Alaska Vehicle Bill of Sale
Alaska has no statewide vehicle sales tax, and a bill of sale does not transfer ownership.
Introduction
An Alaska vehicle bill of sale records the private sale of a car, truck, motorcycle, or other vehicle between a buyer and a seller. Alaska publishes no official state bill-of-sale form. The Alaska DMV's Form 812 is the Application for Title and Registration, not a bill of sale, so a bill of sale is a separate, optional document you supply. The most important Alaska point is that a bill of sale is not valid for ownership transfer. Ownership passes on the reassigned title itself, and the DMV calls a bill of sale a good idea as a dated receipt, not the transfer instrument. The other distinctive feature is tax: Alaska has no statewide sales tax on vehicle purchases, so the DMV collects no statewide sales or use tax on the stated price. Some boroughs and municipalities levy a local sales tax of 1% to 7%, the only tax on the stated price. A standard sale needs no notarized signature; notarization applies only when a Power of Attorney signs for the owner or in lost-title or deceased-owner situations. Federal odometer disclosure is required for vehicles less than 10 years old, on the reassigned title or Alaska Form V6. A resident buyer must obtain an Alaska title within 30 days of the sale through the DMV. DocDraft drafts an Alaska vehicle bill of sale from your facts, with attorney review available.
Key Things to Know
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Alaska has no official state bill-of-sale form. The Alaska DMV publishes Form 812, the Application for Title and Registration, which is used to title and register a vehicle, not to transfer ownership by itself. A bill of sale is a separate document you provide. Re-confirm the current Form 812 against the Alaska DMV site before filing.
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Notarization is not required for a standard sale. A standard Alaska vehicle sale or title transfer does not need a notarized bill of sale. Notarization is required only when a Power of Attorney signs on behalf of the owner, including leased vehicles, or in lost-title affidavit and deceased-owner situations.
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Odometer disclosure applies to vehicles less than 10 years old. Federal law requires a written odometer disclosure when the vehicle is less than 10 years old, completed on the reassigned title or, if not done there, on Alaska Form V6 Odometer Disclosure. A false statement carries a $2,000 fine and/or up to 3 years imprisonment.
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No statewide vehicle sales tax. Alaska has no statewide sales tax on vehicle purchases, and the DMV does not collect a statewide sales or use tax on the stated price. Some boroughs and municipalities levy a local sales tax ranging from 1% to 7%, the only tax that may apply to the stated price. Re-confirm any local rate with your borough or municipality.
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Title with the Alaska DMV within 30 days. A resident buyer must obtain an Alaska title within 30 days of the date of sale by applying through the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) using Form 812 and the reassigned title.
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A bill of sale is optional, not the transfer instrument. The reassigned title is what conveys ownership in Alaska. A bill of sale is not valid for ownership transfer and is not required to register; it is recommended as a dated private receipt that records the price, date, and parties.
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A bill of sale does not transfer ownership and there is no statewide sales tax. These two points set Alaska apart. The DMV states a bill of sale is not valid for ownership transfer, so the reassigned title carries the transfer, and with no statewide sales tax the stated price drives only a possible local borough or municipal tax of 1% to 7%, not a statewide one.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Bill of Sale in Alaska, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Bill of Sale guide walks through them.
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Alaska Requirements for Bill of Sale
Alaska publishes no official state vehicle bill-of-sale form; Form 812 is the Application for Title and Registration, not a bill of sale, so this document is a separate, optional receipt. Notarization is not required for a standard sale; it applies only when a Power of Attorney signs for the owner, including leased vehicles, or in lost-title or deceased-owner situations. Re-confirm Form 812 against the Alaska DMV site.
Identify the buyer and the seller by full name and address. These details support the bill-of-sale record as a dated receipt of the price, date, and parties to the sale.
Describe the vehicle by Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), year, make, model, body type, and color so it can be matched to the reassigned title at transfer.
Record the odometer reading. For a vehicle less than 10 years old, federal law requires a written odometer disclosure, completed on the reassigned title or on Alaska Form V6 Odometer Disclosure. A false statement carries a $2,000 fine and/or up to 3 years imprisonment.
State the sale price and date. Alaska has no statewide sales tax on vehicle purchases, so the DMV does not collect a statewide sales or use tax on the stated price. Some boroughs and municipalities levy a local sales tax of 1% to 7% that may apply to the price. Re-confirm any local rate with your borough or municipality.
The reassigned title is the transfer instrument in Alaska. A bill of sale is not valid for ownership transfer and is not required to register; it is recommended only as a dated private receipt. The Alaska DMV calls it a good idea, not a requirement.
A resident buyer must obtain an Alaska title within 30 days of the date of sale by applying through the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) using Form 812, the Application for Title and Registration, with the reassigned title.
Title and registration are handled by the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) under the Alaska Motor Vehicles Act, AS 28.10. Keep a copy of Form 812 and your bill of sale as proof of the transaction. (Re-confirm the AS 28.10 cite and Form 812 details against the current Alaska DMV materials.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Alaska does not require a bill of sale to sell or register a vehicle, and a bill of sale is not valid for ownership transfer. The reassigned title is the document that conveys ownership. The Alaska DMV still recommends having the buyer sign a bill of sale stating they purchased the vehicle on a specific date, because it is useful proof of the price, date, and parties for both sides.
No. A standard Alaska vehicle sale or title transfer does not require a notarized bill of sale. Notarization is required only when a Power of Attorney signs on behalf of the vehicle owner, including for leased vehicles, or in lost-title affidavit and deceased-owner situations. For an ordinary private sale, signatures from the buyer and seller are enough.
No. Alaska does not publish an official state vehicle bill-of-sale form. The Alaska DMV's Form 812 is the Application for Title and Registration, used to title and register a vehicle rather than to serve as a bill of sale. A bill of sale is a separate, optional document you supply. Re-confirm the current Form 812 against the Alaska DMV site before filing.
Alaska has no statewide sales tax on vehicle purchases, so the DMV does not collect a statewide sales or use tax on the stated price. Some boroughs and municipalities levy a local sales tax that ranges from 1% to 7%, and that local tax is the only one that may apply to the price on your bill of sale. Confirm any local rate with your borough or municipality.
You title and register the vehicle with the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). A resident buyer must obtain an Alaska title within 30 days of the date of sale by submitting Form 812, the Application for Title and Registration, along with the reassigned title. Bring the title, the odometer disclosure where required, and your bill of sale as proof of the transaction.
An Alaska vehicle bill of sale should identify the buyer and seller by name, describe the vehicle by VIN, year, make, and model, and state the sale price and date. For a vehicle less than 10 years old, complete a federal odometer disclosure on the reassigned title or on Alaska Form V6. Remember that the reassigned title, not the bill of sale, transfers ownership in Alaska.