Florida HSMV 82050 — Bill of Sale

About HSMV 82050

Official name: Florida HSMV 82050 — Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale for Motor Vehicle

Issued by: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

Purpose: Notifies Florida HSMV of a vehicle sale, releasing the seller from liability. When completed by both seller and buyer it can also serve as the bill of sale, which Florida requires only for an open title, an altered price, a vehicle not previously titled in Florida, or an untitled antique.

When required: Sellers file the Notice of Sale within 30 days of the sale. Buyers must file the title application within 30 days after delivery of the vehicle or pay a $20 late fee. A bill of sale is needed for an open title (buyer name or price missing), an altered price, a vehicle not previously titled in Florida, or an untitled antique.

One form, two uses

HSMV 82050 (Rev. 03/21) comes from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Division of Motorist Services. Its full name is Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, Off-Highway Vehicle or Vessel. The form says to submit it to your local tax collector office.

As a notice of sale, the seller completes sections 1 and 3. The buyer's signature in section 3 is optional. As a bill of sale, the seller and the buyer both complete sections 1, 2 (when it applies) and 3.

The form also warns that ownership does not change until the buyer applies for and is issued a certificate of title.

What each section asks for

• Section 1, description: year, make or manufacturer, body type, model, color, title number, current title issue date and the vehicle or vessel ID number. Then the buyer's name and address, the date of sale and the selling price.
• Section 2, odometer disclosure: required for a motor vehicle. Write the 5- or 6-digit reading with no tenths and the date read, then mark whether it shows the actual mileage, exceeds the odometer's mechanical limits, or is not the actual mileage. The form warns that leaving it out or giving a false reading can lead to fines or prison.
• Section 3, certification: signed under penalty of perjury. The seller and any co-seller sign and give their printed names and addresses; the buyer and any co-buyer sign when the form is used as a bill of sale.

Why the seller files it

Florida law has required sellers to file a notice of sale since July 2009, according to FLHSMV. Filing removes the seller's registration from the vehicle and helps the seller avoid civil liability for how the vehicle is used after the sale.

Florida Statutes s. 319.22(2)(b) sets the time limit: within 30 days after the sale or transfer. If the buyer never titles the vehicle and the seller never filed the notice, the seller can still be held liable, even though they no longer own it.

FLHSMV also tells sellers to keep copies of the bill of sale, the title or other papers that show the sale, and recommends having the bill of sale notarized. That is a record-keeping tip: notarization is not required on the Florida title itself.

When Florida needs a bill of sale

• An open title: the buyer's name or the selling price is missing from the Transfer of Title by Seller section.
• The purchase price on the title was altered.
• The vehicle was not previously titled in Florida.
• An antique vehicle with no title.
• For a normal transfer of a fully completed Florida title, no separate bill of sale is required.

Seller checklist from FLHSMV

1. If you moved your plate to a new car, get a demonstration-only temporary tag so buyers can test drive (proof of insurance is required).
2. If the vehicle was never titled in Florida, complete a VIN and odometer verification, checked by an FLHSMV examiner, a licensed Florida dealer, a Florida notary or a law enforcement officer.
3. Fill in the Transfer of Title by Seller section: the buyer's name and address, the odometer reading, the price and the date. An electronic title has to be reassigned at a motor vehicle service center, with both of you present with photo ID.
4. Remove the license plate. In Florida the plate stays with the seller, not the vehicle. Surrender it if you move out of state or cancel the insurance tied to it.
5. File HSMV 82050.

What the buyer does next

• Apply for a title with Form HSMV 82040 within 30 days after the vehicle is delivered. Filing late adds a $20 fee (s. 319.23(6)(a)).
• Pay the sales tax when you title the vehicle.
• You cannot legally drive the vehicle until you apply for the title and registration.

What to Include in a Florida Bill of Sale

A complete bill of sale usually includes:

• Seller name, address, phone
• Buyer name, address, phone
• Year, make, model
• VIN
• Odometer reading
• Sale price
• Date of sale
• Seller signature