A Georgia bill of sale is your written proof that a private sale happened: who sold what, to whom, for how much, and when. For a car or truck it backs up the state's own Form T-7, and the deadline that matters is the buyer's. You have 30 days to title the vehicle at your county tag office and pay the one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax, or the penalties start.
Free to use. Legally binding under the ESIGN Act, UETA, and eIDAS.Updated November 2026 by Document eSign
A Georgia bill of sale records the sale of personal property, most often a used vehicle, from a seller to a buyer. It fixes the four facts that matter if the deal is ever questioned: what was sold, who was on each side, the price, and the date. The general mechanics of a bill of sale are the same everywhere and are covered on our national bill of sale page. What Georgia changes is specific. The Department of Revenue publishes its own Form T-7 Bill of Sale, the state charges a one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) instead of sales tax on vehicles titled on or after March 1, 2013, and the buyer has 30 days to title the vehicle at the county tag office where they live. The bill of sale does not move ownership by itself. The signed certificate of title does that, and the bill of sale is the supporting record. It also becomes the required proof of sale for an older vehicle that Georgia no longer issues a title for.
Who uses it
A private seller of a used car, truck, or motorcycle in GeorgiaA buyer who needs the bill of sale to title the vehicle at a county tag officeA parent gifting a vehicle to an immediate family member who still wants a paper recordSomeone selling a 1985-or-older vehicle that Georgia no longer titles, where the bill of sale is the proof of saleAnyone selling equipment or other personal property who wants a clear Georgia paper trail
What's inside
The buyer and seller names and addresses
A full vehicle description with the VIN, plate number, make, model, model year, and color
The sale price, or a note that the vehicle is a gift to an immediate family member
The date of sale and how payment was made
An as-is clause that sells the property in its current condition, with no warranty
The seller's statement that they own it and it is free of liens
A federal odometer disclosure section, with Georgia's 20-model-year exemption noted
A Georgia clause covering Form T-7, the MV-1 application, the 30-day title deadline, TAVT, and emissions
A governing-law line for Georgia and a signature block for both parties
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02
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The details
Everything to know before you send it.
1
What Georgia actually requires
For a vehicle sale, the Department of Revenue has its own form, the Form T-7 Bill of Sale, which records the vehicle details, the parties, the sale, and the odometer reading. You are not forced to use the state's exact form, but your bill of sale should carry the same information, because the buyer hands it to the county tag office along with the signed title and a Form MV-1 Title/Tag Application. One point on titles trips people up: Georgia issues titles for all 1986 and newer model year vehicles, so for those the signed title is what the buyer needs. A bill of sale is the required proof of sale only when the vehicle is a 1985 or older model that the state does not title.
Record the make, model, model year, VIN, plate number, color, date of sale, and price.
The bill of sale is the record of the deal, not the title transfer.
For a gift to an immediate family member, note the relationship, because that changes the tax rate.
2
The 30-day title deadline and the TAVT
Georgia puts the clock on the buyer, not the seller. You have 30 days from the date of sale to apply for a title at the tag office in the county where you live, and that is also when you pay the Title Ad Valorem Tax. TAVT is a one-time tax that replaced the old sales tax and the annual ad valorem 'birthday tax' for vehicles titled on or after March 1, 2013. The standard rate is 7% of the vehicle's fair market value, and the state figures that value from its own assessment manual rather than simply taking the price you wrote down. Two lower rates are worth knowing: a transfer between immediate family members is taxed at 0.5% of fair market value, and a new Georgia resident retitling a vehicle already registered in another state pays 3%. Miss the 30-day window and it costs money. There is a $10 title penalty, and on a private 'casual' sale the TAVT penalty is 10% of the tax after day 30, plus another 1% for each month it stays unpaid.
3
Emissions: only the 13 metro Atlanta counties
Georgia's emissions rule is local, not statewide, and it falls on the seller at the point of sale. Thirteen counties require an annual emissions inspection: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding, and Rockdale. If you are selling a vehicle that needs testing in one of those counties, you have to hand the buyer a current passing certificate at the time of sale, and a passing result is good for the new owner's next registration if it is still inside its 12-month window. The program, run by Georgia's Clean Air Force, covers gasoline cars and light trucks rated at 8,500 pounds or less. The three most recent model years are exempt, so for a 2026 registration that means model year 2024 and newer, and anything 25 model years old or older is also exempt, which for 2026 is model year 2001 and older. Dedicated alternative-fuel vehicles are exempt, but a hybrid is not. Outside those 13 counties, no emissions test is tied to the sale.
4
Notarization, and getting the odometer line right
A Georgia motor vehicle bill of sale does not need to be notarized, and neither does the title assignment on a casual sale. The state's Form T-7 has no notary line, and an electronic signature is valid. The one field people get wrong is the odometer. Federal law requires a written mileage statement when ownership transfers, so record the exact reading and check the box that matches, whether the mileage is actual, not actual, or over the mechanical limit. Georgia's Form T-7 exempts a vehicle that is 20 model years old or older, and on that form you can write the word 'exempt' instead of a number. For anything newer, a blank or a rounded guess on the odometer is the kind of gap that causes a problem at the tag office later.
5
How to fill it in
Most fields are self-explanatory. The two to get exactly right are the vehicle description and the price, because the tag office and the tax calculation both read them.
Buyer and seller: full legal names and current addresses.
Vehicle: make, model, model year, the VIN, the plate number, and the color.
Price and date: the real amount paid, how it was paid, and the date of sale. For a genuine family gift, say so and note the relationship rather than inventing a token price.
Odometer: record the exact mileage and check the matching statement, or write 'exempt' for a vehicle 20 model years old or older. Leave the section out for non-vehicles.
Both parties sign and each keeps a copy. The buyer then titles the vehicle and pays TAVT within 30 days.
6
Common mistakes
The errors that cause trouble later are easy to avoid.
Letting the buyer's 30-day title window lapse and picking up the $10 title penalty plus the TAVT penalty.
Assuming TAVT is figured on the sale price when the state values the vehicle from its own assessment manual.
A metro-Atlanta seller skipping the emissions certificate the buyer needs to register the car.
Treating the bill of sale as the title transfer; the signed certificate of title is what moves ownership.
Leaving the VIN off, or rounding the odometer instead of recording the exact reading.
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 Georgia?
It depends on the vehicle. Georgia titles all 1986 and newer model year vehicles, so for those the signed certificate of title is the key document and the bill of sale is supporting proof. For a 1985 or older vehicle that the state no longer titles, the Form T-7 Bill of Sale is the required proof of sale. Either way, it is smart to use one, because it is your record of the price, the date, and who was on each side.
Does a Georgia bill of sale need to be notarized?
No. Georgia does not require a motor vehicle bill of sale to be notarized, and the title assignment on a private sale does not need a notary either. The state's own Form T-7 has no notary line, and an electronic signature is valid. The buyer and seller each sign and keep a copy.
How long do I have to transfer the title in Georgia?
The buyer has 30 days from the date of sale to apply for a title at the county tag office where they live, and that is when the Title Ad Valorem Tax is due. Miss the deadline and there is a $10 title penalty, plus a TAVT penalty of 10% of the tax after day 30 and another 1% for each additional month on a private sale.
How much is TAVT on a used car in Georgia?
The standard Title Ad Valorem Tax is 7% of the vehicle's fair market value, which the state figures from its own assessment manual rather than from the price on the bill of sale. A transfer between immediate family members is taxed at 0.5%, and a new Georgia resident retitling an out-of-state vehicle pays 3%. TAVT is a one-time tax paid at titling; it replaced sales tax and the annual 'birthday tax' for vehicles titled on or after March 1, 2013.
Do I need an emissions test to sell a car in Georgia?
Only in 13 metro Atlanta counties: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding, and Rockdale. In those counties the seller provides a current passing emissions certificate at the time of sale. The three most recent model years are exempt, as are vehicles 25 model years old and older, dedicated alternative-fuel vehicles, and anything outside the 13-county area. Hybrids are not exempt.
What is the Georgia bill of sale form number?
The Department of Revenue form is the Form T-7 Bill of Sale. It records the vehicle details, the seller and buyer, the sale, and the odometer reading, and the buyer submits it with the Form MV-1 Title/Tag Application. This template follows the same information and is ready to download, fill in, and sign.
Is the Georgia bill of sale available in Word format?
Yes. Download the Georgia 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 Georgia 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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