You just sold a car to a neighbor, bought one off Marketplace, or won one at auction, and somebody told you to get a bill of sale. In Missouri, the official version is Form 1957. Here is when you actually need it, when you do not, and how to fill it out so the license office takes it the first time.
Shopping for the car instead of selling one? Every listing on Remarket Space shows the title status up front, so you know before you bid. See cars up for auction in the St. Louis area.
The short answer: A Missouri bill of sale is Form 1957 from the Department of Revenue. Sellers can use it, or the Notice of Sale (Form 5049), to report a sale within 30 days. You do not need a notary unless it covers major parts for a rebuilt car or DOR asks for one. The bill of sale does not replace the title. The buyer still titles the car within 30 days.
Updated November 2, 2026. Checked against the Missouri Department of Revenue (Forms 1957, 5049, 3019, 4698 and its buying, selling and Notice of Sale pages) and the Revised Statutes of Missouri. Sources are linked at the bottom.
Key takeaways
- Official form: Form 1957, Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Sale, free from the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR). It covers cars, trailers, boats and outboard motors.
- The title still rules: Missouri law says a sale of a titled vehicle without the title assigned to the buyer is presumed fraudulent and void. A bill of sale backs up the title. It does not replace it.
- Seller’s 30-day report: sellers report the sale to DOR within 30 days on Form 1957 or Form 5049. Skipping it can mean a fine of up to $200.
- Notary only sometimes: needed for major component parts on a rebuilt vehicle, or when DOR specifically asks. A license office notary costs $2.
- Required for some titles: rebuilding a salvage car needs a bill of sale with the price, and a 180-day sales tax credit needs a bill of sale or Notice of Sale for the car you sold.
- Write the real price: you sign Form 1957 under penalty of perjury, and the price on it can be used to back up the sales tax you owe.
What is a Missouri bill of sale?
A bill of sale is a signed record of a sale: who sold, who bought, what vehicle, when, and for how much. Missouri publishes its own version, Form 1957. The form is titled Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Sale because it also handles straight swaps where two people trade vehicles and no money changes hands.
What it is not: proof of ownership by itself. The DOR titling FAQ says that without a properly assigned title (or a new-car Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin), you have no clear legal right to the vehicle. And RSMo 301.210 says the sale of a Missouri-titled vehicle without the title assigned to the buyer is presumed fraudulent and void, unless a licensed dealer gave you a written delayed-title agreement. So for a normal car sale, the signed title is the main event and the bill of sale is the receipt.
Does Missouri require a bill of sale to sell a car?
Not for every sale, but more often than people think. The DOR buying a vehicle page lists what a buyer brings to title a car: the title signed over, Form 108, insurance, and inspections when required. A bill of sale is not on that standard list, though DOR notes the clerk can ask for additional documents. Here is when Form 1957 does matter:
| Situation | Is a bill of sale needed? | What DOR says |
|---|---|---|
| Seller reporting a private sale | Form 1957 or Form 5049, your choice | Report within 30 days of the sale |
| Buyer getting a temporary permit | One ownership document | Signed title, Form 1957, Form 5049, or a dealer-signed Form 108 |
| Rebuilding a salvage title car | Yes, showing the purchase price | Form 4698 titling requirements |
| Major parts used to rebuild a car | Yes, notarized, one per part source | Each must list price, year, make and donor VIN |
| 180-day sales tax credit for a car you sold | Bill of sale or Notice of Sale | Sale and purchase within 180 days of each other |
| Trade-in credit | Bill of sale or other record of the allowance | RSMo 144.025 |
| Straight vehicle swap | Form 1957 even-trade section | Lists the unit traded for |
Even when it is not required, both sides should keep a signed copy. It is your best proof of the date and price if a parking ticket, toll, or tax question shows up after the car leaves your driveway. For the rest of the title paperwork, our Missouri title transfer guide walks through every form and fee.
How do you fill out Missouri Form 1957?
DOR says the seller completes all applicable information and signs the form. Fill it in this order:
- 1. Buyer and seller names and addresses. Typed or printed, every buyer and every seller, with city, state and ZIP.
- 2. Pick the right section. Form 1957 has separate boxes for a motor vehicle, trailer, boat and outboard motor. Use only the one that matches what you sold.
- 3. Vehicle details. Year, make, title number and the full vehicle identification number (VIN). Copy them from the title, then check the VIN against the car.
- 4. Sale date and sale price. Use the MM/DD/YYYY date the car changed hands and the actual price paid.
- 5. Even trade, if any. If you swapped vehicles, fill in the Unit or Vehicle Traded For section with that vehicle’s year, make, title number and VIN.
- 6. Sold for destruction. Check yes or no. Yes means the car is going to scrap, not back on the road.
- 7. Signatures. One buyer and one seller sign under penalty of perjury.
- 8. Notary block, only if needed. Leave it blank for a normal sale. Use it for rebuilt-vehicle parts or when DOR asks.
- 9. Make copies. Buyer and seller each keep one. The seller sends the original to DOR if using it as the sale report.
Form 1957 has no odometer line. Mileage goes on the back of the Missouri title itself, or on a separate Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form 3019) when the title does not have a proper odometer section.
Does a Missouri bill of sale need to be notarized?
Usually not. Form 1957 says it must be notarized in two cases only:
- Rebuilt vehicles: when the bill of sale proves ownership of major component parts used to rebuild a salvage car.
- DOR asks: when the Department of Revenue specifically requests a notarized bill of sale.
If you need one, the form notes that license office notary service costs $2. Title signatures do not need a notary either. The DOR selling a vehicle page says buyers and sellers print and sign the back of the title, and those signatures do not need to be notarized. The one common document that does need a notary is a lien release, if the car still had a loan.
Missouri odometer disclosure: which cars need it?
Federal and Missouri rules require the seller to state the mileage at transfer, but older cars are exempt. According to the Form 3019 instructions:
| Vehicle | Odometer disclosure required? |
|---|---|
| Model year 2010 or older | No, once it is at least 10 years old (every 2010 and older car today) |
| Model year 2011 or newer | Yes, until the vehicle is 20 years old |
| Gross vehicle weight rating over 16,000 pounds | No |
Write miles with no tenths. The DOR selling page says you may not use correction fluid or erase marks on a title, so fill it in carefully the first time.
Seller: how do you report a car sale in Missouri?
The DOR Notice of Sale page says a private seller of a motor vehicle, trailer or ATV must report the sale within 30 days, using either a Notice of Sale (Form 5049) or a Bill of Sale (Form 1957). Missouri titles issued since 2006 also have a tear-off notice at the bottom that works the same way.
- Who signs: the seller and the buyer both sign the Notice of Sale.
- Penalty: failing to report is an infraction with a fine of up to $200. Failing to report to help the buyer dodge titling or fees is a class C misdemeanor with a fine of up to $300.
- No report needed: for a car with a salvage title or junking certificate, a sale to a dealer, a sale to an out-of-state buyer, or a transfer to an insurance company after a total loss.
- Plates: take your plates off before the buyer drives away, valid or expired.
- Net price: DOR says it is important to put the net price on the report, because it follows up with buyers who do not title within 60 days.
Until the buyer titles the car, you are still the last owner on record. Filing the report quickly is what protects you.
Buyer: what do you do with the bill of sale?
You have 30 days from the purchase date to title the car and pay sales tax. Under RSMo 301.190, the late penalty is $25 for the first 30 days late and $25 for each 30 days after that, up to $200. At a Missouri license office you bring:
- The signed title: assigned to you, with the price, date and mileage filled in.
- Form 108: the Application for Missouri Title and License, signed.
- Proof of insurance: an insurance ID card, original, copy, or readable electronic card.
- Inspections: a safety inspection when required, and an emissions test if you live in St. Louis City or St. Louis, St. Charles or Jefferson County. Our guides to the Missouri safety inspection and St. Louis emissions testing cover who needs which.
- Personal property tax receipt: for new plates, last year’s paid receipt or a statement of non-assessment. See personal property tax on a car in St. Louis.
- Your bill of sale: bring it anyway. It is quick proof of the price if the clerk asks.
Need to drive it before you title it? A Missouri temporary permit costs $5 plus a $9 processing fee at a license office, and Form 1957 is one of the ownership documents DOR accepts for it.
How much does it cost to title a car bought with a bill of sale?
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Form 1957 or Form 5049 | Free |
| Notary at a license office (only if required) | $2 |
| Title fee | $8.50 |
| Title processing fee | $9 |
| State sales tax | 4.225% of the net price, plus your local rate |
| Temporary permit (optional) | $5 plus $9 processing |
| Late title penalty | $25 per 30 days late, up to $200 |
Sales tax is based on where you live, not where you bought the car. Our Missouri car sales tax guide for St. Louis shows the local rates and the math.
What if the sale price is very low?
Missouri taxes the net purchase price, the price after any trade-in or rebate. That makes the price on your paperwork matter. A few rules keep a cheap sale clean:
- Write what was actually paid: both of you sign Form 1957 under penalty of perjury, and DOR uses a bill of sale or Notice of Sale to back up the purchase price.
- Expect questions on odd prices: Form 1957 says DOR can specifically request a notarized bill of sale, so a signed, dated form with full vehicle details is your best defense.
- A gift is not a $1 sale: if no money changes hands, DOR says to write GIFT in the price area of the title, not $1, and give the new owner Form 768 or a written gift statement. Our guide to gifting a car in Missouri covers the steps.
- Scrap and parts cars: check the sold for destruction box when that is the deal, so nobody assumes the car is going back on the road.
Bill of sale for a salvage or rebuilt car in Missouri
This is where Missouri gets strict. To title a rebuilt car, DOR Form 4698 lists a salvage title assigned to you, a bill of sale showing the purchase price, Form 108, a vehicle examination certificate (DOR-551), and notarized bills of sale for every major component part used in the rebuild. Each parts bill of sale must show the price plus the year, make and VIN of the car the parts came from. Odometer disclosure is required for model year 2011 and newer until the car is 20 years old.
Keep every receipt from the start. Our Missouri salvage title guide covers the inspection and the prior salvage brand.
Can you get a Missouri title with only a bill of sale?
Usually not for a car that was already titled. DOR’s position is that without a properly assigned title you have no clear legal right to the vehicle, and if the seller cannot be found to sign it, DOR suggests talking to a legal professional. Before you hand over cash for a bill of sale only car, ask why there is no title and what it will take to get one in your name. Already paid? Our guide on what to do if you bought a car with no title in Missouri covers duplicate titles and the bonded title option.
That is also why title status matters when you buy at auction. Some auction listings say bill of sale only or junk title, like this 2011 Honda CR-V listed in the St. Louis area, and those are usually parts or scrap buys, not daily drivers. Our guide to buying at auction and transferring the title explains what to check, and why car title status matters breaks down each brand.
Buying in Missouri and living in Illinois, or the other way around
If the buyer lives in the Illinois Metro East, the Missouri seller still signs the title and keeps a bill of sale, but DOR does not require a Notice of Sale for a sale to an out-of-state buyer. The buyer titles the car in Illinois under Illinois rules, covered in our Illinois title transfer guide. Bringing a car titled in another state into Missouri? See titling an out-of-state car in Missouri.
Buying your next car through Remarket Space
If you would rather skip the private-sale paperwork guessing game, Remarket Space is an online car marketplace open to the public, with no dealer license and no membership fee. Every listing shows a full inspection by a Verified Remarket Space Inspector, a free Carfax, the title status, and your out-the-door total with the delivery quote included. You can hit Buy Now or bid in a live auction, and Remarket Space now runs auctions in the St. Louis area as well as the Twin Cities area. See cars up for auction now, browse St. Louis-area cars, read how bidding works, and check the buyer premium fees before you bid.
Comparing local options? Our hub on car auctions in St. Louis covers every public option in the area.
Frequently asked questions
Not for every sale. To title a car with a properly signed title, DOR lists the title, Form 108, insurance and inspections. A bill of sale is required for rebuilding a salvage car and for some tax credits, and sellers can use Form 1957 to report the sale within 30 days.
Form 1957 is the Missouri Department of Revenue Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Sale. It records the buyer, seller, vehicle, VIN, title number, sale date and price for a car, trailer, boat or outboard motor, and it can also record a straight vehicle swap.
Usually no. Form 1957 must be notarized only when it proves ownership of major component parts used to rebuild a vehicle, or when the Department of Revenue specifically asks for a notarized copy. Missouri title signatures do not need a notary either.
The seller completes all applicable information on Form 1957 and signs it. One buyer also signs. Both sign under penalty of perjury, so the names, VIN, date and price must be accurate. Each side should keep a copy.
Usually not for a car that was already titled. The Department of Revenue says that without a properly assigned title you have no clear legal right to the vehicle. If the seller cannot sign the title, DOR suggests getting legal advice.
Thirty days. Private sellers report the sale on Form 5049, the tear-off notice on the title, or Form 1957. Failing to report is an infraction with a fine of up to $200. Sales to dealers and out-of-state buyers are exempt.
No. Form 1957 has no odometer line. The mileage goes on the back of the Missouri title, or on Form 3019. Model year 2010 and older cars are exempt, and 2011 and newer cars need it until they are 20 years old.
Sources
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Form 1957, Bill of Sale or Even-Trade Bill of Sale
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Form 5049, Notice of Sale or Transfer
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Notice of Sale FAQs
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Selling a vehicle
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Buying a vehicle
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Titling and registration FAQ
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Form 3019, Odometer Disclosure Statement
- Missouri Department of Revenue: Form 4698, Titling a rebuilt motor vehicle
- Revised Statutes of Missouri 301.190: Title application and late penalty
- Revised Statutes of Missouri 301.210: Title assignment at sale
- Revised Statutes of Missouri 144.025: Trade-ins and bill of sale
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Forms and fees can change, so confirm with the Missouri Department of Revenue before you sign.
