St. Clair Shores, Michigan
Use this bill of sale when selling a trailer in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. It documents the transfer and helps you complete DMV title paperwork.
A St. Clair Shores, Michigan trailer bill of sale is a legal document that records the transfer of ownership between a private buyer and seller in St. Clair Shores. As of 2026, Michigan requires both parties to sign the bill of sale, and the buyer must present it at the MI DMV to complete title transfer.
Create a compliant bill of sale and download the signed PDF immediately.
DMV / Title Office
Secretary of State – St. Clair Shores
Address
Visit https://www.michigan.gov/sos for the nearest St. Clair Shores, MI office
Phone
See state DMV website for local office phone numbers
Office Hours
Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Title Transfer Fee
$15.00
Sales Tax Rate
7.50%
Base Registration Fee
Varies by weight
Michigan state rate 6% + estimated local taxes (verify with your county)
Michigan does not require notarization for private vehicle bills of sale. Buyer and seller signatures on the completed title assignment are sufficient.
County Clerk / Recorder
St. Clair Shores County Clerk
Phone
See county website for contact information
The most common trailer makes in private-party sales are Big Tex, PJ Trailers, Carry-On, Sure-Trac, Load Trail. Average private-party trailer prices range from $1,500–$15,000. Trailers average 1.5 NHTSA recalls per model across categories including Tires, Electrical (lighting), Axle/Suspension.
Before completing a trailer bill of sale in Michigan, verify these safety items:
Trailer insurance is optional in most states unless financed. Physical damage coverage is $100–$300/year. Utility trailers hold value exceptionally well — quality steel trailers retain 70–80% of value over 10 years. Peak season for private trailer sales is spring through early summer when landscaping and construction picks up, with an average of 14 days on market.
Trailers are classified as "Utility trailer (weight-class dependent)" for registration purposes. Trailers under 3,000 lbs may not require registration in some states. Over 3,000 lbs requires title and registration in most states. Federal odometer disclosure does not apply to trailers.
BillOfSaleNow has generated 2,419 bill of sale documents for Michigan transactions, with 65 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)
Michigan gives the buyer 15 days from the sale date on the bill of sale to complete the trailer title transfer at the Secretary of State – St. Clair Shores in St. Clair Shores. Miss the 15-day window and Michigan 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.
VIN inspection. Out-of-state vehicles must have a VIN inspection by a Michigan Secretary of State office before a Michigan title is issued.
File at the Secretary of State – St. Clair Shores (Visit https://www.michigan.gov/sos for the nearest St. Clair Shores, MI office). Bring the signed title, the completed St. Clair Shores bill of sale, your ID, and payment for the $15.00 title transfer fee plus 7.50% sales tax on the purchase price.
Before you sign the St. Clair Shores bill of sale, walk through this inspection on thetrailer. 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. Trailer titling rules vary widely by state and weight: trailers under 2,000–3,000 lbs are often title-exempt and transfer with a bill of sale only, while trailers above the state threshold require a standard certificate of title with the trailer’s VIN/serial number. Homemade or untitled trailers usually require a state inspection and an assigned VIN before first registration. Federal odometer disclosure does not apply to any non-self-propelled trailer.
Our St. Clair Shores, Michigan trailer bill of sale research is anchored to Michigan statute citations including 49 CFR Part 390 — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, and reviewed against current Michigan DMV publications by Amanda K. Torres, Small Business & Commercial Vehicle Specialist. Amanda K. Torres specializes in commercial vehicle transfers and fleet sales and routinely verifies fee schedules, notarization rules, and transfer deadlines for the BillOfSaleNow editorial team. Every St. Clair Shores requirement on this page reflects the most recent guidance from the Secretary of State – St. Clair Shores and the underlying state transportation code.
St. Clair Shores is in St. Clair Shores County. Title transfers are handled by the Secretary of State – St. Clair Shores at Visit https://www.michigan.gov/sos for the nearest St. Clair Shores, MI office. Hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–5:00 PM. Phone: See state DMV website for local office phone numbers.
The combined rate is 7.50%. Michigan state rate 6% + estimated local taxes (verify with your county).
No. Michigan does not require notarization for private vehicle bills of sale. Buyer and seller signatures on the completed title assignment are sufficient.
Title transfer fee: $15.00. Base registration fee: Varies by weight. Sales tax at 7.50% is collected at the time of title transfer.
Michigan 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 Secretary of State – St. Clair Shores.
In most cases, no. Michigan 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 ($15.00) and sales tax (7.50%). Bring all documents to the Secretary of State – St. Clair Shores.
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