Pennsylvania Bill of Sale Requirements & Free Form

Pennsylvania requirements

• PennDOT advises buyer and seller to meet at a notary, tag service, or motor vehicle dealer so the title application is completed correctly.
• The seller's signature on the Pennsylvania title must be notarized or verified, which is why the transfer happens before a notary or authorized PennDOT agent.
• Used vehicles with a Pennsylvania title transfer on Form MV-4ST (Vehicle Sales and Use Tax Return/Application for Registration), available only from authorized PennDOT agents.
• PennDOT does not list a separate bill of sale as a transfer requirement; the assigned title is the operative document, and a bill of sale is a useful private record of price and condition.
• The seller must record the odometer reading in the spaces provided on the ownership document.
• Our template is a general-purpose bill of sale for record keeping; it does not substitute for the notarized title assignment and the MV-4ST process.

Frequently asked questions

Is a bill of sale required to sell a car in Pennsylvania?

PennDOT does not require one for a standard private sale; the notarized title assignment and Form MV-4ST handle the transfer. A signed bill of sale is still worth keeping as each party's record of the price, date, and condition.

Why does a Pennsylvania title transfer happen at a notary or tag service?

Because the seller's signature on the Pennsylvania title must be notarized or verified, and Form MV-4ST is only available through authorized PennDOT agents, both parties normally complete the sale together at a notary, tag service, or dealer.

Official sources

• https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmv/vehicle-services/title-and-registration/buying-or-selling-a-vehicle.html
• https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmv/vehicle-services/title-and-registration.html