Bill of sale · Arizona

Arizona Bill of Sale

In Arizona the bill of sale has a job most states don't give it: proving your private sale owes zero sales tax. Get official Form 48-2004 here, plus the all-online eTitle transfer and the 10-day Sold Notice that protects the seller.

The Arizona answer

The receipt that saves you the sales tax.

Arizona exempts casual private-party sales from sales tax — a genuine outlier among big states — and the bill of sale is how the exemption gets proven if MVD or the Department of Revenue asks. Form 48-2004 is optional in the legal sense, but “optional” undersells a document that heads off a use-tax assessment. No notary needed since the 2022 repeal.

Arizona Form 48-2004, first page — VIN, sale price and notary block — Arizona Form 48-2004 as the state publishes it. Click to download the full PDF.

Official state form

Form 48-2004 — Arizona MVD Bill of Sale

Verified ADOT/MVD copy — the recommended tax-exemption evidence for a casual sale.

Download

Add the condition record

Build a photo bill of sale — desert sun and all

Two photos embedded beside the VIN, odometer, and price — the exemption proof plus the condition proof.

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Titles without paper

The eTitle era — and the 10-day exit move.

Arizona runs the most electronic title system in the country: titles live in AZ MVD Now by default, and a lien-free private sale between two account holders can transfer entirely online — seller initiates free, buyer accepts and pays their side. Whichever route your sale takes, the seller’s non-negotiable is the Sold Notice within 10 days: it’s the switch that moves photo-radar tickets, tolls, and accident liability onto the buyer. File it the same day the car leaves. The buyer’s side: title within 15 days, emissions first in the Phoenix and Tucson areas, and registration costs built around Arizona’s vehicle license tax, which is computed from a depreciating assessed value rather than your purchase price.

Not legal advice. Verified against ADOT/MVD and Department of Revenue sources in July 2026 — official links in our 50-state requirements table.

Grand Canyon questions

Arizona specifics, answered.

Does Arizona charge sales tax on a private car sale?

No — casual sales between private parties are exempt from Arizona's transaction privilege tax entirely. The bill of sale is your evidence: it shows MVD the seller was a private party, not a dealer. Without documentation, use tax can be assessed — which makes the humble bill of sale worth real money here.

Is Arizona's title transfer really all online?

For many sales, yes. Arizona titles live electronically in AZ MVD Now by default, and eligible lien-free, non-commercial vehicles can complete a full eTitle Transfer between two AZ MVD Now accounts — no office visit, free for the seller. Paper-title sales and edge cases still go through MVD or an authorized third-party office.

Do I still need a notary anywhere?

No. Arizona repealed title notarization in fall 2022 — eTitle transfers first, then paper titles. Older title certificates still show a notary block; MVD accepts them signed with or without a stamp. If you simply want a notarized bill of sale for your own records, that's your choice, not a requirement.

What are the two deadlines after an Arizona sale?

The seller files a Sold Notice within 10 days (online in AZ MVD Now or on paper) — it cuts off liability for the buyer's tickets, camera violations, and accidents. The buyer transfers title within 15 days, keeping in mind Phoenix- and Tucson-area vehicles need current emissions compliance to register. Plates stay with the seller, with credit available for unused registration.

What's changing hands

Every item type, Arizona rules applied.

The Arizona rules above apply to whatever you are selling. Pick the item type to get a form with the right identifying fields on it.