Kingsport, Tennessee
Download a blank truck bill of sale template for a no title in Kingsport, Tennessee. Print it out and fill in the details by hand.
This blank truck bill of sale template for Tennessee contains the following sections:
Seller Info
Name, address, phone, email
Buyer Info
Name, address, phone, email
Vehicle Details
Year, make, model, color, body
VIN & Odometer
17-digit VIN, current mileage
Sale Terms
Price, payment method, date
Disclosures
As-is status, known defects
Signatures
Buyer/seller lines with date
Notarization
Notary block if state requires
Tip: Our online generator pre-fills Tennessee-specific requirements so you don’t miss any required fields.
The seller does not have the original title, either because it is lost, the vehicle is old and was never titled, or title records are incomplete. A workaround process is required to transfer legal ownership.
If the title is simply lost, apply for a duplicate title at your state DMV before the sale — this is the cleanest path. If no title ever existed, the buyer will likely need a bonded title: a surety bond valued at 1.5× the vehicle's appraised value that protects against future ownership disputes. The bond period is typically 3 years after which a clean title is issued.
Purchasing without a title carries significant risk. You may be unable to register the vehicle, and you could lose ownership if a prior lienholder or owner surfaces. Insist the seller obtain a duplicate title or provide a surety bond as part of the transaction. Verify the VIN against the NMVTIS database to check for theft or brand history.
Bonded title procedures are governed by individual state statutes (e.g., Texas Transportation Code § 501.096, California Vehicle Code § 4160). A VIN inspection by a state-certified inspector or law enforcement is typically required. Some states offer a court order or "title by affidavit" alternative for vehicles over a certain age. Purchasing a no-title vehicle from someone not on the title can constitute receiving stolen property.
Data sourced from NHTSA safety ratings and recall databases
Average Safety Rating
4 / 5
Avg. Price Range
$8,000–$55,000
Odometer Disclosure
Required
On average, each truck model has approximately 3.8 recalls. Always check your specific vehicle at NHTSA.gov/recalls before completing a sale.
State Sales Tax Rate
7%
Title Transfer Fee
$11
Private Party Exempt
No
7% state plus local taxes (total up to 9.75%)
Sales tax applies to private party vehicle purchases
DMV / Title Office
County Clerk – Kingsport
Address
Visit https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-services for the nearest Kingsport, TN office
Phone
See state DMV website for local office phone numbers
Office Hours
Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:30 PM
Title Transfer Fee
$11.00
Sales Tax Rate
8.50%
Base Registration Fee
$14.50
Tennessee state rate 7% + estimated local taxes (verify with your county)
Tennessee does not require notarization for private vehicle bills of sale. Buyer and seller signatures on the completed title assignment are sufficient.
County Clerk / Recorder
Kingsport County Clerk
Phone
See county website for contact information
Before signing your no title bill of sale in Kingsport, run a NHTSA recall check on the specific year and model. Recent-model trucks with the most open recalls:
| Model + year | NHTSA recalls | Top categories |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Ram 1500 | 29 | Air Bags, Electrical System, Steering |
| 2021 Ford F-150 | 27 | Power Train, Visibility, Electrical System |
| 2022 Ford F-150 | 22 | Exterior Lighting, Power Train, Electrical System |
| 2022 Ram 1500 | 15 | Back Over Prevention, Air Bags, Visibility |
| 2021 Ram 1500 | 14 | Back Over Prevention, Air Bags, Service Brakes |
Run a NHTSA VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls before purchase — open recalls are the seller’s responsibility to disclose under federal law, and unresolved campaigns are a routine negotiating point on the no title sale price.
Tennessee requires title transfer within 30 days of the sale date on the bill of sale. For no title transactions specifically, file at County Clerk – Kingsport (Visit https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-services for the nearest Kingsport, TN office) during normal hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:30 PM. Miss the 30-day window and Tennessee typically charges a late-transfer penalty plus accrued use tax, and the seller can remain on the title for civil liability until the buyer completes retitling. Bring the signed title, the completed Kingsport bill of sale, your government-issued ID, and payment for the $11.00 title transfer fee plus 8.50% sales tax on the purchase price.
Template reminder. Whether you keep your template as a blank template you fill in by hand, both buyer and seller should leave the signing with an identical executed copy. The buyer needs the original to present at County Clerk – Kingsport; the seller keeps a duplicate to prove the date of transfer if a future liability question arises before the title fully retitles.
For a no title truck transaction in Kingsport, you need: Request duplicate title from DMV if title is merely lost; Run a VIN check via NMVTIS or CARFAX to confirm ownership and brand history; Obtain surety bond (1.5× appraised value) if no title exists; Complete a state VIN inspection by a licensed inspector or law enforcement; Document all known ownership history in the bill of sale.
The combined sales tax rate in Kingsport is 8.50%. Tennessee state rate 7% + estimated local taxes (verify with your county)
No, notarization is not required. Tennessee does not require notarization for private vehicle bills of sale. Buyer and seller signatures on the completed title assignment are sufficient.
Common recall categories for trucks include: Power Train, Fuel System, Steering, Structure, Electrical. On average, each truck model has approximately 3.8 recalls. Always check your specific vehicle at NHTSA.gov before completing a sale.
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