Bill of Sale Template for the State of Georgia

A bill of sale document is a piece of legal paperwork that is required in the state of Georgia whenever some form of personal property exchanges ownership. Examples of items for sale include a car, motorcycle, boat, horse, firearm, or other personal property. For the bill of sale to be valid in the state of Georgia, it must include all details specific to the transaction and information on both the buyer and the seller. This documentation acts as legal evidence of the sale and proof that full consideration of legal rights and liabilities have been taken on by the new owner.

For anyone wanting to know how to write a bill of sale for use in Georgia, this article explains all there is to know. We also have a free handy Georgia Bill of Sale PDF document download to make your life even more simple.

General Georgia Bill of Sale

In Georgia, it is the law that the sale of all personal property must be recorded with a bill of sale. This is a document that acts as a legally binding agreement between the seller and purchaser of goods. It serves two main purposes:

It provides the buyer with proof of purchase, which is especially useful when purchasing property that needs to be registered with the state, such as a vehicle or boat.
It protects the buyers from certain liabilities, such as their vehicle previously being involved in an accident or a firearm being used illegally.

You can find a free Georgia Bill of Sale template for download on this page. To use it, complete the relevant information about the transaction. This will include details such as:

The legal name and address of both the buyer and seller involved in the transaction.
A description of the property being sold and its current location, which is especially important if purchasing property from another US state.
The conditions for the purchase, such as whether the buyer is purchasing the property as-is or under warranty.
Whether or not the property is being sold as a gift, which is important for tax purposes.
The agreed upon sale price and whether or not sales tax will be included in this figure.
In cases where one item is being traded for another, the bill of sale must include information on the second item and a statement verifying they are of equal value.
The printed name and signatures of both parties to finalize the legal transfer of ownership.

After the form has been signed by both the purchaser and the seller, the seller should make three copies, one for each party to keep as evidence for completion of the transaction and one for the state. Additionally, while there is no specified language requirement in Georgia law, writing the form in American English will help to ensure the document is filed correctly. Moreover, depending on the type of property purchased, the buyer may need to take a few more steps to complete registration with the state for the full legal transfer of ownership.

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Georgia Car (Vehicle) Bill of Sale

Transferring ownership of a car or other motor vehicle in Georgia is the most common use for a bill of sale. Such a document is necessary whether purchasing from an individual or from a car dealership. For anyone that is selling a motor vehicle, you can use our Georgia Bill of Sale template if you are looking for guidance on what to include. Alternatively, you can write one of your own. If you do want to know how to write a bill of sale in Georgia, use our template as a guideline and ensure you include all of the required information in the document:

The year, make, and model of the vehicle.
The names and signatures of the buyer and the seller.
The sale date and the agreed purchase price.
The acknowledgment of any liens on the vehicle and the lien information.

Ideally, the bill of sale should be notarized to ensure that it is authentic and can be trusted, but this is not a legal requirement. However, after the successful completion of a bill of sale, the vehicle must be registered with the state. When purchasing from a car dealership, all buyers have 30 days from the date of the sale to register their car with the state; however this time limit drops to merely 7 days when buying privately from an individual.

If you are purchasing a car from a dealership, the dealership will typically handle all of the legal paperwork for you. However, when purchasing privately, you need to submit all relevant documentation yourself. As such, there are several other steps you must go through and paperwork that need to be turned into your local tax commissioner’s office to complete the vehicle registration process. This includes all of the following documents:

Form MV-18J which the seller completes to confirm their voluntary registration cancelation.
Your Georgia bill of sale document to confirm ownership.
A valid driver’s license and/or state ID card.
Information on the current mileage of the vehicle.
Proof of purchasing car insurance on the vehicle.
The manufacturer’s certificate of origin.

If you fail to register your new vehicle within the allocated 7 days post-purchase, the state of Georgia may impose penalty fees. If a penalty is assessed, you will need to pay these fines before you can continue with the registration process. Note that the car will not legally be transferred to your name until registration is complete, so gather the required documents as quickly as possible to be given legal ownership and avoid these penalty charges.

Georgia Boat Bill of Sale Template

You can use our printable Georgia Bill of Sale PDF template for the purchase of a boat in the state. Similar to a vehicle bill of sale, a boat bill of sale does not need to be notarized nor signed by witnesses, but is recommended to ensure its authenticity. When writing the document, be sure to include all of the following information:

The year, make, and model of the boat.
The colors, construction materials, and length of the vessel.
The names and signatures of the buyer and the seller.
The sale date and the agreed purchase price.
The boar’s hull identification number (HIN).

As with vehicle purchases, the newly purchased boat will need to be registered in your name to complete the legal transfer of ownership. This is only the case if the vessel being sold measures over 12 feet in length, is a mechanically propelled vessel, and is planning to be used on “Waters of this state”. As per O.C.G.A §52-7-3(26), “Waters of this state” refers to any body of water within territorial limits but excludes privately-owned ponds or lakes. To complete the registration process, you will need to submit a few documents to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This includes the following:

Your bill of sale which acts as proof of ownership.
A completed Georgia Vehicle Registration Application.
The manufacturer’s statement of origin for brand new vessels.

Georgia Firearm Bill of Sale

Many sellers may issue a bill of sale when selling a firearm. However, according to Georgia state law, it is not necessary for firearms that are not legally categorized as handguns to be registered to an owner. Similarly, no gun permit is required to have a firearm on your person. As such, a firearm bill of sale is more for courtesy of the buyer than a legal necessity. Not only does the bill of sale provide proof of purchase, but it also helps the previous owner to avoid liability if the weapon is used for illegal means.

If you do choose to write a bill of sale for a firearm, you can use our free Georgia Bill of Sale PDF template. On the other hand, you may wish to draft a copy of your own. If doing so, the document needs to include the following information:

The make, model, and caliber of the firearm.
The serial number of the firearm.
The names and signatures of the buyer and the seller.
The sale date and the agreed purchase price.
Details on the condition of the firearm at the point of sale.

Georgia Horse Bill of Sale

Anyone making an equine transaction and transferring the ownership of a horse to a new buyer can use the Georgia Bill of Sale template for horses to acknowledge the transfer of ownership. Alternatively, you can choose to write your own. If doing so, this needs to contain all relevant information on the horse and the purchase, including all of the following:

The breed, gender, age, and name of the horse.
The horse’s registration number and any defining physical characteristics.
The date of the horse’s last Coggins test.
Any information that impacts the price of the horse, such as medical conditions.
The names and signatures of the buyer and the seller.
The date of the sale and the agreed upon purchase price.

Conclusions

Hopefully, you now have a good idea of what a bill of sale entails and why it is important for all sales of personal property. In the state of Georgia, a bill of sale is used when the ownership of personal property is transferred, whether the property isa motor vehicle, a boat, a firearm, or a horse. Our Georgia Bill of Sale PDF and MS Word templates can be downloaded and used for free to help you ensure that your bill of sale is complete. Alternatively, use the templates and the additional information on this page as guidance to draft the legal documents yourself.

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