Free New Jersey Used Car Bill of Sale
A used-car bill of sale in New Jersey runs on the OS/SS-7 form and ties together three documents the MVC clerk wants in one stack: the assigned title, the OS/SS-7, and the sales-tax receipt. Used cars get the same 6.625% sales tax as any other vehicle, calculated on the price you write — so writing a fake low price triggers a Book Value override. Used cars also tend to be old enough to need inspection within 14 days of registering, which is the buyer's problem, not the seller's.
Free PDF includes a small watermark at the bottom. Remove it for €4.99. Already subscribed? Sign in.
New Jersey Used Car Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know
Sales Tax Details
Used-car private sales are taxed at 6.625% on the actual purchase price, payable to NJ MVC at titling. If the price is more than 20% below NADA Book Value, MVC defaults to Book Value unless you can document the discount (mechanical issues, accident damage, etc.).
Exemption: Sales between immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild) are exempt with a notarized GU-11 affidavit. Inherited vehicles transferred via probate are also exempt with the executor letter.
Inspection Requirements
Used vehicles older than 5 model years must pass NJ inspection on a biennial cycle — emissions in the seven northern enhanced-inspection counties, safety inspection elsewhere. Buyers should ask to see the current inspection sticker and any recent inspection failures before paying.
Registration
Registration for this vehicle type is handled by NJ MVC — not the same agency that handles cars in New Jersey. Plan for separate filings.
New Jersey Used Car Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist
- Run the VIN through NJ MVC's title-status check or NMVTIS to confirm there are no liens, salvage brands, or theft holds
- Inspect the title front and back — any erasure, cross-out, or pencil entry voids it
- Test-drive and either get a pre-purchase inspection or accept the as-is risk in writing on the OS/SS-7
- Complete OS/SS-7: VIN, year/make/model, odometer, exact price, both signatures, both NJ addresses, date
- Buyer takes title + OS/SS-7 + NJ insurance + ID + payment for 6.625% tax + $60 title + registration to MVC within 10 working days
- Schedule inspection within 14 days if the car is older than 5 model years
Common Pitfalls
- Buying a used car without a current NJ inspection sticker — buyer is on the hook for repairs to pass within 30 days or registration is suspended
- Trusting an unsigned title — NJ will not accept a title without the seller's in-pen signature and odometer reading
- Writing a "gift" price for a non-family sale to dodge tax — MVC will tax Book Value and may refer for fraud review
- Skipping the GU-11 notarization on a real family gift — MVC denies the exemption and charges full tax
- Letting the 10-working-day titling window lapse — $25 late penalty plus your insurance may not cover an untitled vehicle
Pro Tip
A New Jersey used-car bill of sale lives or dies on the OS/SS-7 paperwork, the inspection status, and whether the price you write matches Book Value. Use OS/SS-7, get the title signed in pen, file GU-11 for family gifts, and walk into MVC inside 10 working days with NJ insurance and 6.625% sales tax in hand.