The Iowa vehicle bill of sale is a form on which a seller records the vehicle (VIN, year, make and model), the buyer, the date and the selling price, with signature lines for both parties and a notary block used if applicable. The Iowa DOT's guidance on selling a vehicle lists a bill of sale among the items you give an Iowa-resident buyer. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the original is published at iowatreasurers.org, and the form itself prints no filing address.
Last updated
What is Bill of Sale – Iowa?
The Bill of Sale is an Iowa form that records the sale, transfer and delivery of a described vehicle from a named seller to a named buyer on a given date for a stated price, signed by both parties.
The form is built around a short set of blocks:
- Vehicle Description: the vehicle identification number (VIN), year, make and model.
- A sentence in which the seller (printed name) sells, transfers and delivers the vehicle to the buyer (printed name) on a date written as MO/DAY/YEAR for the selling price. A separate line asks for the relationship if the transfer was a gift, such as parent, spouse or friend.
- Seller Information and Buyer Information: two lines each for printed name, signature and date, plus mailing address, city, state, ZIP and daytime phone number.
- A notary section ("For notary use if applicable") for the seller's sworn statement.
The form says it should be completed in ink, and that errors or alterations on the title or other documents presented for title transfer may require the bill of sale to be notarized. It also prints the text of Iowa Code 321.13, under which the department may examine an application and reject it if it is not satisfied of its genuineness, regularity or legality.
The bill of sale is not the same as the odometer statement or the damage disclosure statement, which the Iowa DOT lists as separate items, and it is not the seller's Notice of Sale of Vehicle and Delivery of Title (form 411107), which is filed with a county treasurer. Depending on the version of the title certificate, the updated title may serve as the bill of sale under its Transfer/Sale Date section; if the title has no such section, a bill of sale is still required.
Who needs to file Bill of Sale – Iowa?
Sellers of a motor vehicle in Iowa, and the buyers who sign with them, use this form. The Iowa DOT's checklist for selling to an Iowa resident lists the bill of sale among the items the seller gives the buyer, together with the certificate of title, the completed odometer statement, the damage disclosure statement, and the name of the county where the vehicle was last registered with its plate expiration date.
- Sellers: complete the vehicle description, the sale line and the Seller Information block, and sign. The form has room for two sellers.
- Buyers: sign and date the Buyer Information block. The form has room for two buyers.
- Donors and recipients of a gift: use the same form and give the relationship on the gift line.
- Anyone whose title has no Transfer/Sale Date section: the agency page says a bill of sale is still required in that case. If your title does include that section, the updated title may be used as the bill of sale.
- Buyers without plates to transfer: a bill of sale that describes the vehicle and is signed and dated by both seller and buyer is one of the documents the buyer may carry in the vehicle for the 30-day period the agency page describes.
A notary is needed only if applicable: the form says errors or alterations on the title or other transfer documents may require notarization.
When to file Bill of Sale – Iowa
Complete the bill of sale when the vehicle is sold, transferred or given away, because the form records the date of the transfer in MO/DAY/YEAR format and both parties sign and date it. The Iowa DOT's checklist for selling to an Iowa resident lists it among the items you give the buyer at the sale. The form sets no separate due date of its own.
If the buyer has no plates to transfer and the vehicle is currently registered, the agency page allows 30 days of use without plates as long as a copy of a bill of sale (describing the vehicle and signed and dated by seller and buyer) or of the assigned title is carried in the vehicle. When a vehicle is transferred to a spouse, parent or child, the agency page says the person receiving it must apply for the title within 30 days of the transfer. If the title paperwork contains errors or alterations, have the notary section ready before you present it.
Documents you need
- Notary completion of the form's notary section, only if errors or alterations on the title or other documents presented for title transfer require the bill of sale to be notarized.
- Certificate of title: the Iowa DOT's checklist lists it with the bill of sale among the items a seller gives an Iowa-resident buyer.
- Odometer statement: listed with the bill of sale among the items given to an Iowa-resident buyer; it is normally part of the assignment area on the back of the title.
- Damage disclosure statement: listed with the bill of sale among the items given to an Iowa-resident buyer; a separate statement is required in some situations, such as titles issued before Jan. 1, 2005.
- A receipt from the buyer stating they bought the vehicle and accepted delivery of the vehicle and title, if the seller cannot go with the buyer to the county treasurer's office.
How to fill out Bill of Sale – Iowa
Get the form and use ink
Open the Bill of Sale PDF on this page. The form states that it should be completed in ink, so print it if you plan to write by hand.
Describe the vehicle
Under Vehicle Description, enter the vehicle identification number (VIN), year, make and model exactly as they appear on the title.
Name the seller and buyer
In the sentence beginning "I/We", print the seller's name, then print the buyer's name after "to".
Enter the sale date and price
Write the date of sale in the MO / DAY / YEAR boxes and the selling price in the amount line after "for $".
Note any gift relationship
If the vehicle was a gift, write the relationship (for example parent, spouse or friend) on the line that begins "If this was a gift".
Complete Seller Information
Under Seller Information, print each seller's name and have each sign and date on a line. Then enter the mailing address, city, state, ZIP and daytime phone number.
Complete Buyer Information
Under Buyer Information, print each buyer's name, sign and date on a line, then enter the mailing address, city, state, ZIP and daytime phone number.
Use the notary section if needed
Leave the notary block blank unless errors or alterations on the title or other transfer documents require notarization. If they do, the seller completes it with the notary, who fills in the date, seal and signature.
Review and download the PDF
Check the VIN, names, date and price against the title, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and give it to the buyer as described under How to submit.
How to submit Bill of Sale – Iowa
The bill of sale is not mailed or uploaded on its own: the form prints no address, portal or fee. It is handed to the buyer as part of the sale, and it supports the title transfer at a county treasurer's office.
- To the buyer: the Iowa DOT's checklist for selling to an Iowa resident lists the bill of sale among the items to give the buyer, with the title and the odometer and damage disclosure statements.
- At the county treasurer's office: the agency page suggests, if possible, going with the buyer to the county treasurer's office to complete the title transfer. If you cannot go, it advises getting a receipt from the buyer stating they bought the vehicle and accepted delivery of the vehicle and title.
- Before a notary: if errors or alterations on the title or other documents require notarization, the seller completes the notary section on the form in front of the notary.
Keep a copy of the signed form as evidence of the sale. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filling the form out in pencil or another erasable medium; the form says it should be completed in ink.
- Leaving out the VIN, year, make or model; the buyer's carried copy must describe the vehicle to serve as the bill of sale.
- Carrying or handing over a copy signed by only one party; the agency page asks for a bill of sale signed and dated by both the seller and the buyer.
- Writing the sale date in a different order instead of the MO/DAY/YEAR boxes printed on the sale line.
- Skipping the relationship line when the vehicle was a gift, such as from a parent, spouse or friend.
- Assuming the bill of sale replaces the odometer statement or damage disclosure statement; the Iowa DOT lists them as separate items to give the buyer.
- Assuming no bill of sale is needed when the title has no Transfer/Sale Date section; the agency page says a bill of sale is still required then.
- Ignoring notarization when the title or other transfer documents contain errors or alterations, which the form says may require it.
Frequently asked questions
What is an Iowa vehicle bill of sale?
It is a form that records a vehicle's sale or transfer: the VIN, year, make and model, the seller and buyer, the date and the selling price, with signatures from both parties. The Iowa DOT lists a bill of sale among the items a seller gives an Iowa-resident buyer.
Does an Iowa bill of sale have to be notarized?
Not always. The form says errors or alterations on the title or other documents presented for title transfer may require the bill of sale to be notarized. It includes a notary section marked "For notary use if applicable" for the seller's sworn statement.
Do I need a bill of sale if I have the title?
It depends on the title. The Iowa DOT says that, depending on the version your county uses, the updated title may serve as the bill of sale under its Transfer/Sale Date section. If the title has no such section, a bill of sale is still required.
Can I fill out the bill of sale online?
Yes. You can fill out the bill of sale PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file or deliver the form; you hand it to the buyer and use the county treasurer for the title transfer.
What do I write if the vehicle is a gift?
Complete the form as usual and write the relationship on the line that begins "If this was a gift", for example parent, spouse or friend. The sale line also has a price blank, which you complete for the transfer as the form requires.
Can the buyer drive without plates using a bill of sale?
For up to 30 days, if the buyer has no plates to transfer and the vehicle is currently registered, and a copy of the bill of sale (describing the vehicle, signed and dated by both) or of the assigned title is carried in it. A vehicle that is not registered cannot be operated on the highway until fees are paid.
What else should I give the buyer besides the bill of sale?
The Iowa DOT's checklist for selling to an Iowa resident lists the certificate of title, the completed odometer statement, the damage disclosure statement, and the county where the vehicle was last registered with its plate expiration date. Remove the license plates and keep them.
Is the bill of sale the same as form 411107?
No. Form 411107, Notice of Sale of Vehicle and Delivery of Title, is a separate form a seller may file with a county treasurer to certify the sale and delivery of the title. The bill of sale is the record signed by seller and buyer.
Ready to fill out Bill of Sale – Iowa?
Fill out Bill of Sale – Iowa now