Tennessee Vehicle Bill of Sale
Use this form for a private-party vehicle sale in Tennessee. It records the sale between seller and buyer and supports the transfer you’ll complete with the Tennessee county clerk, including the odometer disclosure. Tennessee charges 7% state sales tax on the purchase price, collected by the county clerk at the time of title transfer.
Go to the formPrint and sign—or sign electronically with Secure Relay
Secure Relay provides legally binding electronic signing, whether everyone signs together or from separate devices.
How Secure Relay works
- Fill in the details and choose who signs howEach party signs on this device or by relay.
- Sign on this deviceEveryone in the room can sign here.
- Relay to the next partyA link or QR code carries the document and every signature so far.Sign together on one deviceRelay by link or QR
- They review the locked document and signAnd relay it onward if others remain.
- Every party receives the completed document
Electronic signatures are legally binding under the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (15 U.S.C. §7001).
Common questions about selling a vehicle in Tennessee
Is a bill of sale required to sell a car in Tennessee?
Tennessee does not have a mandatory separate bill of sale form, but the county clerk's office — which handles all vehicle title transfers in Tennessee — accepts any written bill of sale as part of the transfer packet. The primary transfer documents are the assigned certificate of title and proof of insurance. A bill of sale documents the purchase price, which is used to calculate Tennessee's 7% state sales tax, and serves as both parties' record of the transaction.
The buyer must title the vehicle within 15 days of the sale at the county clerk's office in the buyer's county of residence.
Does a Tennessee bill of sale need to be notarized?
No. Tennessee does not require notarization of a vehicle bill of sale or the title assignment for a standard private-party sale. The signed title and bill of sale are sufficient. The buyer presents these documents to the county clerk's office to complete the title transfer.
What information does a Tennessee vehicle bill of sale need to include?
A complete Tennessee vehicle bill of sale should include the full legal names and addresses of both the buyer and seller, the date of sale, the agreed purchase price, and the vehicle's year, make, model, body style, color, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The odometer reading must be disclosed — Tennessee requires odometer disclosure consistent with federal law (49 CFR §580.5) for vehicles less than 20 model years old. The as-is nature of the sale should also be stated.
What taxes and fees does the buyer owe?
Tennessee imposes a 7% state sales tax on private-party vehicle purchases (T.C.A. §67-6-202), one of the higher state rates for vehicle transactions in the country. The tax is collected by the county clerk at the time of title transfer, based on the purchase price stated in the bill of sale. Tennessee does not cap the sales tax on vehicle purchases. Some counties impose local option sales taxes that may increase the combined rate above 7%.
The title transfer fee is separate from sales tax. Registration fees vary by vehicle type and county. If the buyer applies for the title more than 15 days after the sale, a late fee is assessed.
What should the seller do after the sale?
The seller should remove their license plates from the vehicle. Tennessee plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle. The seller can transfer the plates to a new vehicle or surrender them at the county clerk's office. Tennessee does not have a mandatory seller notification form, but sellers should retain a copy of the signed bill of sale and the assigned title as proof that the transfer occurred. The buyer has 15 days from the date of sale to complete the title transfer.
What if the vehicle has multiple owners?
If the vehicle is titled to more than one person, all owners on the title must sign the bill of sale. Use the "Add a co-seller" option on the form to add the second seller's name and address. Both sellers' names and signature lines will appear on the document. For electronic signing, each co-owner can sign on the same device in sequence, or the document can be passed from one device to another via QR code or shared link. Both buyers can likewise be named on the bill of sale using the "Add a co-buyer" option.
Create your Tennessee bill of sale
Governing law
T.C.A. §55-3-101
Vehicle title transfers in Tennessee are governed by Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 3, particularly §55-3-101 (certificate of title). The state sales tax on motor vehicles is imposed under T.C.A. §67-6-202. Federal odometer disclosure requirements are established by 49 U.S.C. Chapter 327 and 49 CFR Part 580.