Delaware Vehicle Bill of Sale
Delaware has no sales tax but a 5.25% document fee on the greater of the price or NADA average trade-in value.
Introduction
A Delaware vehicle bill of sale records the private sale of a car, truck, motorcycle, or other vehicle between a buyer and a seller. Delaware does not publish an official consumer bill-of-sale form: the Delaware DMV accepts a self-made bill of sale from private parties and requires the dealer's bill of sale on dealer purchases. A self-made one should show the signatures, the VIN, the odometer reading, and the purchase price. The transfer is not notarized; Delaware titles do not require a notary. Delaware's most distinctive feature is its tax posture. The state has no general sales tax, but it charges a 5.25% document fee when you title a vehicle, calculated on the greater of the sale price or the current NADA average trade-in value, whichever is higher. That NADA floor means a low stated bill-of-sale price cannot drop the fee below book value. The fee rose from 4.25% to 5.25% effective October 1, 2025. The odometer is disclosed on the Certificate of Title itself and is mandatory for model-year 2011 and newer vehicles at registration or transfer of ownership. You title the vehicle with the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles within 30 days of purchase or a late fee applies. DocDraft drafts a Delaware vehicle bill of sale from your facts, with attorney review available.
Key Things to Know
- 1
Delaware has no official consumer bill-of-sale form. The Delaware DMV does not publish a fill-in vehicle bill-of-sale template for private parties. It accepts a self-made bill of sale on a private sale, and it requires the dealer's bill of sale on a dealer purchase. A self-made one should show the signatures, the VIN, the odometer reading, and the purchase price.
- 2
Notarization is not required. Delaware title transfers do not require a notary, so a private Delaware vehicle bill of sale does not have to be notarized. Signatures from the buyer and the seller are sufficient.
- 3
Odometer disclosure is on the title itself. The odometer reading is disclosed on the Certificate of Title, not on a separate state bill-of-sale form. It is mandatory for a vehicle with a model year of 2011 and newer when the vehicle is initially registered or ownership is transferred, and encouraged but not mandatory for model-year 2010 and older. An odometer brand prints on the new title.
- 4
No sales tax, but a 5.25% document fee. Delaware has no state sales tax. Instead it charges a 5.25% document fee when you title a vehicle, based on the sale price or the current NADA average trade-in value, whichever is higher. The fee was raised from 4.25% to 5.25% effective October 1, 2025.
- 5
Title with the Delaware DMV within 30 days. You title the vehicle with the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV, under DelDOT). Failure to transfer a title within 30 days of purchase results in a late fee; private buyers have 30 days to register.
- 6
Required for dealer sales, recommended for private sales. The DMV requires the dealer's bill of sale at titling, and 21 Del. C. Sec. 6305 mandates that dealers complete one signed by both buyer and seller. On a private non-dealer sale, a separate bill of sale is supplementary and recommended; the assigned title carries the transfer, though the stated price drives the document fee.
- 7
The NADA floor is the distinctive Delaware feature. Because the 5.25% document fee is charged on the greater of the stated price or the current NADA average trade-in value, a low bill-of-sale price cannot be used to under-report the fee below book value. That floor, combined with no sales tax and a dealer bill-of-sale mandate under 21 Del. C. Sec. 6305, sets Delaware apart from states that tax only the stated price.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Bill of Sale in Delaware, 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 guideCustomize your Bill of Sale Template with DocDraft
Delaware Requirements for Bill of Sale
Delaware has no official consumer bill-of-sale form. The Delaware DMV accepts a self-made bill of sale on a private sale and requires the dealer's bill of sale on a dealer purchase. Notarization is not required; Delaware titles do not require a notary. A self-made document should show the signatures, the VIN, the odometer reading, and the purchase price.
Identify the buyer and the seller by full legal name and address, and include both signatures. A self-made Delaware bill of sale should be signed by both parties to serve as the record of the transfer.
Describe the vehicle by Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), year, make, model, body type, and color so it can be matched to the Certificate of Title at transfer.
Record the odometer reading. Delaware discloses the odometer on the Certificate of Title itself rather than on a separate bill-of-sale form. It is mandatory for a vehicle with a model year of 2011 and newer when the vehicle is initially registered or ownership is transferred, and encouraged but not mandatory for model-year 2010 and older.
State the sale price and date. Delaware has no state sales tax but charges a 5.25% document fee when you title the vehicle, calculated on the sale price or the current NADA average trade-in value, whichever is higher. The fee was raised from 4.25% to 5.25% effective October 1, 2025. A low stated price cannot drop the fee below NADA book value. Confirm the current rate with the Delaware DMV.
On a dealer purchase, the DMV requires the dealer's bill of sale at titling, and 21 Del. C. Sec. 6305 mandates that dealers complete one signed by both buyer and seller. On a private non-dealer sale, a separate bill of sale is supplementary and recommended; the assigned title carries the transfer, though the stated price drives the document fee.
Title the vehicle with the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV, under DelDOT). Failure to transfer a title within 30 days of purchase results in a late fee; private buyers have 30 days to register.
Bring the assigned Certificate of Title with the odometer disclosure and your bill of sale to the Delaware DMV, and pay the 5.25% document fee based on the greater of the sale price or the current NADA average trade-in value. Keep a copy of the bill of sale as proof of the price and date.
Frequently Asked Questions
On a private Delaware sale, the assigned Certificate of Title carries the transfer, so a separate bill of sale is supplementary and recommended rather than strictly required. On a dealer purchase, the Delaware DMV requires the dealer's bill of sale at titling, and 21 Del. C. Sec. 6305 mandates that dealers complete one signed by both buyer and seller. Keeping a signed bill of sale is wise as proof of the price, since the stated price drives the document fee.
No. Delaware title transfers do not require a notary, so a private Delaware vehicle bill of sale does not have to be notarized. Signatures from the buyer and the seller are sufficient. Notarization is not part of the standard Delaware titling process.
No. The Delaware DMV does not publish an official consumer bill-of-sale form for private parties. It accepts a self-made bill of sale on a private sale and requires the dealer's bill of sale on a dealer purchase. A self-made document should show the signatures, the VIN, the odometer reading, and the purchase price.
Delaware has no state sales tax on vehicles. Instead it charges a 5.25% document fee when you title a vehicle, calculated on the sale price or the current NADA average trade-in value, whichever is higher. The fee rose from 4.25% to 5.25% effective October 1, 2025. Because of the NADA floor, a low stated bill-of-sale price cannot reduce the fee below book value. Confirm the current rate with the Delaware DMV.
You title and register the vehicle with the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV, under DelDOT). Failure to transfer a title within 30 days of purchase results in a late fee, and private buyers have 30 days to register. Bring the assigned Certificate of Title with the odometer disclosure, your bill of sale, and payment for the 5.25% document fee.
A Delaware self-made bill of sale should show the signatures of the buyer and the seller, the vehicle's VIN, the odometer reading, and the purchase price, along with the year, make, and model and the date of sale. The odometer is also disclosed on the Certificate of Title itself, which is mandatory for model-year 2011 and newer vehicles at transfer. The stated price matters because it is compared against NADA value for the document fee.