Indiana Vehicle Bill of Sale
Indiana has BMV State Form 44237, but a bill of sale cannot transfer a titled vehicle; the title does.
Introduction
An Indiana vehicle bill of sale records the private sale of a car, truck, motorcycle, or other vehicle between a buyer and a seller. Indiana publishes an official form for this, the Bill Of Sale, State Form 44237 (R6 / 12-24), issued by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) under the statutory authority of IC 9-17-2-4. The most important Indiana rule is what this form cannot do: a bill of sale cannot be used to transfer ownership of a vehicle that requires a certificate of title by law. The assigned certificate of title is what conveys ownership of a titled vehicle. Form 44237 serves only as alternative proof of ownership in limited situations, such as vehicles not required to be titled, pre-1990 utility trailers, and vehicles acquired from the federal government. The bill of sale is not required to be notarized or signed under penalties for perjury. Odometer disclosure is handled separately on State Form 43230 when it is not completed on the title or certificate of origin. The buyer applies for the Indiana certificate of title at a BMV branch within 45 days of purchase, and for a private sale pays sales tax on the purchase price at the branch when applying. DocDraft drafts an Indiana vehicle bill of sale from your facts, with attorney review available.
Key Things to Know
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Indiana has an official form. The Bill Of Sale, State Form 44237 (R6 / 12-24), is the Indiana BMV form, issued under the statutory authority of IC 9-17-2-4.
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Notarization is not required. The bill of sale is not required to be notarized or signed under penalties for perjury, and the Indiana certificate-of-title assignment is also not notarized.
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Odometer disclosure is on a separate form. Indiana uses the Odometer Disclosure Statement, State Form 43230, when the odometer statement is not completed on the certificate of title or certificate of origin, following the federal baseline under 49 C.F.R. 580. Form 44237 does not itself satisfy the odometer disclosure.
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Sales tax is paid on the purchase price at the BMV. For a private sale the sales tax must be paid at a BMV branch when you apply for the Indiana certificate of title, so the price stated on the bill of sale drives the tax.
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Title at a BMV branch within 45 days. The certificate of title must be applied for within 45 days after the vehicle is purchased or otherwise acquired, with an administrative penalty after the deadline.
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A bill of sale cannot transfer a titled vehicle. A bill of sale cannot be used to transfer ownership of a vehicle that requires a certificate of title by law; the assigned title does that. Form 44237 is alternative proof of ownership only in limited untitled cases.
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The title-versus-bill-of-sale rule is the distinctive Indiana feature. Indiana spells out that Form 44237 is supplementary proof of ownership for limited cases, such as vehicles not required to be titled, pre-1990 utility trailers, and vehicles from the federal government, not a substitute for the assigned title.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Bill of Sale in Indiana, 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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Indiana Requirements for Bill of Sale
Use the Indiana BMV Bill Of Sale, State Form 44237 (R6 / 12-24), issued under IC 9-17-2-4. The bill of sale is not required to be notarized or signed under penalties for perjury. For a titled vehicle this form does not transfer ownership; the assigned certificate of title does.
Identify the buyer and the seller by full legal name and address. These details support the bill-of-sale record that accompanies the certificate-of-title application at the BMV.
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. Indiana uses the Odometer Disclosure Statement, State Form 43230, when the odometer statement is not completed on the certificate of title or certificate of origin, following the federal statement under 49 C.F.R. 580. Form 44237 does not itself satisfy the odometer disclosure.
State the sale price and date. For a private sale the Indiana sales tax must be paid at a BMV branch when you apply for the certificate of title, so the price stated on the bill of sale drives the tax. Confirm the current rate with the Indiana BMV or Department of Revenue.
A bill of sale cannot be used to transfer ownership of a vehicle that requires a certificate of title by law; the assigned certificate of title does that. Form 44237 is alternative proof of ownership only in limited cases, such as vehicles not required to be titled, pre-1990 utility trailers, and vehicles acquired from the federal government.
Apply for the Indiana certificate of title at a BMV branch within 45 days after the vehicle is purchased or otherwise acquired. An administrative penalty applies after the 45-day deadline.
Bring the assigned certificate of title, the odometer disclosure, and your bill of sale to the BMV branch. Keep a copy of the completed Form 44237 and the title as proof of the transaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a titled vehicle in Indiana, the assigned certificate of title transfers ownership, not the bill of sale. A bill of sale cannot be used to transfer ownership of a vehicle that requires a certificate of title by law. The BMV's Bill Of Sale, State Form 44237, serves only as alternative proof of ownership in limited cases, such as vehicles not required to be titled, pre-1990 utility trailers, and vehicles acquired from the federal government. Keeping a signed bill of sale is still useful as a record of the price and date.
No. The Indiana bill of sale is not required to be notarized or signed under penalties for perjury. The Indiana certificate-of-title assignment is also not notarized. Notarization is therefore an optional safeguard rather than a legal requirement for a private vehicle sale in Indiana.
Yes. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles publishes the Bill Of Sale, State Form 44237 (R6 / 12-24), under the statutory authority of IC 9-17-2-4. It is a supplementary form that serves as alternative proof of ownership in limited cases; for a titled vehicle the assigned certificate of title is what transfers ownership. Check the Indiana BMV site for the current version of Form 44237 before you complete it.
Indiana charges sales tax on the purchase price of the vehicle. For a private sale the sales tax must be paid at a BMV branch when you apply for the Indiana certificate of title, so the price stated on the bill of sale is the figure the tax is calculated on. Confirm the current rate with the Indiana BMV or the Indiana Department of Revenue before you go to the branch.
You apply for the Indiana certificate of title at an Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) branch. The certificate of title must be applied for within 45 days after the vehicle is purchased or otherwise acquired, with an administrative penalty after that deadline. Bring the assigned certificate of title, the odometer disclosure, your bill of sale, and payment for the sales tax due on the purchase price.
An Indiana 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 note the odometer reading. Indiana handles the formal odometer disclosure on State Form 43230 when it is not completed on the title or certificate of origin. Using BMV State Form 44237 captures the standard fields, but remember the assigned certificate of title is what transfers ownership of a titled vehicle.