Oregon motorcycle bill of sale: what the state requires

Oregon does not require a separate bill of sale when the seller signs over a motorcycle title that already shows their name. A motorcycle bill of sale is required when the seller's name is not on the title, and it is useful paperwork in every other private sale.

Who handles motorcycle titles in Oregon?

Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services (DMV), a division of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), handles titles for motorcycles along with other vehicles. Its buying and selling rules cover a motorcycle sale the same way they cover a car sale. The buyer applies with the Application for Title and Registration (Form 735-226), the signed title or bill of sale, and any required odometer disclosure.

DMV's buyer checklist includes a plain instruction: “Apply for title within 30 days.” The state's Vehicle Bill of Sale (Form 735-501) repeats the warning on its face: “If you do not apply for a title within 30 days from the date of purchase, you may be subject to a late title transfer fee.”

Is a bill of sale required to sell a motorcycle in Oregon?

It depends on the title. DMV tells buyers to make sure the seller hands over the title, that it matches the VIN on the vehicle, and that all owners shown on the title, including any lienholders, have released interest. Then it adds: “If the seller's name is not on the title, get a Bill of Sale from them.” That situation comes up when the seller bought the motorcycle and never transferred the title into their own name.

On the seller's side, DMV says to sign and date either the back of the title or a Bill of Sale. A bill of sale is also worth having when the title is signed, because it records the price and the exact date the motorcycle changed hands.

For the seller, the bill of sale also backs up the notice of sale. If the buyer is slow to transfer the title, the seller stays listed as the owner on DMV's record. A dated bill of sale with the buyer's name and address is the clearest evidence of when the sale happened and who took the motorcycle.

What must an Oregon motorcycle bill of sale include?

DMV accepts its own Vehicle Bill of Sale or a separate document with the same information. Either one must contain “at least the VIN, a statement releasing interest in the vehicle, the printed name of the seller(s), the seller's signature(s), and the date of sale.” DMV adds: “We cannot process a Bill of Sale without this information.”

Those 5 items are the minimum. Form 735-501 also has spaces for the plate number, year, make, title number, the buyer's printed name and address, the date of purchase, and the seller's address. The form tells sellers to use only blue or black ink, not to white out or strike through any names, and that it must carry the original seller's signature, with no photocopies. Add the sale price so both parties have a record of it.

Does a motorcycle need an odometer disclosure in Oregon?

Often, yes. DMV says “The seller and buyer of a vehicle must complete the odometer disclosure,” and motorcycles are not on its list of exempt vehicles. The requirement covers newer model years until the vehicle is 20 years old. Older model years before the cutoff shown on DMV's odometer page are exempt.

DMV lists these exemptions: vehicles not manufactured with an odometer, model years before the cutoff, vehicles that are not self-propelled such as trailers or campers, vehicles with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating over 16,000 pounds, Class I ATVs, snowmobiles, and title transfers when at least one owner remains on the title.

The reading goes in the space on the back of the title, and both the seller and the buyer sign it. DMV also offers a Secure Odometer Disclosure form, which it will mail on request. Write the reading on the bill of sale as well, so the number is recorded in two places. If you know the reading is wrong, for example because the gauge was replaced, say so next to the number instead of leaving the buyer to find out later.

What paperwork changes hands at an Oregon motorcycle sale?

The seller gives the buyer the title, signed and dated on the back, along with any separate lien release. When the seller's name is not on the title, the seller adds a bill of sale that contains the 5 items DMV requires. If the motorcycle falls under the odometer rule, both parties complete the disclosure before the buyer leaves. The buyer then brings those papers and a completed Form 735-226 to DMV. The seller keeps copies of everything and files the notice of sale through DMV2U within 10 days.

How does an Oregon seller report a motorcycle sale?

The seller must notify DMV. Form 735-501 states: “You must provide notification to DMV of the sale within 10 days of the sale. (ORS 803.112)” DMV's selling page says to use DMV2U, its online service, and to include the name and address of the buyer.

Filing the notice does not end ownership on paper. DMV explains that it “will note on your record that you sold the vehicle, but you will stay listed as the owner until the buyer transfers the title.” A signed bill of sale shows the date the motorcycle left your hands during that gap. DMV also says sellers may remove their license plates before selling.

What should an Oregon buyer check before paying?

Match the VIN on the motorcycle to the VIN on the title, and confirm that every owner listed has signed. If the seller had a loan, DMV says the lienholder should sign the front of the title or provide a separate, signed statement releasing its interest. DMV also points buyers to the National Insurance Crime Bureau for a free stolen-vehicle check and to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website for open recalls. Pay with a method that leaves a record, and write the amount and date on the bill of sale so the price is on paper if anyone asks later.

Sources

• Oregon DMV: Buying or Selling a Vehicle
• Oregon DMV: Odometer Disclosure
• Oregon DMV Vehicle Bill of Sale, Form 735-501
• Oregon DMV Application for Title and Registration, Form 735-226