North Carolina Bill of Sale — Free Template & Generator
North Carolina is a notary state: no title passes until the seller executes the assignment on the back of the certificate in front of someone authorised to administer oaths, and the buyer then has 28 days to apply. A bill of sale is not what moves the title here — it is the price and mileage record that sits behind the application. Generate one with North Carolina pre-selected, then follow the steps below.
- Free
- No signup
- Word & PDF
- North Carolina pre-selected
How it works
- 01 North Carolina 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 North Carolina’s paperwork
Word & PDF on your device; the state steps and forms are listed below, each cited to the source.
What North Carolina actually requires
North Carolina rules for a private sale
Last verified September 6, 2026- Notarisation Required on the title assignment
To assign or transfer title, the owner must execute the assignment and warranty of title on the reverse of the certificate “either in the presence of a person authorized to administer oaths or in a manner that conforms to Article 40 of Chapter 66 of the General Statutes” — a notary, or the electronic-notarisation route Article 40 allows. The same subsection adds that no title passes or vests until the assignment is executed and the vehicle delivered.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-72(b) (2025 North Carolina General Statutes)
- Buyer’s deadline 28 days
“An application for a certificate of title must be submitted within 28 days after the vehicle is transferred.” The statute puts that duty on the person the vehicle was transferred to, and says so is true “regardless of whether the person allowed another to apply for a certificate of title on the person’s behalf” — using a runner does not move the deadline.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-73(a) (2025 North Carolina General Statutes)
- Odometer Federal disclosure at transfer
Odometer disclosure is federal, not a North Carolina invention: in connection with the transfer of ownership the transferor must disclose the mileage, and the title issued to the buyer must carry the mileage the seller disclosed. A vehicle of model year 2011 or later is exempt only once it is transferred at least 20 years after 1 January of its model year; a pre-2011 vehicle is exempt after 10 years. Write the same reading on the bill of sale and the title so the two documents cannot contradict each other.
49 CFR §§ 580.5(a), (c) and 580.17(a)(3)–(4) (eCFR, current)
How this document fits North Carolina’s paperwork
Official form: North Carolina transfers a vehicle through the assignment and warranty of title printed on the reverse of the certificate of title itself, not through a separate state bill-of-sale form. G.S. § 20-72(b) is explicit that “no title to any motor vehicle shall pass or vest until such assignment is executed and the motor vehicle delivered to the transferee.” The bill of sale is the supporting record of price, date and odometer.
Use this bill of sale as the buyer’s and seller’s own record — who sold what, on what date, for how much, with the VIN and the odometer reading — and keep it with the notarised title assignment. It does not replace the assignment: under § 20-72(b) title does not pass until that assignment is executed and the vehicle handed over. Bring both to the licence plate agency inside the 28 days § 20-73(a) allows.
FAQ
North Carolina bill of sale questions
- Does a North Carolina bill of sale need to be notarized?
- The statute’s notarisation requirement is on the title assignment, not on the bill of sale. G.S. § 20-72(b) requires the owner to execute the assignment and warranty of title on the reverse of the certificate before a person authorised to administer oaths, or in a way that conforms to Article 40 of Chapter 66. Since seller and buyer are already in front of a notary for the title, having the bill of sale notarised at the same time costs nothing extra.
- Is a bill of sale required to sell a car in North Carolina?
- The Chapter 20 provisions that move ownership speak about the certificate of title, not about a bill of sale: § 20-72(b) makes the executed assignment plus delivery of the vehicle the moment title passes. A bill of sale is the private record behind that — proof of the price, the date and the odometer reading if the DMV or a later buyer asks.
- How long do I have to title a car after buying it in North Carolina?
- 28 days. § 20-73(a) says an application for a certificate of title must be submitted within 28 days after the vehicle is transferred, and puts the responsibility on the transferee even if someone else was asked to file it.
- What happens if the seller never signs the title in front of a notary?
- Under § 20-72(b) no title passes or vests until the assignment is executed and the vehicle delivered. A handshake, a cash payment and a bill of sale alone leave the buyer holding a vehicle whose title has not moved — which is exactly the situation that ends in a bonded-title application.
- 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.