Do you need a bill of sale?
When it's required
States including Alabama, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Vermont, and West Virginia require a bill of sale for private vehicle title transfers in most cases. Boat, trailer, and mobile-home sales have their own rules — check your state's watercraft or trailer registration guidance.
When it's just smart
Even in states that don't require it, both parties want the paper trail. For the seller: it establishes the date liability ended (parking tickets, tolls, accidents that happen after the sale). For the buyer: it proves purchase price for sales tax, and gives you a document to use if the title has any hiccups. Any sale over about $500 — vehicle or property — should have one.
Situations that make it non-negotiable
Cash sales. Cross-state sales. Sales between people who don't know each other. Estate sales. Sales of items with a serial number (guns, boats, expensive tools). Sales where the item is delivered later, not at signing. In all of these, no bill of sale means no clear record of the terms.
It's free to make one
There's essentially no downside. Solda generates a compliant, single-page PDF in about three minutes — first one is free with no account. Both parties sign, each keeps a copy, done.
General information only — not legal advice. Rules vary by state; verify with your state's DMV or a qualified attorney for your situation.