Missouri Bill of Sale — Free Template & Generator
Missouri runs two 30-day clocks. The buyer titles the vehicle and pays the sales tax within 30 days of the purchase, or a $25 penalty starts on day 31; the seller reports the sale to the Department of Revenue within 30 days on a Notice of Sale (Form 5049) or Bill of Sale (Form 1957). The signatures on the back of the title do not need a notary. The Department’s instructions are quoted below, with the price-and-mileage record you can generate here.
- Free
- No signup
- Word & PDF
- Missouri pre-selected
How it works
- 01 Missouri is already selected
The governing-law clause names the state; change it only if the sale happens elsewhere.
- 02 Enter the item and the parties
Vehicle, boat or general item — VIN and odometer, or HIN — plus price, payment method, seller and buyer.
- 03 Review clause by clause
The as-is terms, the seller’s title warranty and, for vehicles, the federal odometer statement.
- 04 Download, then file Missouri’s paperwork
Word & PDF on your device; the state steps and forms are listed below, each cited to the source.
What Missouri actually requires
Missouri rules for a private sale
Last verified October 1, 2026- Signing the title Both sides print and sign — no notary
The Department of Revenue’s instructions for sellers: “All sellers and purchasers must print their names and sign the back of the title in the assignment area. These signatures do not need to be notarized. The seller must write in the odometer reading and date of sale.” Mistakes cannot be painted over: “You may not use correction fluid (white-out) or erase marks from the title.”
- Seller’s report Within 30 days — Form 5049 or Form 1957
“Effective January 1, 2006, the seller of a motor vehicle, trailer, or all-terrain vehicle must report the sale within 30 days to the Department. Sellers, other than Missouri licensed dealers, must submit a completed Notice of Sale (Form 5049) or Bill of Sale (Form 1957) form to report the sale.” The same page tells the seller to remove the license plates before the buyer takes possession of the vehicle.
- Buyer’s deadline 30 days · $25 penalty, up to $200
“You have 30 days from the date of purchase to title and pay sales tax on your newly purchased vehicle. If you do not title the vehicle within 30 days, there is a title penalty of $25 on the 31st day after purchase. The penalty increases another $25 for every 30 days you are late with a maximum penalty of $200.” The statute behind the deadline is § 301.190.
- What the seller must do Endorse the assignment and hand it over
On a sale or transfer of a titled motor vehicle or trailer, “the holder of such certificate shall endorse on the same an assignment thereof, with warranty of title in form printed thereon, and prescribed by the director of revenue, with a statement of all liens or encumbrances on such motor vehicle or trailer, and deliver the same to the buyer at the time of the delivery to him of such motor vehicle or trailer.” The lien statement is part of the endorsement, not an afterthought.
- Odometer Federal disclosure at transfer
The mileage statement is federal and travels with the title: the transferor must disclose the odometer reading in connection with the transfer of ownership, and the title issued to the buyer must contain the disclosed mileage plus space for the next transfer. Trailers help illustrate the exemptions — a vehicle that is not self-propelled needs no odometer disclosure at all, which is why a Missouri trailer sale carries the assignment but not a mileage line.
How this document fits Missouri’s paperwork
Official form: Form 1957 — Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Sale. Revised 08-2019. The seller completes and signs it; it has to be notarised only “when showing proof of ownership on major component parts of a rebuilt vehicle or when specifically requested to be notarized by the Department of Revenue.” Filing it is one way for the seller to report the sale within 30 days.
Generate the bill of sale first — it fixes the price, the date both 30-day clocks run from, and the odometer reading. Then both of you print and sign the back of the title (no notary needed for those signatures), the seller writes in the odometer reading and the date of sale, takes off the plates, and reports the sale within 30 days on Form 5049 or Form 1957. The buyer titles the vehicle and pays the tax within 30 days to stay clear of the $25 penalty.
FAQ
Missouri bill of sale questions
- Does a Missouri title assignment have to be notarized?
- Not the title signatures. The Department of Revenue tells sellers and purchasers to print their names and sign the back of the title in the assignment area, and says “These signatures do not need to be notarized.” The Department’s own bill of sale, Form 1957, needs a notary only for proof of ownership of major component parts of a rebuilt vehicle, or when the Department specifically asks for it.
- How long do I have to title a car in Missouri?
- 30 days from the date of purchase, which is also the deadline for paying the sales tax. On day 31 a $25 title penalty applies, and it rises by $25 for every further 30 days, up to $200, according to the Department of Revenue.
- Does the seller have to report the sale in Missouri?
- Yes. Sellers other than licensed dealers report the sale to the Department of Revenue within 30 days with a completed Notice of Sale (Form 5049) or Bill of Sale (Form 1957), and remove the license plates before the buyer takes the vehicle.
- What must the Missouri seller give the buyer?
- The certificate of ownership with the assignment endorsed on it, carrying the warranty of title in the printed form and a statement of all liens or encumbrances — delivered to the buyer at the time the vehicle itself is delivered, under § 301.210.1 — with the odometer reading and date of sale written in.
- Do I need an odometer reading on a Missouri trailer bill of sale?
- No. Federal odometer disclosure does not apply to a vehicle that is not self-propelled, so a trailer carries the title assignment but no mileage statement. Record the trailer’s VIN, empty weight and dimensions on the bill of sale instead.
- Is this legal advice?
- No. Free Contract Generator provides self-help templates and general information, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Vehicle-transfer rules are set by each state and change; confirm the current rule with the agency cited and consult a licensed attorney for advice about your situation.