A Colorado bill of sale is the written record of a private sale: what was sold, who bought it, the price, and the date. You need one whenever the price isn't written on the back of the title, and no notary is involved. Colorado's DMV publishes its own version, Form DR 2173, and the buyer has 60 days to title and register before late fees start.
Free to use. Legally binding under the ESIGN Act, UETA, and eIDAS.Updated November 2026 by Document eSign
A Colorado bill of sale records a private sale of personal property, usually a used car, truck, or motorcycle. It pins down four facts: the item, the two parties, the price, and the date. How a bill of sale works in general is covered on our national bill of sale page. This page is about the parts Colorado sets for itself. Colorado's Division of Motor Vehicles, part of the Department of Revenue, publishes a secure Form DR 2173 Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale. According to the DMV, you need a bill of sale for the title transfer only when the sale price isn't listed on the title, but most buyers end up needing one anyway: it's the paper you carry while driving the car home, and it backs up the price the county taxes. Title passes through the signed certificate of title, not the bill of sale. The bill of sale is your proof of the deal if the price, the date, or the mileage is ever questioned.
Who uses it
A private seller in Colorado whose title has no room for the price, or who wants a signed record beyond the titleA buyer driving a car home before it's registered, who has to carry a signed bill of sale identifying it by year, make, and VINA buyer in the Denver metro or North Front Range who needs the emissions test noted at the time of saleFamily members handing over a vehicle as a gift who want the paperwork to say so plainlyAnyone selling a trailer, camper, or other personal property who wants a clear Colorado paper trail
What's inside
Buyer and seller names and addresses
A vehicle description with year, make, model, body type, VIN, and color, plus the engine ID line Colorado asks for on motorcycles and pre-1954 vehicles
The full sale price and payment method, or a gift statement
An as-is clause that keeps Colorado's required disclosures intact
The seller's ownership and lien statement, with the rule that every titled owner signs
An odometer statement using the same three choices as Form DR 2173
A Colorado clause on Form DR 2395, the 60-day deadline under C.R.S. 42-3-103(1)(a), sales tax, and specific ownership tax
An emissions clause tied to the seller's duty under C.R.S. 42-4-310
A plates and report-of-sale clause, since Colorado plates stay with the seller
A Colorado governing-law line and signature blocks for both parties
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The details
Everything to know before you send it.
1
When Colorado actually requires a bill of sale
The Colorado DMV is direct about this: if everything on the title is filled in correctly, a bill of sale is not needed for the title transfer. The back of a Colorado title has space for the date of sale and the purchase price, and if those are written there, the title alone does the job. If the price is missing from the title, a bill of sale is required. There's a second reason to have one regardless. Until the vehicle is registered, the DMV says the buyer must carry a signed bill of sale identifying the vehicle by year, make, and VIN. So in practice, most private buyers leave with one. The DMV's own version is Form DR 2173, a secure, numbered form bought from authorized vendors rather than printed at home. You don't have to use DR 2173 for an ordinary bill of sale. You do need it if you want the bill of sale to carry the official odometer disclosure, which only the secure form can do.
Price written on the back of the title: a bill of sale is optional for the transfer.
Price not on the title: a bill of sale is required.
Driving home unregistered: carry a signed bill of sale showing year, make, and VIN.
Form DR 2173 is a secure form sold through DMV-authorized vendors.
2
No notary, and what to do with an older title
A private Colorado bill of sale does not need a notary. Form DR 2173 has no notary block at all. Instead the seller certifies the odometer statement under penalty of perjury, and the buyer signs to acknowledge the transfer. On the title, each seller prints and signs their name exactly as it appears on the front, and every owner listed has to sign. Some older Colorado titles still carry a space for a notary. For those, the DMV publishes Form DR 2445, Statement of Transfer, which is accepted in lieu of notarizing the Colorado title. It's a one-page certification signed under penalty of perjury in the second degree. It replaces the notary only. All sellers must still sign the title itself. One case does call for a notary: the DMV requires a notarized bill of sale, dated within 24 months of purchase, along with a certified VIN inspection, to title an off-highway vehicle 25 years or older without the usual ownership papers.
Ordinary private sale: no notary on the bill of sale or the title.
Older title with a notary space: use Form DR 2445 instead of a notary, and still sign the title.
Off-highway vehicle 25 years or older without ownership papers: notarized bill of sale plus a certified VIN inspection.
3
Signing electronically in Colorado
Colorado has accepted electronic signatures on title paperwork since Senate Bill 18-255 took effect on August 8, 2018. The DMV explained the rule in Bulletin BL 18-09, and it splits documents into two groups. Non-secure documents, such as Form DR 2395 and a bill of sale you draw up yourself like this one, can be accepted with an electronic signature, either on a printed copy or as an electronic document. Secure documents are different. The certificate of title, Form DR 2173, and the DR 2174 secure power of attorney cannot be made electronic. An electronic signature can be applied to the original paper secure form, but an electronic copy of a secure form is not accepted. In practice: sign this bill of sale online if that's easier, then sign the paper title by hand or with a signature printed onto the original, and hand it over.
This template is a non-secure document and can be signed electronically.
The title and Form DR 2173 must stay on the original secure paper.
The official odometer disclosure goes on the title or on DR 2173, not on a self-made bill of sale.
4
The 60-day clock, sales tax, and registration costs
Under C.R.S. 42-3-103(1)(a), the buyer has 60 days from the purchase date to title and register the vehicle. After that, the DMV charges a late fee of $25 for each month or portion of a month, up to $100. The buyer files Form DR 2395, Application for Title and/or Registration, at their county motor vehicle office, bringing the signed title, the bill of sale, ID, and proof of insurance. Tax is paid at that counter. In a private sale the seller doesn't collect sales tax, so the Colorado Department of Revenue says the buyer pays the state and local sales taxes to the county clerk when registering, on the full purchase price. The state rate is 2.9 percent, and county, city, and special district taxes are added on top, so the total depends on where you live. A genuine gift is treated differently: the Department of Revenue says the recipient is not liable for sales or use tax on a gifted vehicle. Registration also includes specific ownership tax, which the DMV calculates from the vehicle's original MSRP and age, so it shrinks as the vehicle gets older.
Title and register within 60 days; then $25 per month, capped at $100.
State sales tax is 2.9 percent plus local taxes, paid by the buyer at the county office.
Tax is figured on the full purchase price, so write the real number.
Specific ownership tax is based on original MSRP and age, separate from sales tax.
5
Emissions: the seller's job
Colorado puts the emissions test on the seller. If the buyer lives in an emissions area and the vehicle is past its exemption, C.R.S. 42-4-310 requires the seller to give the buyer a passing emissions test at the time of sale, and the DMV adds that it must not have been used already to register or renew a vehicle. The testing area, per the DMV, is Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson counties, plus parts of Adams, Arapahoe, Larimer, and Weld. Gasoline vehicles are exempt for their first seven model years and diesels for their first four, with one catch: if ownership changes during the last year of that exemption, a test is required. All-electric vehicles and motorcycles are exempt. Buyers should check that the test matches the VIN and shows no sign of alteration before paying.
Seller provides the passing test if the buyer lives in the emissions area.
Emissions area: Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, and parts of Adams, Arapahoe, Larimer, and Weld.
Gas exempt for 7 model years, diesel for 4, except a transfer in the final exempt year.
Electric vehicles and motorcycles do not need a test.
6
The odometer rule
For model year 2011 and newer vehicles, Colorado requires an odometer disclosure on every transfer of ownership. Three kinds of vehicle are exempt: those 20 model years old or older, those rated over 16,000 pounds gross weight, and trailers that aren't self-propelled. The seller records the reading with no tenths and picks one of three statements: actual mileage, in excess of the odometer's mechanical limits, or not the actual mileage. If the reading the seller wrote doesn't match what's on the dash, the DMV says the seller has to obtain a new title. Getting this right the first time saves a trip.
Required for model year 2011 and newer, on every transfer.
Exempt: 20 model years or older, over 16,000 pounds, non-self-propelled trailers.
A wrong reading on the title means the seller must get a new title.
7
How to fill it in and finish the sale
Most of this form fills itself in. Two fields deserve extra care, the VIN and the price, because the county reads both.
Parties: full legal names and current addresses for both sides.
Vehicle: year, make, model, body type, VIN, and color. Add the engine ID for a motorcycle or anything from 1953 or earlier.
Price and date: the full amount paid and the date. For a real gift, say it's a gift.
Emissions: note the passing test date, or why the vehicle is exempt.
After signing, the seller removes the plates and can report the sale within 5 days through myDMV or a county office. The buyer takes the title, bill of sale, DR 2395, ID, and insurance to the county within 60 days.
8
Mistakes that cost Colorado buyers and sellers
None of these are hard to avoid once you know them.
Leaving the plates on the car; Colorado plates belong to the seller.
Skipping the emissions test because the buyer agreed to handle it; the statute puts it on the seller.
Only one co-owner signing the title when two are listed.
Filling in the title odometer reading carelessly; a wrong number forces a new title.
Missing the 60-day deadline and paying up to $100 in late fees.
Sending a scan of the title instead of the original; secure forms cannot be electronic.
This template and the guidance on this page are provided for general information only and are not legal advice. Laws differ by country and state, so review the final document against your own situation and have a qualified lawyer check anything high-value or regulated before you sign.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Is a bill of sale required in Colorado?
Only sometimes. The Colorado DMV says a bill of sale isn't needed for the title transfer if everything on the title is filled in correctly, including the date of sale and the purchase price. If the price is not on the title, a bill of sale is required. You'll also want one to drive the vehicle home before it's registered, since the DMV says you must carry a signed bill of sale identifying it by year, make, and VIN.
Does a Colorado bill of sale need to be notarized?
No. Colorado's own Form DR 2173 has no notary block, and the seller certifies it under penalty of perjury instead. If an older Colorado title has a notary space, the DMV accepts Form DR 2445, Statement of Transfer, in place of notarizing it. The one common exception is titling an off-highway vehicle 25 years or older without ownership papers, which needs a notarized bill of sale.
What is the Colorado bill of sale form number?
The Colorado DMV form is DR 2173, Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale. It's a secure form sold through DMV-authorized vendors, and it's the only bill of sale that can also serve as the official odometer disclosure. This template records the same core facts for an ordinary private sale, and you can download it, fill it in, and sign it.
How long do I have to register a car after buying it in Colorado?
60 days from the date of purchase, under C.R.S. 42-3-103(1)(a). After that, the late fee is $25 for each month or part of a month, up to $100. File Form DR 2395 at your county motor vehicle office with the signed title, the bill of sale, ID, and proof of insurance.
How much is sales tax on a private car sale in Colorado?
Colorado's state rate is 2.9 percent, and county, city, and district taxes are added based on where the buyer lives. You pay it to the county clerk at registration, on the full purchase price, not to the seller. Gifts are handled differently: the Colorado Department of Revenue says the recipient of a genuine gift doesn't owe sales or use tax on the vehicle.
Who pays for the emissions test when selling a car in Colorado?
The seller. Under C.R.S. 42-4-310, if the buyer lives in an emissions area and the vehicle isn't exempt, the seller must give the buyer a passing test at the time of sale that hasn't already been used to register a vehicle. Gasoline vehicles are exempt for seven model years and diesels for four, but a transfer in the last exempt year still needs a test.
Can I sign a Colorado bill of sale electronically?
Yes, for a bill of sale like this one. Since Senate Bill 18-255 took effect on August 8, 2018, the DMV accepts electronic signatures on non-secure documents. Secure documents are the exception: the title and Form DR 2173 have to be the original paper, though an electronic signature printed onto that original is accepted.
Is the Colorado bill of sale available in Word format?
Yes. Download the Colorado bill of sale as a Word (.docx) file and edit it in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Pages. You can also download a PDF or fill it in and sign online.
Can I download the Colorado bill of sale as a PDF?
Yes. A print-ready PDF is available alongside the Word version. Download either one free, or sign online without downloading anything.
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