Texas Vehicle Bill of Sale Form

Four Steps to Selling a Vehicle in Texas

In order to legally formalize the procedure for transferring rights from one vehicle owner to another, it is necessary to follow the steps presented below:

1. Prepare your Vehicle for Sale

Preparatory work may include painting the car, repairing work, tire replacement according to the season, washing the body at the car wash, thorough cleaning of the interior, and updating the seat upholstery, if necessary. However, you can decide whether to repair and clean the vehicle to increase its price on the market or sell it in its original form.

2. Prepare all the Necessary Documents 

Before selling the vehicle, make sure that you have all the necessary documents confirming ownership. Since you will need to fill out some crucial data about the vehicle in the bill of sale, prepare several essential documents in advance. Remember to note down the full name of the vehicle, its features, and essential details regarding the management and maintenance of the vehicle that its potential owner should know. 

3. Choose a Way to Sell the Vehicle 

You can place an ad for sale in local newspapers, on websites, pay for advertising, or try to sell a vehicle among your acquaintances. Another option is to contact a car dealer. In this case, you transfer the responsibilities of selling and meeting with potential buyers to professional sellers of vehicles.

4. Fill out the Bill of Sale 

What data will you need to write down in a bill of sale? Firstly, this is the personal data of both parties, as well as some details of the sale transaction: 

• Date of transaction execution 
• The amount for which the vehicle was sold
• Full names of both parties and their addresses. 

The seller also writes down the data about the vehicle: 

• Full name of the model 
• Registration number
• Vehicle condition and mileage. 

At the bottom of the form, you will find an empty space for the signatures of both parties.

5. Register the Vehicle

According to Texas laws, a vehicle that was sold and now is owned by another person must be registered by the new owner within 30 days from the date of purchase. If this condition is not met, the owner will have to pay a fine. The main form that must be submitted by the owner to register a vehicle is a bill of sale.

According to the local law, to receive registration, you will need to fill out and hand in an official application form to the local authorities (Form 130-U). 

In order to make sure that the ownership rights have been transferred and registered, you can fill out another application form (Form VTR-275). In response, you will be provided with the data about the transfer of the vehicle.