Free car sale receipt maker
Give the buyer a receipt when you sell a car privately: the seller, the buyer, the vehicle with its VIN and odometer reading, the price and how it was paid. This is a receipt for the payment, not a bill of sale or a title transfer; the notes below explain the difference.
Prefer paper or Word? Download the free car sale receipt template (PDF or Word).
A receipt is not a bill of sale
A car sale receipt shows that a buyer paid a seller a certain amount for a certain car on a certain day. It is useful proof of payment, especially when the money was cash or a check. It does not transfer the title, and it is not a legal bill of sale. The paperwork needed to sell and register a vehicle is set by each state, usually through its motor vehicle agency, and it differs from state to state. Some states want a notarized form, some want the odometer reading on the title itself, and some want nothing more than a signed title. Before you sell, ask your state's motor vehicle agency what you need. This page is not legal advice.
How to write a car sale receipt
- Add the seller with name, address and phone. These are remembered on this device for next time.
- Add the buyer with name and address. Check against their driver's license if you are unsure of the spelling.
- Describe the vehicle. Year, make, model and color, the VIN copied from the car, and the odometer reading in miles.
- Enter the price and how it was paid. For a deposit, untick Paid in full and enter what you received.
- Tick Sold as is if you agreed that, add a note, type your name and download the PDF. Print two copies and sign them.
What a car sale receipt should include
- The date of the sale and a receipt number
- The seller's and the buyer's full names, addresses and phone numbers
- The year, make, model and color of the vehicle
- The VIN and the odometer reading at the time of sale
- The price, how it was paid, the check or transfer number, and any balance still owed
- Whether the car is sold as is, in words both people agree to
- The signature of the seller, and ideally of the buyer too
Deposits, cash and cashier's checks
Private car sales often involve a deposit to hold the car and a payment of the rest at pickup. Make a receipt for each payment. The deposit receipt shows the balance still due; the final receipt shows the car paid in full. If you accept a cashier's check, write its number and the bank on the receipt. If you are paid in cash, count it together and write down the amount, because the receipt is the only record the payment was made.
Sold as is
Many private sellers write that the car is sold as is, meaning the buyer accepts it in its current condition. How far that protects the seller depends on the state and on what was said during the sale, so use it as a plain statement of what you agreed, and describe known problems honestly. If you are the buyer, an inspection by a mechanic you trust before you pay is the most useful protection.
Other documents you may need
The receipt goes with the other papers from the sale: the signed title, the odometer statement if your state uses one, and any records of repairs you hand over. If you take a payment in parts, the payment receipt maker works for each installment. For a sale of items with quantities and sales tax, use the receipt maker. If you are a business invoicing for a repair rather than a sale, use the invoice maker.
Example car sale receipt
A finished car sale receipt for a private sale paid with a cashier's check: both people, the vehicle with its VIN and mileage, the price, and a line that says what the receipt is and is not.
- Title and number. Car sale receipt, with a receipt number and the date of the sale.
- Seller and buyer. Who sold the car and who bought it, with addresses and a phone number.
- Vehicle. Year, make and model, the VIN, the odometer reading in miles and a Sold as is line if you both agreed to that.
- Price and payment. The price, how it was paid and the check number. A part payment shows the balance still due.
- Notes. A line saying the receipt records a payment and is not a bill of sale or a title transfer.
- Signature. The seller's name. The blank template has a line each for the seller and the buyer.
Free car sale receipt template (PDF and Word)
A blank car sale receipt on one full Letter page: receipt number and date, the seller and the buyer with address and phone, the vehicle (year, make and model, color, VIN and odometer), the sale price, the amount paid today and the balance, how it was paid, a Sold as is tickbox, and a line each for the seller and the buyer to sign.
The PDF is for filling in by hand. The Word version is editable, so you can type the details in Word, Google Docs or Pages before you print two copies. The page says in print that it is a receipt, not a bill of sale.
Free. Made in your browser, nothing is uploaded.
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Questions people ask
Is a car sale receipt the same as a bill of sale?
No. A car sale receipt records that money changed hands: who paid whom, how much, for which vehicle and when. A bill of sale is a document that records the sale itself, and the title transfer is a separate step. What your state asks for is set by your state, usually through its motor vehicle agency, so check there. This receipt is not a legal bill of sale.
What should a car sale receipt include?
The date, the seller's and the buyer's names and contact details, the year, make and model of the vehicle, the VIN, the odometer reading, the price, how it was paid, any balance still owed, whether the car is sold as is, and the signatures of both people. The maker has a field for each one.
Where do I find the VIN?
On most cars the VIN is on a plate at the base of the windshield on the driver's side, on the sticker inside the driver's door frame, and on the title and the registration. Copy it from the car and check it against the title, because a typo makes the receipt less useful.
What does sold as is mean?
It is the seller's statement that the buyer takes the car in its current condition, without promises about repairs. What "as is" means in law differs between states, so treat it as a plain statement of what you both agreed rather than as legal protection. The maker has a tickbox that prints Sold as is.
Can I use it for a deposit?
Yes. Untick Paid in full and enter the amount received. The receipt shows the balance still due, and you write the date and the way the balance will be paid in the notes. When the buyer pays the rest, make a second receipt.
Is there a car sale receipt template I can print?
Yes. The blank car sale receipt on this page is a full page form for the seller, the buyer, the vehicle, the payment and two signatures. It comes as a PDF to print and as a Word file you can edit. It is a receipt, not a bill of sale.
Should both people sign and keep a copy?
Yes. Each person should keep a copy, ideally signed by both. If you pay or receive cash, the receipt is the only record of the payment, so keep it with the other papers from the sale.
Is my information uploaded?
No. The receipt is built in your browser and the PDF is made on your device. Nothing you type, including the VIN and the names, is uploaded. Your seller details can be remembered on this device and you can turn that off.
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