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Puerto Rico Bill of Sale Requirements

As of 2026, Puerto Rico requires a signed bill of sale for private vehicle transfers. Puerto Rico requires notarization — both parties must sign in front of a licensed notary public.

Required Fields

  1. 1Full legal names and addresses of buyer and seller
  2. 2VIN (17 characters)
  3. 3Year, make, model, and color of the vehicle
  4. 4Odometer reading in miles (required)
  5. 5Sale price in numerals and written form
  6. 6Sale date
  7. 7Signatures of both parties plus notary stamp (required in Puerto Rico)

Puerto Rico-Specific Requirements

Notarial intervention required — PR notaries (notarios públicos) are licensed attorneys; a notario público abogado must authenticate vehicle transfer deeds, unlike mainland US notary publics
Official bill of sale form: DTOP-DIS-260 (Acta de Traspaso de Vehículo de Motor), issued by the Departamento de Transportación y Obras Públicas (DTOP)
Vehicle transfers are processed at CESCO (Centro de Servicios al Conductor) offices across the island
Federal odometer disclosure (49 CFR Part 580) applies to all Puerto Rico vehicle sales, same as US states
IVU sales tax of 11.5% applies to the sale price; exemptions may apply to certain commercial transactions
Governing law: Ley de Vehículos y Tránsito de Puerto Rico (Law No. 22 of January 7, 2000, as amended)
Official documents are bilingual (Spanish and English); the DTOP-DIS-260 form is issued in Spanish — confirm you understand all terms before signing
USCG documentation applies to vessels in PR territorial waters under the same federal rules as US states
Title transfer must be completed at a CESCO office; online transfer not available for private party sales

⚠️ Puerto Rico requires notarization for a valid bill of sale.

Official Puerto Rico Form

Puerto Rico has an official form: Acta de Traspaso de Vehículo de Motor (Motor Vehicle Transfer Deed) (DTOP-DIS-260). Obtain from the Puerto Rico DMV.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a bill of sale required in Puerto Rico?▾

Puerto Rico requires a bill of sale for private vehicle transfers. It must be submitted at the DMV along with the signed title to complete the transfer.

What must be on a Puerto Rico vehicle bill of sale?▾

A Puerto Rico vehicle bill of sale must include: buyer and seller full legal names and addresses, the VIN, year, make, model, odometer reading, sale price (written and numeric), sale date, and signatures of both parties — notarized.

Does Puerto Rico require an emissions test for private sales?▾

Yes — Puerto Rico requires an emissions or smog test before the buyer can register a vehicle. Check with the Puerto Rico DMV for specific requirements in your county.

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Trusted by private vehicle sellers nationwide

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