Free Mississippi Vehicle Bill of Sale
Mississippi runs vehicle titling through a two-tier system: the Department of Revenue Title Bureau is the policy agency, but every transaction — title application, sales tax payment, license plates — is handled at your county tax collector's office, not at a DMV. Mississippi also has no state-mandated bill-of-sale form and no safety inspection requirement (the inspection program ended in 2015). For an ordinary sale the buyer applies for title on Form 78-002 with the assigned title and pays the 5% casual sales tax, which is based on the DOR's assessed value rather than the price; a private bill of sale with VIN and price remains a useful record.
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Mississippi Vehicle Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know
Sales Tax Details
5% Mississippi casual sales tax on the vehicle's value in the DOR assessment schedule, not the purchase price (paid by the buyer at the county tax collector when registering). This is the up-front sales tax — separate from the annual privilege tax and ad valorem tax paid with registration each year, which depend on the vehicle's value and where you live.
Exemption: Not subject to the casual sales tax: vehicles 10 or more years old (by manufacture date), and transfers between spouses, parent and child, grandparent and grandchild, or siblings (plus certain will, intestacy, and trust transfers). Other private-party purchases owe the 5%.
Inspection Requirements
Mississippi eliminated its annual safety inspection program in 2015. No state safety or emissions inspection is required to title or register a private-party vehicle purchase. Joining Alabama, Arkansas, and Florida, Mississippi has no recurring inspection sticker.
Registration
Registration for this vehicle type is handled by County Tax Collector (acting as agent for MS Department of Revenue) — not the same agency that handles cars in Mississippi. Plan for separate filings.
Mississippi Vehicle Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist
- Record full VIN, year, make, model, body style, color, and odometer reading
- List buyer and seller full legal names, addresses, and driver's license numbers
- State the purchase price clearly — it records the deal, though the 5% casual sales tax is based on the DOR's assessed value, not this figure
- Date the document and have both parties sign (the DOR lists no notary for an ordinary sale; notarizing a high-value sale is optional)
- Seller signs the back of the Mississippi title assigning it to the buyer with matching odometer reading
- Buyer files Form 78-002 (Application for Title) at the county tax collector within 30 working days (not counting the delivery date) to avoid penalty
- Buyer brings driver's license, signed title, and proof of insurance to the tax collector (plus a bill of sale if one is required for the vehicle)
- Pay any 5% casual sales tax, title fee ($9), and registration/privilege tax at the same visit
Common Pitfalls
- Going to a "DMV" — Mississippi has no DMV; all transactions happen at the county tax collector's office
- Missing the 30-working-day titling deadline triggers late penalties
- Writing an artificially low price on the bill of sale — it will not lower the tax, because the casual sales tax uses the DOR's assessed value, not the price
- Confusing the 5% sales tax (one-time, paid at purchase) with the annual privilege and ad valorem taxes (paid every year with tags)
- Assuming family-transfer exemption applies automatically — ask the county tax collector what proof of relationship it needs
- Forgetting the odometer disclosure on the title (federally required for vehicles of model year 2011 or newer)
- Buying a vehicle with a lien still recorded on the Mississippi title — the lien must be released before transfer
Pro Tip
Bottom line: Mississippi makes private vehicle sales relatively painless — no mandatory bill-of-sale form, no safety inspection, and one-stop titling at your county tax collector. But you must title within 30 working days, pay any 5% casual sales tax up front, and budget for the annual privilege and ad valorem taxes that come with every renewal.