What is Massachusetts bill of sale?
A Massachusetts bill of sale is a legal document that serves as a certificate of an exchange of lawful ownership between a person selling some sort of personal belonging and the person who wants to purchase it. The parties of the MA bill of sale are mentioned as the buyer and the seller. There is no not an obligation to have a bill of sale notarized, in Massachusetts. The purpose of a bill of sale MA is to certify the ownership. It is important to have bill of sale for personal records, though most transactions in Massachusetts do not require a bill of sale. In case of legal dispute arises over the item, or the act of stealing takes place, a Massachusetts bill of sale can help show who the rightful owner of the item is.
Commonly used bills of sale in Massachusetts
Some of the most widely used bills of sale in MA 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 Massachusetts bill of sale
Plain English can be used while writing a Massachusetts bill of sale. It is not a legal requirement to own this document when you decide to sell an item. Though, it is always a good idea to use bill of sale MA, in order to certify lawful possession of an item.
Some common elements must be included, when writing MA bill of sale. Those elements are:
- Information about the involved parties
- Description of the property
- Terms of the sale
- Signature of both parties
The type of Massachusetts bill of sale will define description of the item being sold. No matter what type of MA bill of sale you will use, each of them should contain details about involved parties in the bill of sale MA, to be more specific the seller (person who is willing to sell the item for a certain price) and the buyer (person who is willing to purchase the item for a certain price). Massachusetts bill of sale should include the information about both sides as follows:
- Full legal name of the seller and buyer
- Full physical address of the seller and buyer
- Driver’s license number or a state identification number (ID) these documents are needed for a purpose of identification in case legal dispute takes place
- Date, when document was made
- Date of payment
- Date of the document signature
In addition to Massachusetts bill of sale, seller must disclose about the item’s condition, even if the defect is small, it should be mentioned. If the item is being sold “As is” this can be also mentioned. When you touch on price, it should be firstly written in words and then in numbers. E.g.: Three-thousand one-hundred fifty-five dollars and no cents ($3,155.00). In the MA bill of sale, you can mention whether the item is given as a gift. You must also name any other conditions that are related to the transaction.
A bill of sale MA should be signed and dated by both the buyer and the seller.
What is Massachusetts general bill of sale?
General bill of sale MA is used when you want to sell a ordinary personal item. In this case a general bill of sale can be used to sell for example, living room furniture, cookware, electronics, desk etc.
If you have item’s serial, registration or model number you should include them in the description of a Massachusetts bill of sale. If the item for sale has model or make number (such would be found with a television, bicycle or laptop), you should cover that in the MA general bill of sale as well. Physical characteristics of the item, such as: color or size, can be also included in the document. If the item for sale has any accessories e.g.: charging cables, earphones in case of laptop, etc.
Take into consideration, that it is necessary to mention in the seller’s disclosure about any defects of the item.
Check out more free templates here
Massachusetts car bill of sale
When describing a motor vehicle in a Massachusetts car bill of sale, you should include vehicle’s:
- Year
- Make
- Model
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Odometer reading
You may be required to fill out replacement form for the RMV-1 and RMV-3, the Registration and Title Application also known as the RTA, depending on where you buy the car.
Is Massachusetts bill of sale necessary when registering a car?
If a title is available, a bill of sale form for vehicle transaction is not required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. But if the vehicle transaction entails a car that is free from titling, a Massachusetts bill of sale, along with the previous registration, must be handed over to the new owner in order to register the motor vehicle.
You will also be required to provide the odometer reading as part of the title (if applicable) or on the Massachusetts car bill of sale. Price has to be mentioned in the MA car bill of sale. You should be prepared to pay for the sales tax and registration fee for the motor vehicle.
Below you can download for free templates of Massachusetts bill of sale for motor vehicle and also registration and title application form: