BillOfSaleNow

How to Write a Bill of Sale in Michigan

A bill of sale in Michigan must include specific required fields to be valid for title transfer at the DMV. Michigan does not require notarization for a standard private-party bill of sale, though it is always a good idea for high-value transactions.

7 Required Fields on a Michigan Bill of Sale

  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 by federal law and state law)
  5. 5Sale price — both in numerals and written form
  6. 6Sale date
  7. 7Signatures of both buyer and seller

Michigan Official Bill of Sale Form

Michigan has an official bill of sale form: Vehicle Bill of Sale (TR-52). Contact the Michigan DMV for the most current version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a handwritten bill of sale valid in Michigan?▾

Yes — a handwritten bill of sale is legally valid in Michigan as long as both parties sign it and all required fields are included. A typed or printed document is preferred for DMV purposes as it is clearer and less likely to be questioned.

Does Michigan require a bill of sale for private vehicle sales?▾

Michigan strongly recommends a bill of sale for all private vehicle sales. It provides legal protection for both parties and is typically required to transfer the title at the DMV.

What happens if I skip the odometer reading on a Michigan bill of sale?▾

Omitting the odometer reading is a federal violation under the Truth in Mileage Act (49 U.S.C. § 32705) for vehicles under 10 model years old. The Michigan DMV may also reject the bill of sale, delaying the title transfer.

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More Michigan guides

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