Nevada vehicle bill of sale: what the state requires
Nevada has its own vehicle bill of sale, Form VP104, and the state's seller guide lists it among the items you need to sell a car. It records the deal, but the signed title is what moves ownership. The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) states plainly that a bill of sale by itself is not acceptable proof of ownership for registration.
So a Nevada private sale needs both pieces. The seller signs the title over, and both parties complete a bill of sale on VP104 or a document that carries the same information. A buyer who registers online through Rapid Registration must provide the purchase or sales agreement along with the title, so the bill of sale has a real job beyond your files.
What Form VP104 asks for
The form cites NRS 482.426 and NRS 490.082 at the top and says "All areas must be completed in full." It asks for the price in words and in numbers, the full legal name of each buyer, and a Nevada driver's license number, ID card number, or date of birth. It also wants physical and mailing addresses for each buyer, plus the seller's name, license number, and mailing address.
The vehicle section takes the VIN, year, make, model, and body type. Two checkboxes follow. One marks an off-highway vehicle, such as a side-by-side or ATV, and the other flags a vehicle that has been rebuilt under NRS 482.098. The buyer then names any lienholder, or writes "NONE" on that line when no lien exists.
Fill in the buyer area exactly as the new title should print, since the DMV uses it that way. Only one buyer signature is required, even when the names are joined by "AND." The form has room for two buyers, and a third owner needs a second VP104 attached.
The title has its own signature rules. If the owner line reads "Person 1 AND Person 2," both must sign. If it reads "Person 1 OR Person 2," either can sign alone. Any loan must be paid and the lien released before the sale, because Nevada does not allow take-over-payment deals.
Odometer rules split by model year. On a 2011 or newer vehicle, the seller must write the current mileage in the title's odometer section, even if the title says the car is exempt because of age. The seller must also hand over a paper title. The DMV will not accept a bill of sale paired with a duplicate title application, a non-secure power of attorney, or a chain of private sales on these newer vehicles. For a 2010 or older vehicle, the seller may check the exempt box. Our odometer disclosure guide explains the federal rule behind the split.
| Step | Seller | Buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Signs the seller section and enters mileage on 2011 and newer vehicles | Prints new owner names as they appear on the driver's license |
| Form VP104 | Signs and keeps a copy | Signs and keeps a copy for registration |
| Plates | Keeps them, or releases them on Form SP 67 | Gets new plates unless a release is provided |
| Registration | Cancels it and files a Vehicle Resale Notification in MyDMV | Registers with Nevada insurance and any required smog test |
Plates stay with the seller. Nevada law requires sellers to keep them, then either use them on another vehicle or surrender them. Through MyDMV, the seller can cancel the registration and submit a resale notification "to show you no longer own the vehicle and protect yourself from future liability." That notification is Nevada's version of a release of liability. Registration fee credits stay with the seller and do not pass to the buyer.
The buyer gets a short window to drive home. Under the three-day drive-away rule, the buyer may drive for up to three days after the purchase date with the signed-over title or a formal bill of sale, an active Nevada liability policy, and a direct route home or to the DMV. After three days, the buyer needs a movement permit, and the DMV offers a 30-day permit online through MyDMV. Insurance must come from a Nevada-licensed carrier in the exact names that will appear on the title.
Smog checks in Clark and Washoe counties
Emission testing applies to vehicles based in the urban areas of Clark or Washoe county. Covered vehicles include 1968 and newer gasoline vehicles of any size and diesels with a gross vehicle weight rating up to 14,000 pounds. New vehicles skip testing for their first three registrations, and hybrids are exempt for five model years. Vehicles based in rural parts of those two counties, and in every other Nevada county, are exempt.
In a private sale, the DMV says the test is the buyer's responsibility. A test stays valid for 90 days, and a transfer is exempt if the last test was done within 90 days before the transfer. Here is how the dates work in Las Vegas. A seller passes a smog test on June 2 and sells the car on August 15. That is 28 days left in June, 31 in July, and 15 in August, or 74 days, so the buyer registers without a new test. If the sale slips to September 5, the gap grows to 95 days, and the buyer needs a fresh test.
One more check belongs in every Nevada deal. If the vehicle has never been registered or titled in Nevada, the buyer also needs a Vehicle Inspection Certificate, Form VP 015, before the DMV will register it. The DMV also suggests meeting at one of its VIN inspection stations to have the VIN checked before money changes hands, a useful step when the seller is a stranger from an online listing.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Nevada bill of sale have to be notarized?
Form VP104 has no notary block. It does require original signatures, it does not accept photocopies, and it cannot be changed once signed, so both parties should check every field before anyone picks up a pen.
Do I pay sales tax on a private-party car in Nevada?
No. The Nevada DMV says sales taxes are not charged on private party vehicle sales, family sales, or gifts. You still pay registration fees and governmental services taxes when you register the car in your name.
How many cars can I sell privately in Nevada each year?
Up to three. Selling more than three personally owned vehicles in a year requires a dealer's license, and the DMV says selling a vehicle on an empty lot is illegal in most cases.
Jill Stradley writes about private sales, title transfers, and the paperwork that trips people up when buying or selling cars, boats, and everything in between. She got interested in the topic after a used car sale gone wrong taught her more about DMV requirements than she ever wanted to know. Now she breaks down what each state actually requires so other people don't have to learn the hard way.
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