Types (5)
Boat Bill of Sale – Required for watercraft registration as it proves that a buyer acquired ownership from a seller.
Firearm Bill of Sale – Confirms the transfer of a gun from a seller to a buyer.
General Bill of Sale – Used for selling, trading, or gifting unspecified items.
Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale – A written record proving an individual legally purchased and obtained a car, truck, or van.
Trailer Bill of Sale – This form provides evidence of a utility trailer sale between two (2) individuals.
Signing Requirements
| Bill of Sale Type | Buyer Signature | Seller Signature | Notarization |
| Boat | Required | Required | Not required |
| Firearm | Required | Required | Not required |
| General (others) | Required | Required | Not required |
| Motor Vehicle | Required | Required | Not required |
| Trailer | Required | Required | Not required |
Registration Information: Motor Vehicles
Alabama requires a new owner to apply for a license plate within 20 calendar days of acquiring a motor vehicle.[1] Applications are filed with the County License Plate Issuing Official (typically the probate judge or license commissioner) in the county of residence.
Documents the buyer must bring:
- The signed bill of sale, with sales tax itemized separately from the purchase price
- The properly assigned certificate of title, or the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin for a brand-new vehicle (vehicles under 35 model years old require a title; older vehicles are exempt)
- Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form MVT 5-5), signed by the seller
- A valid driver’s license
- The previous tag receipt, if transferring a plate from a prior vehicle
- Proof of liability insurance meeting Alabama minimums: $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 per accident for property damage (or a $75,000 combined single limit)[7]
- An executed Motor Vehicle Power of Attorney, if a third party is registering on the owner’s behalf
The Alabama Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division, oversees the process at the state level.[1]
Registration Information: Boats
Vessel registration in Alabama is administered by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Marine Patrol Division, with applications submitted through the local probate or license commissioner’s office. A new owner has 15 calendar days from the date of sale to tag and register the boat.[2]
Documents required to register:
- The completed Application for Boat Registration, Transfer, Replacement, or Duplicate
- The bill of sale listing the 12-digit Hull Identification Number (required for new boats, recommended for used)
- Certification of Length for Vessels, where the county requires it to calculate the fee
- Application for a State-Assigned Hull Number, for homemade vessels or those without a manufacturer HIN
- The previous registration certificate, if the vessel was last titled in Alabama
- Proof that state and local sales tax have been paid
- Payment of the applicable registration fee (set by vessel length)
A Hull Identification Number is mandatory under federal law for all vessels manufactured after 1972 and is usually stamped on the stern, starboard side above the waterline.[3]
Registration Information: Trailers
Since July 1, 2009, Alabama has exempted bumper-pull utility trailers from the state’s titling requirements.[4] Owners of these trailers do not obtain a certificate of title, but they still pay an annual license tax and registration fee of $12 to receive a plate.[4]
Non-utility trailers, such as goosenecks and enclosed cargo trailers that are not designed to be pulled behind a passenger car or pickup, fall under the standard titling rules and must be titled if manufactured within the prior 20 years. Both types are registered at the county license office.
Firearm Transfer Requirements
Alabama does not maintain a firearm registry, and private in-state transfers between residents do not require a background check, a permit, or any filing with a state agency.[5] A bill of sale remains useful as a private record of the transfer, but it is not submitted to any government office.
Sellers should confirm the buyer meets the minimum age (18 for rifles and shotguns, 21 for handguns) and may not knowingly transfer a firearm to a person prohibited from possession under state or federal law. Knowing transfer to a prohibited person is a felony under Alabama Code § 13A-11-72.[6]
What is an Alabama Bill of Sale?
An Alabama bill of sale is a written acknowledgment, signed by both parties, that ownership of a specific item has changed hands for a stated amount on a specific date. The document operates outside the court system as a private receipt, but it becomes a formal piece of the public record once it is attached to a motor vehicle title application, a boat registration, or a trailer plate filing.
Beyond those registrable categories, the general form works for the sale of artwork, equipment, livestock, jewelry, collectibles, and other items that do not pass through a government agency. In those cases the bill of sale stands alone as the seller’s warranty of clear title and the buyer’s proof of ownership.
- Alabama Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division (20-day registration deadline, title application requirements)
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency — Marine Patrol, Boating Forms & Permits (boat registration application and deadline)
- Alabama Department of Revenue — Vessel Titles FAQ (Hull Identification Number requirements)
- Ala. Code § 40-12-252 (utility trailer title exemption and $12 annual registration fee)
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency — Gun Laws (no state firearm registration or private-sale background check)
- Ala. Code § 13A-11-72 (prohibited persons and firearm transfers)
- Alabama Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Requirements (minimum coverage limits)