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How to Fill Out a Bill of Sale in Rhode Island

A step-by-step guide to every field on a Rhode Island vehicle bill of sale — with a free filled-in example you can download instantly.

Rhode Island pairs New England's highest vehicle sales tax — a flat 7% with no local additions — with a strict-but-simple fill-out: no official bill of sale form, no notary, but the DMV wants the price twice (numbers and words) and cross-checks it against book value before assessing the tax. Complete the parties, vehicle, VIN, odometer, price in numerals AND words, date, and both signatures. Rhode Island title-exempts vehicles 2000 and older — for those, the bill of sale plus prior registration carry the ownership. The buyer registers at the RI DMV (Cranston headquarters or satellite offices), and the seller keeps the plates: Rhode Island plates belong to the seller, who must return or transfer them to close out insurance cleanly.

Notarization:Not required
Title deadline:30 days
Sales tax:7%
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Vehicle Bill of Sale · Rhode Island
Rhode Island Requirements: Transfer title within 30 days. 7% sales tax.

Seller Information

Buyer Information

Vehicle Details

Sale Information

Condition & Warranty

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Step-by-Step: Every Field Explained

1

Seller Information

  • Full legal name
  • Current mailing address
  • City, state, ZIP code
  • Phone number (optional but recommended)
Tip: Before writing anything, open the ownership document and transcribe the seller's name from it — the Rhode Island DMV treats it as the reference copy.
2

Buyer Information

  • Full legal name
  • Current mailing address
  • City, state, ZIP code
  • Phone number (optional)
Tip: Enter the buyer's name as it will appear on the new registration in Rhode Island; consistency here saves a second trip.
3

Vehicle Description

  • Vehicle year (4-digit)
  • Make (manufacturer — e.g., Ford, Toyota)
  • Model (e.g., F-150, Camry)
  • Body style (e.g., sedan, pickup, SUV)
  • Color
  • VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) — 17 characters, found on the dashboard or door jamb
  • Odometer reading at time of sale
Tip: Read the VIN from the metal, not the ad: dashboard plate or door-jamb sticker, checked character by character against the title. One wrong character voids the transfer.
4

Sale Details

  • Sale price in US dollars (write out both numerals and words — e.g., "$8,500 — Eight thousand five hundred dollars")
  • Payment method (cash, check, electronic transfer)
  • Date of sale (month / day / year)
  • Note: buyer owes 7% Rhode Island sales tax on the sale price at registration
Tip: The price written here is the number the Rhode Island DMV reads for the 7% sales tax — record the true figure, because assessments compare it against book value.
5

Seller Signature

  • Seller's signature (must match title)
  • Printed name
  • Date signed
Tip: Rhode Island doesn't route this document past a notary — sign it together if you can, and treat the signed copy as a record worth keeping.
6

Buyer Signature

  • Buyer's signature
  • Printed name
  • Date signed
Tip: Both parties keep a signed original — print or write the document twice and sign both.

Get a Pre-Filled Rhode Island Example

Use the generator above to create a filled-in Rhode Island bill of sale example in under 60 seconds. All fields are pre-configured for Rhode Island requirements — notarization not required, RI sales tax at 7%, and 30-day transfer deadline noted.

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Other Forms Required in Rhode Island

Along with the bill of sale, you may need these additional documents for a Rhode Island vehicle transfer:

  • Form TR-1 (Application for Registration and Title Certificate)

Frequently Asked Questions

How much tax will the buyer pay in Rhode Island?
A flat 7% on the purchase price or clean retail book value, whichever the DMV's review supports — the highest vehicle rate in New England, with no municipal add-ons. Underwritten prices get assessed at book.
Which vehicles skip the title in Rhode Island?
Model year 2000 and older vehicles are title-exempt — the signed bill of sale and the seller's registration form the ownership chain, which makes the document's completeness genuinely load-bearing.
What happens to the plates?
They stay with the seller — transfer them to your next vehicle or return them to the RI DMV for a receipt before cancelling insurance. Rhode Island pursues insurance-lapse penalties against registrations left open.
Does Rhode Island require notarization?
No — both signatures complete the bill of sale and title assignment. Writing the price in both numerals and words is the RI habit that prevents the most common dispute.

Rhode Island Bill of Sale Hub

All requirements, tax rates, deadlines, and forms for Rhode Island.

View Rhode Island guide →
Official Form

Rhode Island Bill of Sale Form

Documents a private vehicle sale in Rhode Island and the price. Submitted with the TR-1 and signed title; the 7% tax base is the higher of book value or price for newer vehicles, the sale price for 8–29-year-old vehicles.

Form guide →

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