Is a Bill of Sale Required in Florida? (2026)

Florida Law on Bill of Sale Requirements

There is no single rule that demands a bill of sale for every private sale in Florida, but state title law leans on the document often enough that skipping it is risky. Under Florida Statute 319.23, when a certificate of title has not previously been issued for a motor vehicle or mobile home in the state, the title application must be accompanied by a proper bill of sale or sworn statement of ownership, a certified copy of one, or a certificate of title, bill of sale or other proof of ownership required by the state or country the vehicle came from. The same statute treats ancient and antique vehicles differently. A title application for one of those vehicles may be supported by a certificate of title, by a bill of sale and a registration, or by a bill of sale and an affidavit from the owner defending the title against all claims. Ownership itself still turns on the title. Florida Statute 319.22 says a person who acquires a vehicle or mobile home does not gain marketable title until a certificate of title is issued to them, and courts generally will not recognize a claim to a vehicle that a certificate of title does not back up.

Why a Bill of Sale Matters for Vehicle Sales

The paperwork is not only about the buyer. Under the transfer of title statute, an owner who makes a bona fide sale, hands over possession and properly endorses and delivers the certificate of title is not treated as the owner afterward for civil liability purposes when someone else drives the vehicle. A dated, signed bill of sale is the everyday proof that the handoff happened when the seller says it did. Co-ownership adds another wrinkle. When a vehicle is registered to two people joined by the word or, it is held in joint tenancy and either owner's signature is proper endorsement. When the names are joined by the word and, each co-owner or their personal representative must sign to transfer title.

What to Include in a Florida Bill of Sale

For ancient and antique vehicles, the statute spells out the contents. The bill of sale must carry a complete vehicle description, and that standard is a sensible checklist for any private sale:

• The vehicle identification number or engine number
• The year and make of the vehicle
• The color of the vehicle
• The selling price
• The signatures of the seller and the purchaser

Buyers of other used vehicles typically face extra steps at the title office, such as a sworn affidavit from both parties confirming the VIN matches the vehicle, or a departmental form showing a physical inspection by a law enforcement officer, licensed dealer, license inspector or Florida notary. A used car original also needs a sworn odometer affidavit. VIN verification is not required for a new motor vehicle, a mobile home, a trailer or semitrailer with a net weight under 2,000 pounds, or a travel trailer, camping trailer, truck camper or fifth-wheel recreation trailer. The same paperwork carries over to Florida car registration once the title work clears.

Bills of Sale for Boats, Firearms, and Other Items

Older cars can sit in their own category. A privately used vehicle from a model year after 1945 that is at least 30 years past its model year may qualify for a special antique license plate under Florida Statute 320.086, and those plates run in their own numerical series starting with Antique No. 1. Owners may instead choose a regular or specialty Florida plate. For property outside the motor vehicle and mobile home title system, such as boats, firearms, trailers, tools or livestock, a bill of sale generally works as the private record of who sold what, on what date and for how much. It is not a title, so it may not settle ownership on its own, but it may be the only document either party keeps.

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