Missouri Vehicle Bill of Sale

Introduction

Key Things to Know

1. 1

   Missouri publishes an official form, Form 1957 (Revised 08-2019), the "Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Sale," issued by the Missouri Department of Revenue. It can be used as the transfer documentation and is officially accepted to report the sale.

2. 2

   A Missouri vehicle bill of sale does not need to be notarized for an ordinary sale. Form 1957 must be notarized only when showing proof of ownership on major component parts of a rebuilt vehicle or when the Department of Revenue specifically requests it; the title assignment signatures themselves do not need notarization.

3. 3

   The seller must write in the odometer reading and the date of sale on the transfer paperwork. The federal odometer disclosure baseline under 49 CFR 580 applies, and the title assignment captures the reading.

4. 4

   Missouri vehicle sales tax is 4.225 percent state plus your local sales tax, assessed on the purchase price less any trade-in allowance. The price stated on the bill of sale drives the tax, so the bill of sale is the document the Department of Revenue uses to compute what is owed.

5. 5

   You title the vehicle with the Missouri Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Bureau, within 30 days from the date of purchase. The buyer brings the assigned title and the sale documentation to title and pay tax.

6. 6

   A bill of sale is not the instrument that transfers ownership, the assigned title is, but the seller is legally required to report the sale within 30 days, and Form 1957 is one of the two accepted ways to do that. It functions as a required-or-equivalent compliance document.

7. 7

   The standout Missouri detail is the late-title penalty paired with the 30-day seller notice duty. If the buyer does not title within 30 days, a $25 penalty applies on the 31st day and increases another $25 for every additional 30 days late, up to a $200 maximum, so titling promptly matters.

Missouri Requirements for Bill of Sale

• Form 1957 Bill of Sale, the Official DOR Form

  The Missouri Department of Revenue publishes Form 1957 (Revised 08-2019), the "Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Sale." It documents the sale and is officially accepted as one of the two instruments a non-dealer seller can submit to report the sale, the other being the Notice of Sale (Form 5049). The assigned certificate of title is what transfers ownership.

• Notarization Only for Rebuilt-Vehicle or DOR-Requested Cases

  Notarization is not required for an ordinary vehicle sale. Form 1957 must be notarized only when showing proof of ownership on major component parts of a rebuilt vehicle or when specifically requested by the Department of Revenue. The title assignment signatures themselves do not need notarization, so buyer and seller signatures are sufficient for a standard sale.

• Vehicle Description and VIN

  Identify the vehicle by VIN, year, make, model, body style, and color, and identify the seller and buyer by name and address, with the sale price (or even-trade terms) and the date of sale.

• Odometer Reading and Date of Sale

  The seller must write in the odometer reading and the date of sale on the transfer paperwork. The federal odometer disclosure baseline under 49 CFR 580 applies, and the title assignment captures the reading at transfer.

• Sales Tax 4.225% State Plus Local on Price Less Trade-In

  Missouri assesses 4.225 percent state sales tax plus the buyer's local sales tax, computed on the purchase price less any trade-in allowance. The price stated on the bill of sale drives the tax, which the buyer pays when titling at the Department of Revenue.

• Seller's 30-Day Notice-of-Sale Duty

  Effective January 1, 2006, the seller of a motor vehicle, trailer, or all-terrain vehicle must report the sale within 30 days to the Department of Revenue. A non-dealer seller does this by submitting a completed Notice of Sale (Form 5049) or Bill of Sale (Form 1957), which is why Form 1957 functions as a required-or-equivalent compliance document.

• Title With the Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Bureau

  Title and register the vehicle with the Missouri Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Bureau. The buyer brings the assigned title and sale documentation and pays 4.225 percent state tax plus local tax on the price less any trade-in, along with applicable fees.

• 30-Day Titling Deadline and Tiered Late Penalty

  The buyer has 30 days from the date of purchase to title and pay sales tax. If the vehicle is not titled within 30 days, a $25 title penalty applies on the 31st day and increases another $25 for every 30 days late, up to a $200 maximum.