Florida Vehicle Bill of Sale
Florida uses Form HSMV 82050, the Notice of Sale and Bill of Sale; notarization is recommended, not required.
Introduction
A Florida vehicle bill of sale records the private sale of a car, truck, motorcycle, or other vehicle between a buyer and a seller. Florida publishes an official form for this, Form HSMV 82050, titled the "Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, Off-Highway Vehicle or Vessel," issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). Florida law requires the seller to file the notice-of-sale portion of HSMV 82050, and the bill-of-sale portion documents the price and terms of the deal. Notarization is not strictly required for a standard private bill of sale, though FLHSMV recommends having it notarized and keeping a copy. For a standard title transfer the assigned certificate of title is the operative document, but a proper bill of sale or sworn statement of ownership is required where no Florida title was previously issued. The buyer titles and registers the vehicle at a FLHSMV motor vehicle service center within 30 calendar days to avoid a late transfer penalty, and pays 6% Florida sales or use tax on the total purchase price plus any county discretionary surtax on the first $5,000. The odometer disclosure is completed on the certificate-of-title transfer under Fla. Stat. ch. 319, with both buyer and seller acknowledging it. DocDraft drafts a Florida vehicle bill of sale from your facts, with attorney review available.
Key Things to Know
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Florida has an official form. Form HSMV 82050, the "Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, Off-Highway Vehicle or Vessel," is the FLHSMV form, and Florida law requires sellers to file its notice-of-sale portion.
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Notarization is recommended, not required. A standard private Florida bill of sale does not have to be notarized, but FLHSMV recommends having it notarized and keeping a copy of it.
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Odometer disclosure is on the title transfer. Under Fla. Stat. ch. 319, the seller completes the odometer disclosure on the certificate-of-title transfer and the buyer acknowledges it by signing, following the federal statement under 49 C.F.R. 580.5.
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Sales tax is 6% on the purchase price. Florida charges 6% state sales or use tax on the total purchase price, plus a county discretionary surtax that applies to the first $5,000 of the price.
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Title within 30 days at a service center. The buyer titles and registers the vehicle at a FLHSMV motor vehicle service center within 30 calendar days of the sale to avoid a late transfer penalty fee.
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A bill of sale is required only in some cases. For a standard transfer the assigned certificate of title is the operative document, but a proper bill of sale or sworn statement of ownership is required where no Florida title was previously issued.
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HSMV 82050 is the distinctive Florida feature. The named, state-issued form plus the seller's legal duty to file the notice of sale set Florida apart from states with no official bill-of-sale form.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Bill of Sale in Florida, 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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Florida Requirements for Bill of Sale
Use FLHSMV Form HSMV 82050, the "Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale." Florida law requires the seller to file the notice-of-sale portion of HSMV 82050. Notarization is not strictly required for a standard private bill of sale, but FLHSMV recommends having it notarized and keeping a copy.
Identify the buyer and the seller by full legal name and address. These details support both the bill-of-sale record and the notice of sale the seller files with FLHSMV.
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. Under Fla. Stat. ch. 319 the formal odometer disclosure is completed on the certificate-of-title transfer, where the seller discloses the mileage and the buyer acknowledges it by signing, following the federal statement under 49 C.F.R. 580.5.
State the sale price and date. Florida charges 6% state sales or use tax on the total purchase price, plus a county discretionary surtax on the first $5,000. Confirm the current rate and your county surtax with FLHSMV or the Florida Department of Revenue.
For a standard transfer the assigned certificate of title is the operative document. A proper bill of sale or sworn statement of ownership is required where no Florida title was previously issued for the vehicle.
Title and register the vehicle at a FLHSMV motor vehicle service center within 30 calendar days of the sale to avoid a late transfer penalty fee.
Florida law requires the seller to file the notice-of-sale portion of Form HSMV 82050 with FLHSMV after the sale. Keep a copy of the completed form and the bill of sale as proof of the transaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a standard title transfer in Florida, the assigned certificate of title is the operative document, not the bill of sale. A proper bill of sale or sworn statement of ownership is required where no Florida title was previously issued. Separately, Florida law requires the seller to file the notice-of-sale portion of Form HSMV 82050. Keeping a signed bill of sale is recommended in every private sale as proof of the price, date, and terms.
A standard private Florida vehicle bill of sale does not strictly have to be notarized. FLHSMV recommends having the bill of sale notarized and keeping a copy of it. Title-transfer applications in Florida rely on sworn statements and affidavits rather than a notarized bill of sale, so notarization is an optional safeguard rather than a legal requirement for a basic private sale.
Yes. FLHSMV publishes Form HSMV 82050, the "Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, Off-Highway Vehicle or Vessel." Florida law requires sellers to file the notice-of-sale portion of this form, and the bill-of-sale portion documents the sale price and terms. Check the FLHSMV site for the current version of the form before you complete it.
Florida charges 6% state sales or use tax on the total purchase price of the vehicle. A county discretionary surtax also applies, but only to the first $5,000 of the price. The buyer typically pays this when titling and registering the vehicle at a motor vehicle service center. Confirm the current rate and your county surtax with FLHSMV or the Florida Department of Revenue.
You title and register the vehicle at a FLHSMV motor vehicle service center. This must be done within 30 calendar days of the sale to avoid a late transfer penalty fee. Bring the assigned certificate of title, the completed odometer disclosure, your bill of sale, and payment for the 6% sales or use tax plus any applicable county surtax.
A Florida vehicle bill of sale should identify the buyer and seller, describe the vehicle by VIN, year, make, and model, state the sale price and date, and include the odometer reading. Florida completes the formal odometer disclosure on the certificate-of-title transfer under Fla. Stat. ch. 319. Using Form HSMV 82050 captures the notice of sale the seller must file along with the bill-of-sale details.