Do I need a special bill of sale for a junk side by side in Texas?
Texas requires a bill of sale for all private party vehicle sales. A junk side by side may have additional disclosure requirements around condition, mileage, or title status.
Junk vehicle bill of sale
Selling a junk side by side in Texas? Junk or scrap vehicle sale — generate the right bill of sale for your transaction.
When selling a junk side by side through a private party sale in Texas, a bill of sale protects both the buyer and seller by documenting the transaction details and the vehicle's condition at the time of sale.
Texas issues a Certificate of Authority to Dispose of a Motor Vehicle for junk vehicles. Form VTR-71-2 must be submitted to TxDMV. A junk title in Texas means the vehicle is valued only for its scrap metal or parts.
Texas Transportation Code Section 501.091 requires disclosure of a junk vehicle designation. The bill of sale must clearly state the vehicle is sold for scrap or parts only.
Texas requires Form VTR-71-2 for junk vehicle transactions. No additional state inspection is required.
A Texas junk vehicle with a Certificate of Authority to Dispose cannot be rebuilt or re-titled. It may only be sold to a licensed salvage dealer or used for parts. Verify the title status carefully.
In Texas, the title transfer fee is $33 and registration costs $50.75 per year. Side by Side sales are subject to 6.25% motor vehicle sales tax on purchase price. Texas does not require notarization for private-party side by side transfers. Emission testing is required in Texas — verify the side by side passes before completing the sale.
Texas has a 6.25% state sales tax rate. Flat 6.25% motor vehicle sales tax statewide. Private-party side by side sales in Texas are subject to sales tax. Tax based on Standard Presumptive Value (SPV) or purchase price, whichever is higher. The title transfer fee is $33.
The most common side by side makes in private-party sales are Polaris, Can-Am, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki. Average private-party side by side prices range from $5,000–$30,000. Side by sides average 2.6 NHTSA recalls per model across categories including Steering, Fuel System, Fire Hazard.
Before completing a side by side bill of sale in Texas, verify these safety items:
Insurance averages $200–$600/year. Multi-passenger models cost more. Required for on-road use. Side-by-sides depreciate 30–40% in 3 years. Sport models (RZR, Maverick) depreciate faster than utility models (Ranger). Peak season for private side by side sales is spring for recreation, fall for hunting season, with an average of 25 days on market.
Side by Sides are classified as "Off-highway vehicle (OHV) — some states allow street-legal conversion" for registration purposes. Side-by-sides range from 1,000–2,000 lbs. Multi-seat crew models weigh more. Federal odometer disclosure does not apply to side by sides.
Side-by-side (SxS) UTV title transfer follows off-highway vehicle (OHV) rules in most states. Many states issue an OHV title or registration card rather than a standard motor vehicle title. A signed bill of sale is critical because some states do not title SxS units at all and rely on the bill of sale as primary proof of ownership. States that title SxS units typically use the same title format as ATVs. States that do not title them rely on the bill of sale and the manufacturer's certificate of origin (MCO). Always transfer the MCO if it has not been previously surrendered to a state.
When selling a side by side in Texas, the following disclosures apply:
BillOfSaleNow has generated 10,842 bill of sale documents for Texas transactions, with 292 generated this month alone. The most popular vehicle type is car.
Generate a Texas side by side bill of sale with condition details included.
Create Texas Side by Side Bill of SaleTexas requires a bill of sale for all private party vehicle sales. A junk side by side may have additional disclosure requirements around condition, mileage, or title status.
Include buyer and seller details, vehicle identifiers (VIN, year, make, model), sale price, date, signatures, and a clear description of the vehicle condition as junk.
Yes. A properly completed bill of sale is a legal document in Texas. For junk vehicles, disclosing the condition protects both buyer and seller.
Texas charges a $33 title transfer fee. Registration costs $50.75 per year. Sales tax: 6.25% motor vehicle sales tax on purchase price. Notarization is not required.
Average private-party side by side prices range from $5,000–$30,000. Junk vehicles typically fall in the lower range. The most common makes are Polaris, Can-Am, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki.
Verify ROPS (cage) is intact and meets manufacturer specifications Check all seat belts and door/net latching mechanisms
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