strongly recommended, plus a REG 256 | The DMV wants the relationship and the value on paper to apply the use-tax exemption. |
Sources: California DMV, Vehicle Industry Registration Procedures Manual §1.020; DMV, How to Register Vehicles Purchased in Private Sales.
The practical rule I give sellers: every sale gets a bill of sale, even when the DMV would not insist on one. It costs nothing. It is the piece of paper you will want if a parking ticket, a toll bill, or a use-tax question shows up with your name on it after the car is gone.
How do you fill out the REG 135, line by line?
The REG 135 (revision 2/2007) prints two identical copies on one sheet with a cut line between them, so the seller and the buyer each keep one. One thing to know before you start: the form's seller block has signature lines, a date, and a driver license or dealer number field; the buyer block has only printed names and a mailing address. Here is every field and the mistake I see on each one.
| Field on the REG 135 | What to write | The mistake to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Identification number | The full 17-character VIN, copied from the title or the dashboard plate, not from memory | One transposed digit makes the document worthless. Photograph the VIN plate and copy from the photo. |
| Year model / Make | As printed on the title | Match the title, even if the title lists only the make. |
| License plate / CF # | The current California plate (CF number is for vessels) | Leave it blank if the car has no plates. |
| Motorcycle engine # | Motorcycles only | Cars leave it blank. |
| "I/We ___ sell, transfer, and deliver the above vehicle to ___" | Seller's full legal name(s) exactly as on the title, then the buyer's full legal name(s) | If two owners are on the title joined by "and," both must sign; joined by "or," either one can (the rule is printed on the REG 227). |
| Date (MO / DAY / YR) | The day the keys and money actually changed hands | Backdating or leaving it blank defeats the point. This date is what protects the seller from tickets issued afterward. |
| Selling price ($) | The real amount paid | This is the number the DMV uses to calculate use tax. Writing a lower number than you received is a false statement, signed under penalty of perjury. |
| Gift value ($) and relationship | For gifts only: the vehicle's current value and the relationship (parent, spouse, friend, etc.) | Do not write $0 or $1 as a "selling price" for a gift. Use the gift line, and see the gift section below. |
| Seller: print name, signature, date, DL/ID or dealer # | Sign it, date it, add your driver license number. There are two seller signature lines for co-owners. | An unsigned bill of sale is not a bill of sale. |
| Seller: mailing address, city, state, ZIP, daytime phone | Where the DMV or the buyer can reach you | Use a real address. The buyer may need it to complete a transfer. |
| Seller certification | Printed on the form: you are certifying "under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California" that the information is true | This is why the price has to be real. |
| Buyer: print name(s), mailing address | The buyer's full legal name(s) and address | The form has no buyer signature line. If you want the buyer's signature and ID number on paper, add them below the buyer block, or use a handwritten bill of sale that includes them. |
Two habits that save trouble later: fill it out in pen, in the driveway, with the title on the table next to it so the names and VIN match. And take a phone photo of both signed copies before you hand one over.
Does a bill of sale transfer ownership in California?
No. A bill of sale records a sale, and only the title transfers ownership.
Under Vehicle Code section 5600, no transfer of title is effective until the properly endorsed Certificate of Title, or the DMV's transfer documents, are delivered to the DMV. A bill of sale is neither of those things. You can sign a REG 135, trade keys for cash, and in the DMV's records the seller still owns that car until the transfer is filed.
That is why the DMV's manual treats a bill of sale as a supplement to the title rather than a replacement for it: it fills a signature gap and documents a price, and it never carries the ownership itself.
For the seller, the document that actually protects you is different again: the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability, REG 138, filed online within five days of the sale under Vehicle Code section 5900. That is what tells the DMV you no longer own the car. Our guide to what to do after selling a car in California walks through it.
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Can you sell a car with a bill of sale but no title?
You can sign a bill of sale for any car. Whether the buyer can ever register it is the real question, and the answer is: only if the title paperwork gets fixed.
If you are the registered owner and the title is lost, the fix is the REG 227, Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title. It costs $28, and one filing can both replace the title and transfer it to your buyer. The full walkthrough, section by section, is in selling a car without the title in California. A bill of sale goes in the same envelope as the record of the price, but the REG 227 is what does the work.
If you are the buyer holding only a bill of sale and the seller has vanished, your options narrow fast. The DMV will not issue a title on a bill of sale alone. You are looking at a Motor Vehicle Ownership Surety Bond (REG 5057) for a car with no traceable owner, or small claims court with the bill of sale as your evidence. Neither is quick, and the bonded-title route requires a bond equal to the car's market value. The same guide above covers when a bonded title applies.
The short version, for both sides of the deal: never let cash change hands on a bill of sale alone. Get the title signed, or get the REG 227 signed, at the same table.
Do you put $0 on a bill of sale for a gift or a family transfer?
No. The REG 135 has a separate line for this. Below the selling price it asks, "If this was a gift, indicate relationship," with a space for the gift value. Write the current value of the car and the relationship (parent, spouse, domestic partner, friend), and leave the selling price blank rather than writing $0 or $1.
Then the new owner files a REG 256, Statement of Facts, and checks the reason for the use-tax exemption in section A. The DMV's list of exempt transfers includes:
- Family transfer between a parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, spouse, domestic partner, or siblings (siblings only if both are minors related by blood or adoption).
- Gift, meaning no money or anything else of value changed hands. A trade between individuals is not a gift.
- Inheritance and court order.
The REG 256 also asks for the vehicle's current market value, which is why the gift value line on the bill of sale matters: the two numbers should agree.
One warning from the same form: the exemption cannot be claimed if the qualifying relative is in the business of selling that type of vehicle.
If you are deciding between gifting the car and selling it to a relative for a dollar, that choice has its own tax consequences. See gifting a car in California vs. selling it for $1 and transferring a car title to a family member.
Bill of sale vs. pink slip vs. REG 138: which document does what?
| Document | What it is | Who keeps it | What it proves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Title ("pink slip") | The DMV's ownership certificate. The seller endorses the release line; the buyer submits it. | Goes to the DMV with the transfer application | Ownership. Nothing else transfers a car. |
| Bill of Sale (REG 135) | A receipt for the sale, signed by the seller | One copy each | Price, date, parties, vehicle. Stands in for a missing release signature. |
| Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (REG 138) | The seller's notice to the DMV, filed within 5 days | Seller files it; keep the confirmation | That the seller is no longer responsible for the car after the sale date. |
| Statement of Facts (REG 256) | A sworn statement for special situations | Goes to the DMV | Use-tax exemption, smog exemption, transfer-only status, and similar claims. |
| Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title (REG 227) | The lost-title form, $28 | Goes to the DMV | Replaces a lost title and can transfer it in the same filing. |
If you are unsure how to endorse the title itself, our guide to how to fill out a California title when selling a car shows every line. And if you are looking at an older title that is not pink, the California pink slip explained covers what changed.
What does a licensed dealer do with the bill of sale when buying your car?
When I buy a car at someone's driveway, the paperwork runs in a fixed order, and the bill of sale is part of it.
- I check the title against the VIN plate and the seller's ID, so the names on every document match.
- The seller endorses the title's release line. If the title is lost, we complete the REG 227 together instead.
- We complete the bill of sale, with National Fleet Wholesale Inc, the licensed dealer behind CurbSold, as the buyer.
- The seller gets paid, cash or a same-day check, before the car moves.
- I file the transfer with the DMV. Under Vehicle Code section 5906, a dealer holding a vehicle for resale is not required to apply for transfer the way a private buyer is, which is one reason the process is faster on my side.
The reason this matters to you as a seller: a bill of sale that names a licensed dealer as the buyer is the easiest thing to show if any question comes up later about who bought the car and when. You can check that license number yourself in about two minutes; here is how to verify a car dealer's license in California.
What are the deadlines and fees after you sign?
| Who | What | When | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seller | File the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (REG 138), free online | Within 5 days of the sale | Vehicle Code §5900; DMV private-party page |
| Buyer | Transfer ownership into your name | Within 10 days of purchasing the vehicle | DMV private-party page; Vehicle Code §5902 |
| Buyer | Pay the transfer fee | Within 30 days of the transfer date to avoid a late penalty | DMV VIRPM §11.015 |
| Buyer | Pay use tax on the purchase price, unless exempt | With the transfer application | DMV VIRPM §11.015; REG 256 for exemptions |
| Seller (private sale) | Provide a valid smog certificate, with exceptions | At the time of sale | See smog checks when selling a car in California |
The DMV's transfer rules require the purchase price, or the word "Gift" or "Trade," to be indicated on the transfer, and for a gift or trade the new owner states the estimated value on a REG 256. The price on your bill of sale is the number that use tax is calculated on.
If the paperwork is the part you are dreading, that is the part I handle. I come to your driveway anywhere in the San Fernando Valley, Ventura County, or West L.A., check the title with you, complete the bill of sale and the transfer, and pay you on the spot, cash or a same-day check. Call or text (818) 325-7535, or read how selling your car from home works.
This is part of the How to Sell a Car in California series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does California require a bill of sale for a car?
Not for a typical private sale where the seller signs the release line on the title. The DMV requires one when the registered owner's release signature is missing from the title, when the person selling is not the person named on the title, or when an in-between buyer's signature is missing on a multiple transfer. It is not required between California-licensed dealers or for a dealer's retail sale on a properly endorsed title. Keep one on every sale regardless.
Can I register a car in California with just a bill of sale?
No. A bill of sale does not transfer ownership under Vehicle Code section 5600. To register the car you need the endorsed title, or a REG 227 signed by the registered owner, or, if the owner cannot be found, a bonded title through the REG 5057 process.
How do I get a title if I only have a bill of sale?
Contact the seller and have them sign a REG 227 with the "Transfer of Title with Replacement" box checked; the fee is $28. If the seller cannot be reached, the DMV's Motor Vehicle Ownership Surety Bond process (REG 5057) is the remaining path, and it requires a bond equal to the vehicle's market value plus a REG 256 explaining why.
Who gets the bill of sale, the buyer or the seller?
Both. The REG 135 prints two copies on one page with a cut line. Each party keeps a copy. The buyer's copy goes to the DMV with the transfer if the DMV needs it; the seller's copy is the record of the sale date and price.
Does a California bill of sale need to be notarized?
No. The DMV's registration manual states a bill of sale is not required to be notarized or witnessed. The seller signs under penalty of perjury, which is what gives it weight.
Can a bill of sale be handwritten in California?
Yes. The DMV accepts any bill of sale that identifies the vehicle. Include the VIN, year, make, plate, both parties' full names and addresses, the date, the price (or gift value and relationship), and the seller's signature. A handwritten version is also the way to get the buyer's signature on paper, since the REG 135 has no line for it.
Can you put $0 on a bill of sale in California?
Do not write $0 as a selling price. If the car is a gift, use the gift value line and write the relationship, then file a REG 256 for the use-tax exemption. A $0 or $1 "sale" between relatives invites use-tax questions and can cost more than a properly documented gift.
What is the difference between a bill of sale and a pink slip?
The pink slip is the Certificate of Title, the DMV's ownership document; endorsing and submitting it is what transfers the car. The bill of sale is a receipt that records the price, date, and parties. You need the title to transfer ownership; the bill of sale supports it.
Where do I get the REG 135?
Download it free from the California DMV forms page at dmv.ca.gov. The DMV notes the REG 135 is available online only. The REG 262 Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment form, which includes a bill-of-sale section, is a paper form the DMV does not post online.
Sources
- California DMV, Vehicle Industry Registration Procedures Manual, §1.020 Bill of Sale (VC §1652)
- California DMV, Bill of Sale, REG 135 (REV. 2/2007), and the DMV forms page
- California DMV, Vehicle Industry Registration Procedures Manual, §11.015 Basic Transfer Requirements
- California DMV, Statement of Facts, REG 256 (REV. 8/2008)
- California DMV, How to Register Vehicles Purchased in Private Sales
- California Vehicle Code §5600, §5900, §5902, §5906