MV-912

The NY DMV MV-912 form, also known as the Vehicle Bill of Sale, is a critical legal document used to record the private transfer of ownership for motor vehicles, boats, snowmobiles, and ATVs within New York State. It serves as a formal receipt that documents the specific details of a transaction, including the vehicle description (year, make, model, and VIN), the agreed-upon purchase price, the date of sale, the odometer reading, and the signatures of both the buyer and seller. While the DMV provides this official template to ensure all necessary information is captured, private parties may also create their own written bill of sale provided it includes these essential data points.

The document serves several vital functions for both parties: for the buyer, it acts as essential proof of ownership required to title and register the vehicle at a DMV office and is used by the state to calculate applicable sales tax; for the seller, it provides a legal shield against future liability, proving they are no longer responsible for the vehicle if it is involved in accidents, traffic violations, or parking tickets after the sale. Even in cases where a vehicle is a gift, the MV-912 must be completed with a purchase price of $0 to facilitate the legal transfer of the title. Though New York law does not require the bill of sale to be notarized for most transactions, it remains a permanent record that protects both parties in the event of future legal or financial disputes.