Bill of sale · California

California Bill of Sale Form

California's private-sale paperwork runs on deadlines: the seller's 5-day Release of Liability, the buyer's 10-day title transfer, a 90-day smog certificate. Here's how REG 135 fits in — and why the fancier REG 262 can't be downloaded at all.

The California answer

REG 135 for the record, REG 138 for your protection.

California Form REG-135, first page — sale price, vessel and hull fields and buyer and seller signature lines — California Form REG-135 as the state publishes it. Click to download the full PDF.

Official state form

REG 135 — California Bill of Sale

Verified copy of the CA DMV form. Covers vehicles and vessels; generic bills of sale are accepted too.

Download

The document that protects the seller isn’t the bill of sale — it’s the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (REG 138), due within 5 calendar days of the sale, filed online in about two minutes. Until it’s on record, parking tickets and toll violations still find you. California plates, unusually, stay with the vehicle — so the paper trail is your only exit.

Photos tell the condition story

Build a photo bill of sale to pair with REG 135

Fillable PDF with two photos embedded — AS-IS wording built in.

Start

The form you can't download

REG 262 and California's security paper.

When a title’s assignment section is full — or an odometer disclosure needs its own document — California uses REG 262, which rolls a bill of sale, odometer statement, and power of attorney into one form. You won’t find its PDF anywhere legitimate: federal odometer rules make it a controlled document printed on security paper, issued only at DMV field offices or by phone request. If a website offers you a downloadable REG 262, that’s a counterfeit. For everyday sales, the title’s printed assignment plus REG 135 (above) is the whole kit.

Not legal advice. Verified against CA DMV, BAR, and CDTFA sources in July 2026 — official links in our 50-state requirements table.

Golden State questions

California specifics, answered.

Is a bill of sale required to sell a car in California?

Not usually — the signed-over title transfers ownership, and REG 135 exists for when you need to document the deal or patch a gap in the ownership chain. What IS required of the seller: file the Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (REG 138, online or by mail) within 5 calendar days of the sale.

Why can't I download the REG 262 form like the others?

Because it's printed on security paper. REG 262 (Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment) combines a bill of sale, odometer disclosure, and power of attorney, and federal odometer rules require it to be a controlled document — so the DMV issues it at field offices or by phone, never as a download. For a simple private sale, the title's own assignment section plus REG 135 covers you.

Who handles the smog check in a private sale?

The seller, mostly. California requires the seller to provide a passing smog certificate (valid 90 days) for the ownership transfer, with exemptions for vehicles four model years old or newer (those pay a smog transfer fee instead — and note the exemption doesn't apply to diesels).

How is tax handled on a California private sale?

The DMV collects use tax from the buyer at registration, based on the actual purchase price — at your local combined rate (roughly 7.25% to over 10% depending on city). The buyer has 10 days to transfer title, and the DMV can question a stated price that looks far below market, so keep the bill of sale honest.

Not a car?

Build the right form for what you're selling.

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