Legal form · Vehicles · official sources
New York vehicle bill of sale
As of October 26, 2026, in New York both seller and buyer sign DMV form MV-912, even for a gift; the new owner gives the original to the DMV when titling and pays a $50 title fee.1,2
In a New York sale the seller completes and signs the transfer section of the title certificate and signs form MV-912, even when the vehicle is a gift.1
After a New York transfer, the new owner registers and titles the vehicle at a local DMV office and pays sales tax or shows proof of an exemption.1
New York at a glance
- Official state form
- Yes1
A dash or a missing box means the official pages we read do not state that rule; we never fill it in from memory.
Preview of the document
Vehicle Bill of Sale
State of New York
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 York’s rules, with sources
- State form
- The New York State DMV publishes form MV-912, Vehicle Bill of Sale, to show proof of a vehicle ownership transfer through a private sale.1
- The New York DMV accepts a bill of sale that gives the year and make, the vehicle or hull identification number, the date of sale, the purchase price, and the names and signatures of buyer and seller.1
- When a vehicle is given as a gift in New York, the bill of sale says so and shows a purchase price of $0.1
- Besides any bill of sale, the New York seller or donor completes Section 6 of tax form DTF-802 when a motor vehicle is a gift or is sold below fair market value to anyone other than a spouse, parent, child, stepparent or stepchild.1
- Signing
- Deadlines
- The New York DMV requires a vehicle to be registered within 180 days of the effective date on the owner’s insurance ID card.3
- A vehicle newly registered in New York gets a 10-day inspection extension, and an inspection issued to the previous registrant does not count.3
- If a New York title certificate has not arrived by mail within 90 days after the application, the DMV tells the owner to contact a DMV Contact Center.2
- Where it is filed
- After a New York transfer, the new owner registers and titles the vehicle at a local DMV office and pays sales tax or shows proof of an exemption.1
- The New York DMV keeps the original bill of sale: the new owner hands it in with the other proofs of ownership, and buyer and seller may keep photocopies.1
- In a New York casual sale between private parties, the buyer’s proof of ownership is the prior owner’s title certificate signed over to the buyer.2
- New York issues no title certificate for a motor vehicle of model year 1972 or older; for those vehicles the transferable registration proves ownership and is used to sell it.2
- New York title certificates are not handed out at the counter: the DMV mails them after examining the proof of ownership.2
- Taxes and fees
- Titling a vehicle in New York for the first time means paying the registration and plate fees, sales tax and a $50 title certificate fee.2
- New York first-time registration fees normally include sales tax, a plate or registration transfer fee, the title fee and, in most counties, a vehicle use tax.3
- A New York dealer that sends the registration and title application to the DMV for the buyer may charge $175 for that service.1
Questions about a New York bill of sale
Does New York have an official bill of sale form?
Yes, form MV-912. It is one page: the seller’s name, the price paid, the buyer’s name, the year, make, model and VIN, a space for terms and conditions, and a signed and dated line for each party.
The DMV also accepts another bill of sale if it shows the year and make, the VIN or hull number, the sale date, the price, and the names and signatures of buyer and seller.1,4
Who signs a New York bill of sale?
Both sides, even when no money changes hands. The seller also completes and signs the transfer section on the back of the title.
MV-912 has a signature and date line for the seller and one for the buyer, and no notary section.1,4
What does the New York buyer do after the sale?
Register and title the vehicle at a local DMV office, handing in the original bill of sale with the signed-over title and paying sales tax or proving an exemption. Buyer and seller may each keep a photocopy.
The title is mailed after the DMV examines the paperwork, not printed at the counter. A vehicle from model year 1972 or older has no New York title; its transferable registration is what changes hands.1,2
What does a New York buyer pay?
The title certificate fee is $50, on top of sales tax, plate and registration fees and, in most counties, a vehicle use tax.
For a gift, the bill of sale shows $0, and the gift is declared on the Department of Taxation and Finance form DTF-802. Section 6 of that form is required for a gift or below-market sale to anyone outside the spouse, parent, child, stepparent or stepchild circle.1–3
Are there deadlines after buying a car in New York?
The DMV page on transfers gives no day count after the sale. The deadline it does set is tied to insurance: register within 180 days of the effective date on the insurance ID card.
After registering, the owner has a 10-day inspection extension; the previous owner’s inspection does not carry over. If the title has not arrived within 90 days, the DMV says to call its Contact Center.1–3
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
Is a bill of sale required to sell a car in New York?
The DMV lists signing form MV-912 among the steps for both seller and buyer, even when the car is a gift, and the new owner turns in the original when registering and titling the vehicle.1
Can a New York owner just put the title in someone else’s name?
No. The DMV says the name on a registration or title cannot be changed to another person; ownership has to be transferred, with the signed title and a bill of sale.1
Where this information comes from
New York’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.
- Buy, Sell, or Transfer Vehicle Ownership (NY DMV) Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
- Certificate of Title (NY DMV) Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
- Register and Title a Vehicle (NY DMV) Open the official page (opens in a new tab) ↩
- Vehicle Bill of Sale (MV-912, 11/21) 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.