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New Jersey vehicle bill of sale
As of October 26, 2026, a New Jersey seller hands over the signed title plus a bill of sale with price and mileage; the buyer has 10 working days to transfer it at an MVC agency.1,2
The New Jersey buyer signs the buyer’s section on the back of the title and writes in a driver’s license or Entity Identification Number.1
A New Jersey change of vehicle ownership can be done only at a motor vehicle agency, not by mail.1
Preview of the document
Vehicle Bill of Sale
State of New Jersey
1. The parties
This Vehicle Bill of Sale is made on Date between Seller’s full name (the “Seller”) and Buyer’s full name (the “Buyer”).
2. The vehicle
The Seller sells and transfers to the Buyer the following motor vehicle (the “Vehicle”): year Year, make Make, model Model, vehicle identification number (VIN) VIN.
3. Purchase price or gift
4. Odometer statement
5. Condition and warranty
6. Ownership and title
7. Title, registration and taxes
8. Entire agreement
9. Signatures
Sections 3–9 unlock after purchase. Prepared with SimplePaperwork, which is not a law firm.
New Jersey’s rules, with sources
- State form
- The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission tells the seller to sign the seller’s section on the back of the title and give it to the buyer with a bill of sale showing the buyer’s name and address, the date of sale, the odometer reading and the sale price.1
- For a vehicle previously owned in New Jersey, the MVC expects a properly assigned title with both parties’ names, addresses and signatures, the sale date, the price and the buyer’s driver license number.3
- The New Jersey buyer also brings a Vehicle Registration Application, Form BA-49, to the MVC agency.3
- Signing
- The New Jersey buyer signs the buyer’s section on the back of the title and writes in a driver’s license or Entity Identification Number.1
- When the vehicle comes from a state that does not issue titles, New Jersey requires a notarized statement from the seller with the year, make, VIN, sale date and price, signed by both parties before it is notarized.3
- A person who signs New Jersey title papers on someone else’s behalf in a private change of ownership must present a notarized general, durable or limited power of attorney.1
- Deadlines
- To avoid a $25 penalty, a New Jersey title must be transferred within 10 working days from the date of sale.1
- Where it is filed
- Taxes and fees
- The New Jersey MVC charges $60 to title a standard vehicle, $85 with one lien and $110 with two liens.3
- The New Jersey Division of Taxation applies a 6.625 percent sales tax to the purchase price of a new or used vehicle.4
- A New Jersey vehicle transfer is exempt from sales tax as a gift only if the purchase price line on the back of the title says it is a gift.1
- For a gifted vehicle, the MVC asks that the New Jersey sales price be written as “GIFT”.5
- Without proper proof of the purchase price, the New Jersey Division of Taxation may assess sales tax on the vehicle’s N.A.D.A. value.4
- Swapping vehicles between two private parties is taxable in New Jersey, on the vehicle’s fair market value.4
- Under N.J.S.A. 39:10-11, a buyer who misses the titling requirements pays a $25 penalty on top of the issuing and filing fee.2
Questions about a New Jersey bill of sale
What does a New Jersey seller give the buyer?
The title, signed in the seller’s section on the back, and a bill of sale. The MVC lists four things for that bill of sale: the buyer’s name and address, the date of sale, the odometer reading and the price.
The assigned title itself carries both parties’ names, addresses and signatures, the sale date, the price and the buyer’s driver license number. The buyer signs the buyer’s section and adds a license or Entity Identification Number.1,3
Where and how fast does a New Jersey buyer transfer the title?
In person at a motor vehicle agency; the MVC does not take ownership transfers by mail. The deadline is 10 working days from the date of sale, after which a $25 penalty applies.
The buyer brings the assigned title, Form BA-49, a driver’s license or ID, proof of New Jersey insurance and the title fee: $60 for a standard vehicle, $85 with one lien, $110 with two.1–3
What sales tax applies to a private car sale in New Jersey?
Sales tax of 6.625 percent on the purchase price. A gift is exempt only when the price line on the title says so, written as “GIFT”; trading goods, services or another vehicle for the car is taxable on its fair market value.
The Division of Taxation may later send a casual sales notice asking for proof of the price. Without proof, it may charge tax based on the N.A.D.A. value, so the paper trail of the real price, such as a cash receipt, canceled check or Seller’s Affidavit, is worth keeping.1,4,5
When does a notary come into a New Jersey vehicle sale?
In two cases on the MVC pages. A vehicle from a state that does not issue titles needs a seller’s statement with the year, make, VIN, sale date and price, signed by both parties and then notarized.
And anyone signing for someone else in a private change of ownership needs a notarized power of attorney naming the agent, the principal and the powers granted; a limited one must identify the vehicle and the transaction.1,3
What happens to the license plates in a New Jersey sale?
They stay with the seller. The seller removes them and turns them in at a motor vehicle agency, or moves them to another vehicle; New Jersey plates can follow the owner to a new vehicle but cannot go to a new owner.1
What to have at hand
- Vehicle identification number (VIN), year, make, model and plate
- Odometer reading on the day of sale
- Sale price, or the value if it is a gift
- Full legal names and addresses of seller and buyer
It does not replace the title. Ownership moves when the signed title and the state’s title application reach the motor vehicle agency.
Frequently asked questions
Does a New Jersey private car sale need a bill of sale?
The MVC’s instructions for sellers call for one: the signed title goes to the buyer together with a bill of sale showing the buyer’s name and address, the sale date, the odometer reading and the price.1
Can a New Jersey title transfer be done by mail?
No. The MVC says vehicle ownership transfers are handled only at a motor vehicle agency, and the buyer has 10 working days from the sale to avoid the $25 penalty.1
What if the buyer paid cash and has no receipt?
The New Jersey Division of Taxation accepts a bank statement showing the cash withdrawal, or a Seller’s Affidavit from the seller. Without acceptable proof of the price, the tax may be assessed on the N.A.D.A. value.4
Where this information comes from
New Jersey’s rules above come from the state’s own statutes, agency pages and forms, read on the date shown. A rule that passes its review date without a new check is removed automatically.
- Transferring Vehicle Ownership (NJ MVC) Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
- New Jersey Statutes, full text published by the New Jersey Legislature (N.J.S.A. 39:10-9 and 39:10-11) Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
- Pre-owned Vehicle Title (NJ MVC) Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
- Motor Vehicle Casual Sales Frequently Asked Questions (NJ Division of Taxation) Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
- Vehicles Exempt From Sales Tax (NJ MVC) Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
Something changed? Tell us what is out of date and we will check the official page again.