Trailer bill of sale template: free in Word, or sign it online

What the template includes

• Type, size, axles, weights, VIN and title number
• Items included, such as ramps or a spare tire
• Price and payment
• Ownership and lien statement
• As-is condition with the parts to inspect
• Title and registration duties

What you fill in

How it gets signed

1. 1Choose “Use this template”, fill in the fields and read the full trailer bill of sale once more.
2. 2Send it by WhatsApp or email. The other party opens the link on their phone without an account.
3. 3They tap the brown bar at the bottom that says “Sign as …” and draw their signature with a finger.
4. 4Everyone gets the signed PDF with its signature certificate. Anyone can check it at signsolu.com/verificar.

Before signing, each signer agrees to sign electronically. The screen links to the electronic signature disclosure the ESIGN Act asks for.

The bill of sale can be signed online. The certificate of title is a separate state document. If your state still uses a paper title, the seller signs it by hand and hands it to the buyer.

Your first ten documents are free and need no card.

Make an online signature once and use the PNG on any PDF, contract or email. It is free and needs no account.

What the law says

States decide which trailers get a title and a plate. Many title trailers above a set weight and only register lighter ones, or exempt small utility trailers. Check your state before the sale so the buyer knows what to bring.

The federal odometer rule exempts vehicles that are not self-propelled, so most trailers need no mileage statement. Travel trailers and fifth wheels follow the same rule.

The ESIGN Act gives an electronic signature on the bill of sale the same effect as ink.

What to check before buying a used trailer

• VIN plate. It should match the title and the bill of sale.
• Tires. Look at the date code and the tread. Old tires crack.
• Lights and wiring. Test them with the buyer’s vehicle.
• Bearings and brakes. Spin the wheels and listen.
• Floor and frame. Look for rot, rust and cracked welds.

Home-made trailers

A trailer built at home may have no VIN. Many states assign one after an inspection. Write “home-made, no VIN” in clause 1 and keep the receipts for the materials.

Boat trailers

If the trailer is sold with a boat, use the boat bill of sale, which covers both. Sold alone, a boat trailer uses this form.

A worked example

Gary sells his 12-foot utility trailer to Hector for 2,100 USD. Its GVWR is 3,500 pounds, so in their state it has a title.

Hector checks the lights and tires, sends the money and signs from his phone. Gary signs the bill of sale and the title, and Hector registers it that week.

Mistakes to avoid

• Missing weights. Registration fees often depend on them.
• No title when the state requires one. The buyer cannot register the trailer.
• Selling with your plate. In many states the plate stays with the seller.

What changes from state to state

• Notarization. A few states ask for a notarized bill of sale or title signature.
• State forms. Some motor vehicle agencies have their own bill of sale form and prefer it.
• Plates. In many states plates stay with the seller. In others they go with the vehicle.
• Release of liability. Many states let the seller report the sale online within a few days.
• Inspections. Emissions or safety checks may be needed before the buyer can register.
• Sales tax. The buyer pays it at registration in most states, based on the price or a book value.

Check your state motor vehicle agency before the sale. The bill of sale stays the same, only the steps around it change.

Selling a camper or travel trailer

Travel trailers and fifth wheels are titled in most states. List appliances, awnings and any known leaks in clause 5. Buyers of campers check water damage first.

Give the buyer the manuals and the service records. They add value and avoid questions later.

Sample descriptions that hold up

• Utility: “2021 Big Tex 35SA, 12 ft single axle, VIN 16VAX1215M1234567, GVWR 3,500 lb, with rear gate.”
• Car hauler: “2018 PJ 20 ft car hauler, two 7,000 lb axles, electric brakes, VIN on title.”
• Horse: “2015 Featherlite 2-horse bumper pull, aluminum, VIN 4FGL1234FC012345.”

Include weights when your state sets fees by weight.

Checklist for handover day

1. 1Payment received and cleared.
2. 2Bill of sale signed by both.
3. 3Title signed, if the trailer is titled.
4. 4Lights tested on the buyer’s vehicle.
5. 5Plate removed if your state requires it.

Avoiding common scams

• Overpayment checks. A buyer sends more than the price and asks for the difference back. The check later bounces.
• Fake payment screenshots. Wait until the money shows in your own account.
• Title washing. Check the trailer history for salvage or flood brands before you buy.
• Shipping requests. A buyer who cannot see the item and wants it shipped at once is a warning sign.

If something feels off, stop the sale. A real buyer will wait for the money to clear and will come to see the trailer.

Write down the plate of the vehicle that tows the trailer away. It helps if questions come up later.

Both of you keep the same signed PDF with its certificate.

Keep yours for several years in case of tolls or tickets tied to the old plate.

Before you sign

• How a lien release works
• Is an electronic contract valid?

Other templates

• Boat bill of sale
• Bill of sale
• Car bill of sale
• Motorcycle bill of sale
• Car sale agreement