Des Moines, Iowa
Use this bill of sale when selling a heavy equipment in Des Moines, Iowa. It documents the transfer and helps you complete DMV title paperwork.
A Des Moines, Iowa heavy equipment bill of sale is a legal document that records the transfer of ownership between a private buyer and seller in Des Moines. As of 2026, Iowa requires both parties to sign the bill of sale, and the buyer must present it at the IA DMV to complete title transfer.
Create a compliant bill of sale and download the signed PDF immediately.
Population
212,464
Median Household Income
$63,966
With a median household income of $63,966, used heavy equipment pricing in Des Moines tends to track the local market — document the agreed price on your bill of sale to support the Iowa tax assessment. Source: US Census Bureau, ACS5-2023.
DMV / Title Office
Polk County Treasurer – Motor Vehicle
Address
111 Court Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone
(515) 286-3060
Office Hours
Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:30 PM
Title Transfer Fee
$25.00
Sales Tax Rate
5.00%
Base Registration Fee
$35.00
Iowa charges 5% use tax on private vehicle sales (no local add-on for vehicles)
Iowa does not require notarization for private vehicle sales. A signed title is sufficient.
County Clerk / Recorder
Polk County Recorder
Phone
(515) 286-3572
The most common heavy equipment makes in private-party sales are Caterpillar, John Deere, Komatsu, Volvo, Case. Average private-party heavy equipment prices range from $10,000–$300,000. Heavy equipments average 0.7 NHTSA recalls per model across categories including Hydraulic System, Electrical, ROPS/FOPS.
Before completing a heavy equipment bill of sale in Iowa, verify these safety items:
Equipment floater or inland marine policy required. Costs vary widely: $500–$5,000/year depending on value and use. Caterpillar and Komatsu machines hold value well — 50–60% retention after 5,000 hours. Peak season for private heavy equipment sales is spring when construction season begins, with an average of 60 days on market.
Heavy Equipments are classified as "Construction equipment (not registered for road use; transported on flatbed/lowboy)" for registration purposes. Heavy equipment is valued by engine hours, not mileage. Machines over 80,000 lbs require special transport permits. Federal odometer disclosure does not apply to heavy equipments.
BillOfSaleNow has generated 772 bill of sale documents for Iowa transactions, with 21 generated this month alone. The most popular vehicle type is car.
45% faster sale
Vehicles whose listings include a history report spend ~45% less time on site before selling, and report-viewers are 5x more likely to become a lead.
Source: Experian / AutoCheck
$4,000 avg loss
NHTSA estimates 450,000+ vehicles per year are sold with rolled-back odometers — the average victim loses about $4,000 in downstream repair costs.
Source: NHTSA
17.5M private sales/yr
About 17.5 million private-party vehicle transactions happen in the U.S. each year — roughly 47% of the used market.
Source: Cox Automotive 2024
1 in 3 buyers
Roughly 1 in 3 used-car buyers say they suspect private sellers are hiding mechanical problems — documentation closes that trust gap.
Source: JW Surety Bonds (n=3,000)
Iowa gives the buyer 30 days from the sale date on the bill of sale to complete the heavy equipment title transfer at the Polk County Treasurer – Motor Vehicle in Des Moines. Miss the 30-day window and Iowa charges a late-transfer penalty of typically $25-50 plus accrued use tax, and the seller can still appear on the title for civil liability if the buyer crashes the vehicle before retitling. Keep your signed bill of sale and the assigned title together and file as soon as you can, even if registration plates will be transferred later.
File at the Polk County Treasurer – Motor Vehicle (111 Court Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309). Bring the signed title, the completed Des Moines bill of sale, your ID, and payment for the $25.00 title transfer fee plus 5.00% sales tax on the purchase price.
Before you sign the Des Moines bill of sale, walk through this inspection on theheavy equipment. A pre-purchase inspection costs $100-200 and routinely uncovers $1,000+ in deferred maintenance — that is the figure you negotiate off the price or walk away from entirely. Use this list as your shortlist when you meet the seller or when a local mechanic looks the vehicle over.
Title documentation notes. Heavy construction equipment is generally not titled or registered for road use because it travels by lowboy trailer rather than self-propelled. Transfer occurs via bill of sale citing the manufacturer’s product identification number (PIN), with engine hours documented in lieu of odometer. Some states (California, Texas) offer optional titles to combat theft, and lender-financed equipment usually receives a UCC-1 lien filing rather than a title brand.
Our Des Moines, Iowa heavy equipment bill of sale research is anchored to Iowa statute citations including 49 CFR Part 580 — Odometer Disclosure Requirements, and reviewed against current Iowa DMV publications by Marcus J. Webb, J.D., Legal Content Advisor. Marcus J. Webb specializes in vehicle title law and ucc article 2 and routinely verifies fee schedules, notarization rules, and transfer deadlines for the BillOfSaleNow editorial team. Every Des Moines requirement on this page reflects the most recent guidance from the Polk County Treasurer – Motor Vehicle and the underlying state transportation code.
Des Moines is in Polk County. Title transfers are handled by the Polk County Treasurer – Motor Vehicle at 111 Court Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309. Hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:30 PM. Phone: (515) 286-3060.
The combined rate is 5.00%. Iowa charges 5% use tax on private vehicle sales (no local add-on for vehicles).
No. Iowa does not require notarization for private vehicle sales. A signed title is sufficient.
Title transfer fee: $25.00. Base registration fee: $35.00. Sales tax at 5.00% is collected at the time of title transfer.
Iowa requires the buyer to transfer the title within 30 days of the sale date. Late transfers may incur penalty fees at the DMV. Bring your signed bill of sale and the assigned title to the Polk County Treasurer – Motor Vehicle.
In most cases, no. Iowa requires a clean title to complete a private vehicle sale. If the title is lost, the seller must apply for a duplicate title before selling. The bill of sale alone does not transfer legal ownership.
You will need: (1) the signed title from the seller, (2) a completed bill of sale, (3) a valid government ID, and (4) payment for the title transfer fee ($25.00) and sales tax (5.00%). Bring all documents to the Polk County Treasurer – Motor Vehicle.
Yes. A properly signed bill of sale is a legally binding document that protects both the buyer and seller. It records the agreed-upon sale price, date, and vehicle details. Sellers should keep a copy to prove they are no longer liable for the vehicle after the sale date.
45% faster sale
Vehicles whose listings include a history report spend ~45% less time on site before selling, and report-viewers are 5x more likely to become a lead.
Source: Experian / AutoCheck
$4,000 avg loss
NHTSA estimates 450,000+ vehicles per year are sold with rolled-back odometers — the average victim loses about $4,000 in downstream repair costs.
Source: NHTSA
17.5M private sales/yr
About 17.5 million private-party vehicle transactions happen in the U.S. each year — roughly 47% of the used market.
Source: Cox Automotive 2024
1 in 3 buyers
Roughly 1 in 3 used-car buyers say they suspect private sellers are hiding mechanical problems — documentation closes that trust gap.
Source: JW Surety Bonds (n=3,000)
$60–$85 mobile notary
Mobile notary visit minimums run $60–$85 — higher on weekends, plus per-mile travel fees. State-formatted documents skip the trip.
Source: Thumbtack / NNA