What is Washington bill of sale?
A Washington bill of sale is a document that serves as proof of ownership of the described object. A Washington bill of sale does not have to be notarized. It is a document that transfers title of an object from a seller to a buyer. So, via a written contract, the WA bill of sale actively commemorates the interchange of a piece of personal property for certain amount of money. The bill of sale records the details included in the transactions, specific to the seller, buyer, sale object and sale terms. If you want to further prove the document legitimacy, it should be signed by both parties in front of a licensed public notary.
Types of bill of sale available in the state of Washington
There are different variations of bill of sale forms available for utilization in the state of Washington. Here are some of the more popular forms:
- Bill of Sale for motor vehicle
- Bill of Sale for watercraft
- Bill of Sale for mobile home
- Bill of Sale for an animal
- Bill of Sale of other personal property
Commonly used bills of sale in Washington
Some of the most commonly used bills of sale in Washington are:
- General bill of sale
- Bill of sale for motor vehicle
- Bill of sale for a boat
- Bill of sale for a gun
Tips on how to write a WA bill of sale
A Washington bill of sale is not difficult to write. You have to consider the type of bill of sale that you require. After determining what kind of bill of sale you need, it will help you to define what information is required to describe the item. besides the description of the item, the required information that should be included in all types of a WA bill of sale is the same. The basic elements are: 1) Description of the item; 2) Date when the sale took place; 3) Amount of the sale; 4) Full, legal name and physical address of the seller; 5) Full, legal name and physical address of the buyer; 6) Information, whether the seller and the buyer are related; 7) Guarantee from the seller that the item is free from all liens and offsets; 8) The signatures of the seller and the buyer; 9) Notary public signature.
What is Washington general bill of sale?
A general Washington bill of sale is used for items that does not fall under the category of motor vehicles, guns or boats. Ordinary personal items covered by this bill of sale includes used laptops, cell phones, clothing, cookware, electronics, patio furniture etc. if applicable to the item, you can describe the item using the characteristics as follows: 1) A registration or serial number; 2) the make, model, and year of the object; 3) the color, size, or material the object is made from. If the item for sale has any accessories e.g.: charging cables, earphones in case of cell phone, an adapter in case of a laptop etc.
Washington bill of sale for motor vehicle
Washington state department of licensing provides a Washington bill of sale for a motor vehicle. In case you decide to write this document on your own, it must involve specific information: 1) Registration number or license plate; 2) Vehicle Identification Number (VIN); 3) Make, model and year of the motor vehicle.
Click here to find more, free, downloadable templates
Is a bill of sale WA necessary to register a motor vehicle?
If you are registering a motor vehicle that was bought through a private sale, you need a bill of sale WA. As brought up earlier on this page, the Washington Department of Licensing provides usable bill of sale. A vehicle title application should also be completed. The Vehicle Title Application must be signed in the presence of a notary public.
Take into consideration:
Even though, notarization is almost never required, it may act as an additional way to safeguard against legal problems.
In many states, during title change, a bill of sale form can be necessary, so the buyer needs to have the original version of the document. There are two options here: Either you should fill out and sign a pair of similar bills of sale or make a copy for the seller to keep.
Information for the seller and the buyer:
- In order to register and title your vehicle/vessel in the state of Washington, a bill of sale is mandatory and must be brought to your local licensing office in addition to the original title, signed over by the owner, the original registration, confirmation of sales tax paid, and the completed Vessel Title Application
- State of Washington requires a title to sell a vehicle. If your title is lost, a substitute title can be acquired from the Department of Licensing
- It takes 8 to 10 weeks to get your title, if you complete the title transfer in person or by mail. You may be able to get a Quick title If you need it faster. Visit For detailed information visit the Washington State Department of Licensing website
- A Quick Title is a proof of ownership for your vehicle or boat you can get immediately. It is much speedier than a standard title, which can require several weeks to arrive through the mail
- Quick Titles are printed at the time of the transaction and are available for vehicles and vessels in-person, by mail, through Washington’s eXpress site or online
For your consideration:
If you are trying to register a vehicle without a title, there are some points to consider: 1) You can ask Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) to issue 3-year registration without title; 2) you can file a bond with Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) for a 3-year period and get a bonded title; 3) you can file a petition in court for an order awarding you lawful ownership of the vehicle.
Below you can download free templates of Washington state bill of sale and vehicle title application