Bill of sale · dog & puppy

Dog Bill of Sale Form

A puppy leaves with more than a leash: microchip registration, vaccine records, registry papers. This bill of sale keeps the sale itself just as well documented — breed, DOB, chip number, and price, with photos.

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Download a blank bill of sale, or build a custom one.

A dog bill of sale documents a puppy or adult dog sale — breed, date of birth, microchip number, registry information, and price — with both signatures. It anchors the handoff of vet records, chip registration, and any written health guarantee.

How do you want to build it?

Download a clean, fillable dog / puppy bill of sale. Type the details in any PDF viewer, or print it and write them by hand.

US Letter · fillable PDF, editable Word (.docx), or Google Docs · print at 100%

Not legal advice. This template is a general-purpose starting point only. Specific DMV and state requirements vary — I understand it is my responsibility to verify local requirements before finalizing a transfer.

Sample

A clean, fillable form — every line is a text field you can type into, or print blank.

Optional add-on

Need it notarized?

Louisiana and West Virginia require it, and a few situations reward it — same form, plus an acknowledgment certificate page.

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Selling in a specific state?

Bill of sale requirements by state

See which states have an official DMV form, which require a notary, and where this free builder is a suitable alternative — all 50 states + DC.

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Breeders & rehoming

What changes hands besides the leash.

Three records follow a dog to its new home: the microchip (transfer the registration to the buyer’s name with the chip company — the sticker number on this form isn’t enough by itself), the registry papers if the dog is AKC or UKC registered (a separate transfer, like a horse’s), and the vaccination and deworming record from the vet. Hand over copies of all three and note them in the additional-terms box.

Selling puppies as a breeder? Several states have “puppy lemon laws” that give buyers a return or vet-refund window — spell out any health guarantee (or that the sale is final) in the additional terms so both sides agree in writing on day one.

The handoff

A good handoff for the dog, too.

The paperwork handoff has a same-day companion: update the microchip registration to the buyer before the car leaves, send the vet-records folder along, and — for registered dogs — sign the registry transfer while everyone is standing there. A week later, half of it never happens.

Breeders selling a litter should also put deposit terms, any spay/neuter agreement, and return-to-breeder clauses in the additional-terms box — those promises only count when they are on the signed page. Not legal advice — several states have pet-sale disclosure and puppy lemon laws worth reading before a litter goes up for sale.

Where's the sale?

Every state's requirements, plain English.

This form works in all fifty states. What changes is what your DMV wants alongside it — notarization, an odometer statement, a filing deadline. Pick your state for the specifics.

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Asked and answered

The dog questions that come up.

What does a bill of sale prove about owning a dog?

It is strong evidence, not automatic proof. In an ownership dispute a court will look at the whole picture — the bill of sale, the microchip registration, vet records in your name, licensing, and who has actually cared for the animal. The bill of sale is usually the earliest dated document in that set, which is exactly why it matters.

What should be on a puppy bill of sale?

Breed, sex, date of birth, colour and markings, the microchip number, and any registry and registration number. The microchip is the identifier that stays with the dog for life, so it is the most useful field on the form. Record the sire and dam in the additional terms if the dog is registered.

Can we put health guarantees or spay/neuter terms in writing?

Yes, and you should — the additional-terms box exists for exactly this. Responsible breeders routinely include a health guarantee window, a spay or neuter requirement, and a return-to-breeder clause. Spoken promises about a puppy's health are the most commonly disputed part of these sales.

Is the vet record enough on its own?

It helps but it is not a transfer document. A vet record shows who brought the animal in; it does not show who bought it, from whom, or when. Keep both, and update the microchip registration to your name promptly — an unchanged chip registration is the most common reason a returned dog goes back to the wrong person.

Not legal advice. Titling and registration rules are set by your state — check yours in the list above before finalizing a transfer.