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Connecticut Vehicle Bill of Sale

Connecticut's Form H-31 and a private-sale tax on the greater of NADA value or price.

Introduction

Connecticut publishes an official DMV bill-of-sale form: Form H-31 (REV. 1-2017), titled 'Bill of Sale.' The DMV requires a Form H-31, along with proof of ownership, to process a new (non-titled) registration in Connecticut, so it is not just supplementary in that situation. H-31 is expressly not to be used as an assignment of ownership for a titled vehicle; for a titled car, the assignment and warranty of title on the certificate itself (or a Form Q-1 supplemental assignment) is what transfers ownership. The form is signed by the seller under penalty of false statement and carries no notary block, so a Connecticut bill of sale does not need to be notarized. H-31 includes an odometer reading field, though the full federal 49 CFR 580 odometer statement rides on the title assignment for titled vehicles. The detail that sets Connecticut apart is the tax: a private-party sale is taxed at 6.35% (7.75% over $50,000) on the GREATER of the NADA average trade-in value or the bill-of-sale price, so a low stated price does not lower the tax, and any overpayment is recoverable from the DMV using Form CERT-106. You title and register at the Connecticut DMV. DocDraft drafts a Connecticut vehicle bill of sale from your facts, with attorney review available.

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Key Things to Know

  1. 1

    Connecticut has an official DMV form: Form H-31. The Connecticut DMV publishes Form H-31 (REV. 1-2017), titled 'Bill of Sale.' It is the official state bill-of-sale form, used to register a non-titled vehicle or vessel or as a supplemental ownership document. It is expressly not to be used as an assignment of ownership for a titled vehicle.

  2. 2

    Form H-31 is required for a new non-titled registration. The Connecticut DMV states that a Bill of Sale (Form H-31) is required, along with proof of ownership, to process a new registration in Connecticut. For a titled vehicle, the assignment and warranty of title on the certificate (not H-31) effects the transfer, and a Form Q-1 supplemental assignment may also be used.

  3. 3

    Notarization is not required. Form H-31 carries only a seller signature 'under penalty of false statement.' There is no notary acknowledgment block on the form and no DMV or statutory notarization requirement for the bill of sale, so a Connecticut vehicle bill of sale does not need to be notarized.

  4. 4

    Odometer reading goes on H-31; the federal statement rides on the title. Form H-31 includes an odometer reading field within the vehicle description, but it does not embed the full federal 49 CFR 580 odometer disclosure statement. For a titled vehicle, that federal disclosure is made through the odometer section of the certificate of title assignment, not through H-31.

  5. 5

    Private-sale tax is on the GREATER of NADA value or the price. Passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks bought from a private owner (not a dealer) are taxed at 6.35% (7.75% for vehicles over $50,000). Connecticut computes the tax on the NADA average trade-in value or the bill-of-sale value, whichever is higher, so writing a low price on the bill of sale does not lower the tax.

  6. 6

    Title and register at the Connecticut DMV; overpaid tax is recoverable. You title and register the vehicle at the Connecticut DMV. If the NADA-based tax overstates what the car is actually worth, the overpayment is recoverable from the DMV using Form CERT-106. (The exact new-resident registration deadline was not confirmed in the source, so check the Connecticut DMV for the current time limit.)

  7. 7

    The NADA floor changes what a low price means. In states that tax the stated price, lowering the bill-of-sale price lowers the tax. Connecticut is different: because tax is computed on the greater of the NADA average trade-in value or the bill-of-sale value, an unusually low price does not cut the tax. Record the true price, and if NADA overstates a high-mileage or damaged car, use Form CERT-106 to recover the overpayment.

Key decisions before you file

Before you file a Bill of Sale in Connecticut, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Bill of Sale guide walks through them.

Open the Bill of Sale guide

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BILL OF SALE (Form H-31)

Note: Form H-31 (REV. 1-2017) is the Connecticut DMV's official Bill of Sale. The Connecticut DMV requires it, along with proof of ownership, to process a new (non-titled) registration. It is NOT to be used as an assignment of ownership for a titled vehicle; for a titled car, the assignment on the certificate of title (or a Form Q-1 supplemental assignment) transfers ownership. Private-sale tax is 6.35% (7.75% over $50,000) on the GREATER of the NADA average trade-in value or this bill-of-sale price, and any overpayment is recoverable from the DMV using Form CERT-106.

Date of sale: ____________________

SELLER Name: ____________________________ Address: _________________________ City, State, ZIP: _________________

BUYER Name: ____________________________ Address: _________________________ City, State, ZIP: _________________

DESCRIPTION OF MOTOR VEHICLE Year: ______ Make: ____________ Model: ____________ Body type: ____________ Color: ____________ Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): ________________________ Odometer reading: ____________ miles

SALE PRICE Purchase price: $____________ Note: Connecticut tax is computed on the GREATER of this price or the vehicle's NADA average trade-in value. Trade-in (if any): ____________________

AS-IS Unless stated otherwise in writing, the vehicle is sold AS-IS, with no warranties express or implied, and the buyer accepts the vehicle in its present condition.

DECLARATION AND SIGNATURE I declare under penalty of false statement that the information furnished above is true and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Seller signature: __________________ Date: __________ Seller printed name: ______________________

Buyer signature: __________________ Date: __________ Buyer printed name: ______________________

(A Connecticut vehicle bill of sale does not require notarization; Form H-31 is signed under penalty of false statement.)

Connecticut Requirements for Bill of Sale

Use Form H-31, the official Connecticut DMV bill of sale

The Connecticut DMV publishes Form H-31 (REV. 1-2017), 'Bill of Sale.' It is required, along with proof of ownership, to process a new non-titled registration. It is expressly not to be used as an assignment of ownership for a titled vehicle; for a titled car, the certificate of title assignment (or Form Q-1) transfers ownership.

Notarization is not required

Form H-31 carries only a seller signature made 'under penalty of false statement.' There is no notary acknowledgment block and no DMV or statutory notarization requirement for the bill of sale, so it does not need to be notarized.

Vehicle description (year, make, model, VIN)

Identify the vehicle by year, make, model, and VIN so the bill of sale matches the title and the DMV registration application. Form H-31 provides a 'Description of Motor Vehicle' block for these fields.

Odometer reading on H-31

Form H-31 includes an odometer reading field within the vehicle description. The full federal 49 CFR 580 odometer disclosure statement is not embedded on H-31; for a titled vehicle it rides on the odometer section of the certificate of title assignment. Record the reading on H-31 so the buyer's and seller's records match.

Sale price and date of sale

Record the actual purchase price (and any trade-in) and the date of sale. State the true price: Connecticut taxes a private sale on the greater of the NADA average trade-in value or the bill-of-sale value, so understating the price does not lower the tax.

Private-sale tax is 6.35% (7.75% over $50,000) on the greater of NADA value or price

A passenger vehicle or light-duty truck bought from a private owner (not a dealer) is taxed at 6.35%, or 7.75% over $50,000, computed on the NADA average trade-in value or the bill-of-sale value, whichever is higher. A low stated price does not lower the tax. If the NADA-based amount overstates the car's worth, the overpayment is recoverable from the DMV using Form CERT-106.

Title and register at the Connecticut DMV

You title and register the vehicle at the Connecticut DMV. For a new non-titled registration, bring Form H-31 along with proof of ownership. (The exact new-resident registration deadline was not confirmed in the source; check the Connecticut DMV for the current time limit.)

Seller signature under penalty of false statement

Form H-31 is signed and dated by the seller under penalty of false statement. The buyer should also sign and date the document, and both parties should keep a copy. Notarization is not required.

Frequently Asked Questions

For a new, non-titled registration the Connecticut DMV requires a Bill of Sale (Form H-31), along with proof of ownership, to process the registration. For a titled vehicle, the assignment and warranty of title on the certificate itself transfers ownership, and a Form Q-1 supplemental assignment may also be used; in that case H-31 is supplementary but remains the buyer's and seller's record of the price, the as-is terms, and the date of sale.

No. Connecticut's Form H-31 carries only a seller signature made under penalty of false statement. There is no notary acknowledgment block on the form and no DMV or statutory notarization requirement for a vehicle bill of sale, so it does not need to be notarized. Both the buyer and seller should still sign and date the document and keep a copy.

Yes. The Connecticut DMV publishes Form H-31 (REV. 1-2017), titled 'Bill of Sale.' It is the official state form, used to register a non-titled vehicle or vessel or as a supplemental ownership document. It is expressly not to be used as an assignment of ownership for a titled vehicle; for a titled car, the assignment on the certificate of title transfers ownership.

A passenger vehicle or light-duty truck bought from a private owner (not a dealer) is taxed at 6.35%, or 7.75% for vehicles over $50,000. Connecticut bases the tax on the NADA average trade-in value or the bill-of-sale value, whichever is higher, so a low stated price does not reduce the tax. If the NADA-based amount overstates the car's worth, the overpayment is recoverable from the DMV using Form CERT-106.

You title and register the vehicle at the Connecticut DMV. For a new, non-titled registration, bring Form H-31 along with proof of ownership. The exact new-resident registration deadline was not confirmed here, so check the Connecticut DMV for the current time limit to register after establishing residency or buying a vehicle.

Use Form H-31, which records the seller and buyer, the vehicle description (year, make, model, VIN) with the odometer reading, the sale price, the date of sale, and the seller's signature under penalty of false statement. Record the true price, since Connecticut taxes on the greater of the NADA average trade-in value or the bill-of-sale value. An as-is statement is good practice when the vehicle is sold without a warranty.